KUALA LUMPUR: A new video series “Voice of Reverts” is gaining huge traction on Facebook and YouTube due to its heart-warming content about faith, devotion and love.
A brainchild of Taufiq Tajuddin, 28, the series follows Taufiq as he meets Muslim reverts and engages in discussions about their discovery of the religion and their journeys.
Each clip is 10-minute long, and it tugs at the heartstrings with emotional stories about various hurdles faced by some of his “brothers and sisters” — including suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction before seeing the light.
Taufiq, who resides in Kuala Lumpur, uploads a new episode every day after sahur at 5.45am since day one of the fasting month.
Both Muslims and non-Muslims would post their comments and ideas about what they have watched, opening more space for discussions and mutual understanding.
Taufiq told the New Sunday Times it all started earlier last month when the social media was actively spreading misconceptions on Islam more than usual.
His wife, Nabilla Azlan, 27, then asked him to do something meaningful about it for the upcoming Ramadan to break the stereotyped perception.
“After listening to her, an idea came to me about getting different perspectives about Islam from people who embraced it later on in their lives through their own will.
“Stories from the Muslim reverts are told in a candid and casual manner.
“I set a goal to produce 29 videos with reverts to be uploaded on my Facebook and YouTube accounts for the whole month of Ramadan,” said Taufiq, a full-time master’s student.
Taufiq began by announcing the video series on his Facebook page.
He said people began tagging friends who were reverts in the comments section, indirectly introducing them to him.
“Ultimately, I reached out to them and managed to interview 29 reverts,” he said.
Taufiq said he received mixed reactions about the project, stating that some reverts were open about sharing their experiences, while others were more secretive.
“They had embraced Islam on their own will, and not because of marriage,” he said, adding that this episode would be aired tomorrow.
Among his interviewees are Instagram personality Siu Lim, who discovered her faith after marriage, and Mike Tan, a visually impaired 21-year-old who opened his heart to recite the syahadah (Islamic testimony of faith) after learning the meaning of a passage in the Quran.
In his interview, which was aired on June 4, Tan said he
still lived with his Buddhist
family and that they accepted his chosen path.
He started the interview by saying: “Before Islam, my name is Tan Mike Fong. After Islam, my name is Tan Mike Fong.”
Tan said he embraced Islam, not changed his race, one of the common misconceptions when it came to the matter.
Taufiq said his next project would begin after Ramadan.
“I am planning to do another video series about misconceptions of women in Islam.