Negotiating Religious Identity among Bidayuh Muslim Converts in Sarawak: A Qualitative Study through Fiqh al-Taayush

Abstract

Religious conversion represents a significant transformation in an individual’s spiritual orientation and may also reshape relationships, cultural belonging, and perceptions of identity. For indigenous converts, the process may involve additional challenges when religious identity is closely associated with cultural and ethnic expectations. This qualitative study explores how Bidayuh Muslim converts in Sarawak negotiate their religious identity following conversion to Islam. Data were generated through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with four Bidayuh converts (two men, two women), audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic analysis to identify patterns across participants’ narratives. The study employs Fiqh al-Ta??yush (jurisprudence of coexistence) as an interpretive framework to examine how converts navigate boundaries between Islamic obligations, Bidayuh cultural heritage, and relationships with non-Muslim family and wider communities. Two concrete findings emerged. First, converts actively reconstructed belonging by distinguishing between religious obligations and culturally meaningful practices, notably by establishing separate halal food stations and hosting distinct gatherings during longhouse celebrations to demonstrate that dietary boundaries do not equate to familial rejection. Second, participants resisted pressure to assimilate into Malay cultural norms, articulating a self-defined Bidayuh-Muslim identity that refuses the erasure of indigenous heritage while maintaining Islamic commitments. These findings suggest that religious conversion does not necessarily result in the abandonment of ethnic or cultural identity; instead, participants negotiated coexistence through ethical boundary-setting, mutual respect, and continued social engagement. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of religious identity negotiation among indigenous Muslim converts in a multicultural Malaysian context and illustrates how Fiqh al-Ta??yush can inculcate da?wah approaches that support hybrid identities without compromising religious integrity. Keywords: Bidayuh Muslim converts, Religious identity negotiation, Fiqh al-Ta??yush, Indigenous Muslim converts, Sarawak