How to marry a muslim as a non-muslim in Malaysia

If you found your way to this, then I believe you're as clueless as I once was with the entire marriage process for a non-muslim to a Malaysian muslim. I've just very recently been there, so I really get it. In fact, I get it so much that I decided to write this in case I can help ease the process for even one of you out there.

There isn't one complete guide on the internet, and everyone who has gone through this -like me- had to ask someone else who has gone through this (thanks Joanne & Farhan!), which is terribly inefficient if you ask me. So, here we are.

It's a pretty long process, so I'm gonna break it down to sections and you can jump to whichever you need clarity on.

• Step 1: Identify yourselves

• Step 2: Conversion (or apparently more accurately, reversion) of the non-muslim party

• Step 3: Kursus Kahwin

• Step 4: Things to get out of the way, can be done concurrently

  • Step 4.1: HIV Test

  • Step 4.2: Change IC

• Step 5: The actual marriage application

  • Step 5.1: Permohonan Kebenaran Kahwin Lelaki a.k.a. approval to wed for men

  • Step 5.2: Permohonan Kebenaran Kahwin Perempuan a.k.a women's turn

• Step 6: Other factors

  • Step 6.1: Wali Hakim / Raja

  • Step 6.2: Permohonan Nikah Luar Negeri a.k.a. if you're both from different states

STEP 1: IDENTIFY YOURSELVES

Time taken: 1 hour (or however long it takes for you to have this conversation)

I know this is odd because obviously it's a non-muslim + a muslim situation. However, throughout the application you'll see these factors come into play. For example, who is the muslim and who is the non? Are you both from the same state (states have different processes), is one of you is a foreigner?

Take some time to straighten your situation out so you'll be ready to ask the right questions. Like I said the process differs for each paring so you can't follow this guide completely unless we're in the same boat. Here's my situation this process is based on:

• Both Malaysians, me being the Chinese non-muslim and my partner a Malay muslim (race doesn't affect anything I think but since we're getting specific 🤷🏻‍♀️)

• From different states, I'm from Selangor and my partner is from WP Kuala Lumpur

• I don't have a Wali, so I'll need to apply through the Syariah court

The marriage application process is generally straightforward but because of these factors, it became a lot more complicated. You can still get a gauge of the process from this, but you may want to research more for parts that differ.

STEP 2: CONVERSION / REVERSION OF THE NON-MUSLIM PARTY

Time taken: 1 day for the actual conversion | A few weeks for the muallaf card

This is a given, a conversion is required of the non-muslim to marry a Malaysian muslim. Not gonna say too much, just make sure you're sure.

There are a couple ways you can go about this:

1. Go for introductory to Islam classes before converting - this is if you have some time and want to know what you're getting into. I did this.

2. Apply for the conversion directly - There's no shame in this if you're already sure, and also it's faster.

To get converted, we personally went through Hidayah Center because they offer a full range of services for non-muslims, with the classes or to convert directly. They're recognised by Majlis Agama Islam Selangor with the authority to convert people into the religion and facilitate the entire application process.

We just told them when we were ready and showed up to the ceremony where I took my syahadah and filled up the forms. They sent it into MAIS and I just had to wait for my muallaf card from there. I'm sure there are also similar bodies that can help you, we found them on google.

STEP 3: KURSUS KAHWIN

Time taken: 1 or 2 days for the actual course

Validity of certification: For life

This is a mandatory marriage course for all muslims in Malaysia. We initially thought we'd have to wait 'till I received my muallaf card, but found a place with a spot open and told them that I didn't have my card yet, to which they said it's fine and I can still join. So it's not a sure thing that you'd need your muallaf card to attend the course, but I'd still check with them just in case.

There are a few different places to attend this course with, the best time to take is during MCO (or any of the stricter -COs) imo because instead of having to attend the class in person, you can do it online. Some places I found are:

• www.kursuskahwin.com.my

• https://kursuskahwin.webs.com

• http://www.sppim.gov.my/sppim/prakahwin/online/showNewPrakahwinOnlineForm

The certificate from this course applies to every state and is valid for life, so just take it when there's a slot open because they do fill up fast. There is a fee of RM60 for each participant, not sure if it's the same for all places.

STEP 4.1: HIV TEST

Time taken: 10 minutes for the test | 15 minutes for the results

Validity of HIV test: 6 months

This can be done at any of the klinik kesihatan negara (not available in private clinics / hospitals), book a session via BookDoc and search for either "premarital", "pra perkahwinan" or "hiv" and see which location you prefer most.

Before you go, make sure you print out and fill up the HIV form (one of your supporting documents for the marriage application). From our experience, the JAWI HIV form comes together with the full set of marriage application form, so go to this link and fill up whatever you can (leave things you can't fill up yet blank first) and print, then take the HIV form with you. For JAIS, you can download the HIV form separately. Create an account here and you'll find the HIV form in the documents dashboard.

The process itself is super quick and easy, just get yourself to the clinic, register (I think there's a small fee, not much) and they'll ask some questions about your sex life and then take your blood. It's a rapid test so you'll have your results immediately. Then just wait for another 15 mins for them to chop your letter. Gaodim.

STEP 4.2: CHANGE IC

Time taken: A few hours for the change submission | 3 - 4 months to get new IC

I recommend doing this at this point since it takes a few months to process. I definitely made a few trips on this so read well. You can't just show up at JPN right now, need to make an appointment here. I suggest taking an early morning slot or right after lunch so you don't hit the lunch gap in between like I did, and end up staring at the wall for close to 2 hours 🥲

When you're there, tell them your purpose is pindaan agama and they'll pass you the surat perakaunan. You'll need to bring this surat to a pesuruhjaya sumpah (commissioner for oaths) to fill up in their presence and get their chop. Look, I didn't really understand either but I googled "pesuruhjaya sumpah" and found a place within walking distance of my JPN. I believe there's a small fee, should be less than RM50 cause I was able to pay and I don't usually have much cash on me lmao.

