BUKITTINGGI - A resident of the Correctional Institution (WBP) of the Bukittinggi Prison in Biaro, West Sumatra, declared himself a convert to Islam ahead of this year's Ramadan.
The assisted resident by the name of Bungaram Sibarani pronounces the creed led by the head of the local KUA, Khairul to declare his change of faith at the Class IIA Prison Mushala in Biaro, Friday, April 1.
"I don't feel forced or forced, this has been my wish for a long time, I feel cool and comfortable in Islam, I've learned a little about this religion and its way of worship," Bungaram said as quoted by Antara.
Bungaram, who is from North Sumatra and has been living in Bukittinggi City for a long time, said that he had also changed his faith with the permission of his family.
The 52-year-old man and already has five children was assisted in performing ablution and then saying the shahada even though he stuttered a little in the presence of dozens of other inmates.
Bungaram also changed his name to Muhammad Ramadhan according to the decisions and suggestions of the inmates and witnesses present.
Acting as a facilitator with the conversion of this WBP is a well-known lawyer in the City of Bukittinggi, Armen Bakar.
"We only facilitate based on the information we received about the willingness of an inmate who wants to become a convert, we help with all the management of family permits and other administrations to free circumcision," said Armen.
He also collaborated with the Sedekah Seribu A Day (S3) community which is known to be active in carrying out social actions in Bukittinggi Agam. "Alhamdulillah S3 helped provide Muslim clothes for Bungaram and several places of worship, as well as hundreds of packaged rice for other inmates," he said.
He said the process of assisting the management of the inmates for converts had been carried out for the last three years due to worship.
"We just want to be worshipers, we may be good people but we want to act and be good people," he said.
Meanwhile, Head of Class IIA Bukittinggi, Marten said he was grateful for the help of all parties who carried out the process of religious conversion and urged other inmates to help with Bungaram's initial learning.
"We from Lapas certainly try to facilitate, thank you for the help of all parties in the management, to other inmates, we ask to help in the procedures for worshiping," he said.
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