How Scottish influencer Alana Dunsmore became a Muslim in Malaysia

Free Malaysia Today

Celebrating her first Hari Raya as a Muslim, Alana Dunsmore talks about on how Malaysia became her home.    Written & presented by: Theevya Ragu Shot by: Hizami Safri  Edited by: Aisha Husaini  Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2024/04/04/meet-alana-the-scottish-influencer-who-embraced-islam/  Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5 Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTLifestyle #FMTBeraya #AlanaDunsmore #ScottishInfluencer #Muslim

Transcript

00:00 Recognize this face? Maybe while scrolling through your feed?

00:05 Yes, it's Alana Dunsmore, a Scottish influencer who has accepted Malaysia and Islam with open arms.

00:13 With over 100,000 followers on Instagram and YouTube, this Westerner's travel adventures, love for local cuisine, and mastery of the Malay language have kept her audience hooked.

00:26 Just weeks before her first Ramadan as a Muslim, Dunsmore, alongside her newly-wed husband, local actor Abbas Mahmood, spoke with FMT Lifestyle about her unique story.

00:39 It all began in 2019 when she came to Malaysia for her university exchanger away from Scotland.

00:47 And I literally just like closed my eyes, went down the list, picked Malaysia, and I was like, "Alright, well, destiny has picked, and now I would say God has picked."

00:58 Fast forward to this year, the 24-year-old admits that it was the country's irresistible charm that drew her to stay long after her degree was done.

01:10 It's the people. It's the people first and foremost, because if you go to a country and the people are not like Malaysians, for example, you just feel like so-so.

01:22 But when Malaysians, they have like the biggest heart. You know, everyone is, if you need help, they're there for you, you know?

01:30 Like, everyone just wants you to enjoy Malaysia. Everyone's really smiley, friendly, welcoming. I've never experienced this before in any other country.

01:39 Contrary to popular belief, Danzmoor's decision to become a Muslim in December 2023 had little to do with her marriage to Abbas in January of this year.

01:50 As a Muslim, we need to marry also Muslim. But a lot of people say like, "Oh, Alana just convert because of want to get, want to getting married."

02:03 Actually, no. Actually, Alana know about Islam four years before she met me.

02:10 Danzmoor confirmed this, saying her decision to convert to Islam had been years in the making. It also didn't come as a surprise to those closest to her.

02:20 Even my subscribers weren't like, "Oh my gosh." They knew they could feel like hints of like, "Hey, maybe one day Alana would take her shahada."

02:28 Because I'm very curious. I've already experienced two Ramadans before, even before I was Muslim.

02:35 I spent time during that time fasting and reading Quran and trying to explore Islam.

02:41 So, you know, the night before you take your shahada is a bit like, "Oh gosh, there really is no going back."

02:47 But you don't want to go back. That's the thing. When you've accepted Islam in your heart, you really feel like, "Oh no, but this is my way forward."

02:55 You know, this is, I find beauty in this religion and I really love it.

02:59 As she embarks on a classic balik kampung trip to Abbas's hometown in Kelantan this Hari Raya,

03:07 Danzmoor's story serves as a beautiful reminder. Often, the most unexpected paths lead to life-changing discoveries.

03:16 Tbh Raghu, FMT Lifestyle.

03:18 (gentle music)

03:20 [MUSIC]

Category

Transcript

Recommended