After that, go back to JPN (don't have to make appointment again, just go to the ticket counter and tell them that they asked you to come back) and submit with your other supporting documents, which are:

• Original IC & a copy

• Original birthcert & a copy

• Original muallaf card & a copy

Make sure you look alive cause they'll take your new photo then. Total payment here is RM30. They'll pass you a temporary IC and the payment receipt. If you're rushing the marriage application, these are accepted so no worries.

STEP 5.1: PERMOHONAN KEBENARAN KAHWIN LELAKI

Time taken: A few hours to meet jurunikah | A few hours to submit to JAWI

Aaaaand we're finally getting started 😂 Male goes first and you've technically kick started with the HIV form. For JAWI it's the full set that you had to fill out, and for JAIS sign in to the dashboard and fill up Borang 2A.

Before you submit to either JAWI, JAIS or your state council, make sure you meet with an ustaz from the mosque that is closest to your house (the mosque in your area / district) and get their signature + chop at the jurunikah section in the form. Bring these:

• Your full set of forms + a copy

• Your original IC + 2 copies

• 2 copies of your partner's IC

• Your HIV form (make sure total 2 set)

• Your kursus kahwin certification

From there you can submit to your religious council. It was relatively easy for my partner since his was the fuss free side with him being the Malay Muslim. He got his forms fully chopped and then passed to me as his set is one of my supporting documents.

STEP 5.2: PERMOHONAN KEBENARAN KAHWIN PEREMPUAN

Time taken: A few days depending on your complexity (I want to cry thinking about this)

Women's process is pretty much the same if you were a Malay Muslim. Without the additional steps I had to take, it'd be to bring the forms + supporting documents (including partner's approved forms) to meet an ustaz from a mosque closest to your house for their signature + chop then apply to your religious council. I referred to this list for my supporting documents needed for JAIS.

I kicked this off by bringing everything needed to JAIS and continued on to with the following for my special additions before my final submission, so you can refer to the below if they apply to you.

STEP 6.1: WALI HAKIM

Time taken: Half a day for form submission + court hearing

Quick one, wali ≠ witness. Wali is the person who marries the both of you, and has to be a male muslim of blood relative to the female and goes by rank (depending on availability) from dad, grandpa, brother, uncle, cousin etc. A witness would just need to be a male muslim present, can be anyone you know.

Since I don't have a wali I would need one appointed by the Syariah court, called Wali Hakim / Wali Raja. After my initial submission of documents to JAIS, they instructed me to the Petaling District Syariah Court (differs depending on the district you're from) to make the request. They gave me my approved forms + a letter to request for Wali Hakim, but idk if they didn't know or didn't bother to let me know that I needed to bring other supporting documents for this submission... so yes I made extra trips for this too.

Here's what you'll need to bring:

• Original + 2 copies of the set of forms approved by JAIS (incl letter for wali hakim)

• 2 copies of Borang 3, Afidavit & Borang Maklumat Diri (download here)

• Original IC and 2 copies

• Original Birth cert and 2 copies

• Original Muallaf card and 2 copies

Go in the morning to submit the forms because if there aren't too many cases that day, they can selit you in. There's a payment of RM42, card payments allowed. After paying they'll point you to a courtroom, wait your turn (your partner and a witness should be there) then the judge will ask to confirm if there's no one in your family that can be a wali, verifies that with your witness and you're pretty much good to go! Go back to the counters and they will pass you a confirmation letter that you're appointed a Wali Hakim.

With your Wali approval letter, bring it back to JAIS. If you're like our case where one of you is from a different state, your road does not end here 😭 Haha see below for that.

STEP 6.2: PERMOHONAN NIKAH LUAR NEGERI

Time taken: Half a day

Just a bit left to go! I'm from Selangor and my partner is from KL so we decided to get wed in KL which is under the jurisdiction of JAWI. An easier way I learned was to just change your IC address to a KL address (can be your husband's) and you can omit this altogether, submit everything to JAWI straight.

Else, this is the long way I went through. When submitting your Wali approval, JAIS will confirm that you'll want to get wed in KL and produce a letter stating that for you to submit there. Again, idk if these bodies don't talk to each other hence they dk the processes in between, but I had to take extra trips again.

Before you excitedly head to JAWI with your set of documents and letter from JAIS to JAWI, you actually need to get that letter stamped / approved by the Wilayah Persekutuan Syariah Court (or whichever state you're applying to) 😭 Just get there, let them know what you're there for and they'll stamp it.

WITH THAT, you can head to JAWI and complete the process by submitting your final set of documents (finalv1_finalv2_finalfinal_finalforeal.pdf) and if all is complete they will set a time & date for your majlis nikah. Apparently because I'm using a Wali Hakim, our nikah has to be done at the JAWI office. You can try arguing if you want to have it elsewhere. But I was done at this point 😂 Anything goes.

- - -

So yes! That completes my process for the application. Yours may be simpler or more complex depending on your circumstance. They go through this process during the kursus kahwin, you can ask all your questions then. I didn't know that so I did all my homework by asking around 😒 But yes, I hope this is helpful to you guys, just wanted to help reduce the amount of extra trips you have to make.

All the best and happy marriage! ❤️