Filipinos top Muslim converts' list in Saudi Arabia

MANILA, Aug 24: Filipinos in Saudi Arabia accounted for more than half of those who converted to Islam during this year’s Ramadan.

Reports showed that 113 expatriates converted to the religion in the first half of Ramadan in the oasis region of Al-Ahsa in eastern Saudi Arabia.

They included 68 Filipinos, 13 Sri Lankans, 10 Indians, and the rest were from Kenya, Nepal, and other nationalities.

“Filipinos are on top of the list of those who embraced Islam in the Kingdom,” Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Gagmayan, director of the Islamic guidance center in Al-Ahsa, was quoted as saying. “They and other foreigners voluntarily convert to our religion without interference from any one,” he added.

With about 1.57 billion Muslims, comprising about nearly 25 percent of the world's population, Islam is the second-largest religion, and one of the fastest-growing religions, in the world.

Based on the US Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook, about 13 percent of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country, 25 percent in South Asia, 20 percent in the Middle East, 2 percent in Central Asia, 4 percent in the remaining South East Asian countries, and 15 percent in Sub-saharan Africa. Sizable communities are also found in China and Russia, and parts of Europe.