Ex-Muslims are former Muslims by upbringing or by conversion in the Islamic religion who were raised with Islamic values or culture or those converted to Islam and then left/renounced Islam.[1] Leaving Islam is unique in individual experience and a growing social phenomenon facing it's own challenges while rejecting religion[2] and unique struggles due to unique nature of Islam, Islamic culture, and Arabic-type cultures, that lead to ex-Muslim's increasingly organized literary and social activism.[citation needed] Ex-Muslim groups organize to build mutual support networks in an attempt to meet life struggle challenges and difficulties post rejection of religion and practices.[3]
Reasons and process of leaving Islam
According to Teemu Pauha et al, apart from context and additional levels of struggle, deconversion process and some of the reasons of leaving religion might not be much different for Muslims leaving religion from Christens leaving religion.[6] According to Simon Cotee, intellectual process of leaving religion begins with onset of doubts about Islam and practices.[7] Since traditional Islamic perception towards many doubts has been negative and severely reprimanding with threats of hell in after life in impressionable young childhood age[4] and for living life even associating doubting individuals with being possessed by devil and further superstitious practices of exorcism,[7] doubt tends to be significantly discouraged even with bad mouthing about those who raise any doubts or much brutal punishments, this builds up peer and community pressure not to doubt and not to deviate. Leading to unnerving and unsettling fear that some one who would find their doubts might put them to shame and further banishment,[4] the next steps are of self censorship and attempts to suppress own recurring thoughts leading to frustration.[7]
Simon Cotee study
Cotee says that since it's most difficult to express doubts and questions about Islam who get opportunity self-search on internet and if they wish to ask to ask any religious expert then they have to do with lot of caution to avoid accusations of disbelief; rather than asking 'Why God said some thing in scripture they need to rephrase in religiously right language saying what God meant by some thing, or many would use real or imaginary proxies, since many doubts are not answered unintended consequence is further level of dissatisfaction.[4] Cotee says ex-Muslim focus their doubts mostly on truth claims of Islam, utility and morality of Islamic commands or prohibitions[4]
Phil Zuckerman summarizes Cotee's points about types doubts namely, epistemological, moral, and instrumental doubts and also forms of doubts like, significant personal experiences, exposure to alternatives, scriptural discoveries, spiritual alienation, political events, etc. engaged by ex-Muslims on the path of leaving Islam[2] Epistemological doubts question existence of God looking at injustice and misery around would not have existed if really any good God would have been around, questions creation theory to Free will Vs. Predestination dichotomy etc. Moral doubts are like un-equal treatment of women, why do non-Muslim children or good non-Muslim go to hell etc. Where as Instrumental doubts question utility and morality of Islamic commands or prohibitions like prohibition of representation of living beings hamper freedom of arts like drawing, photography sports like chess, music, etc inturn hampers individual growth and social-cultural participation.[4][8]
Cotee's study indicates that Ex-Muslims start feeling that they are betraying their true-self and also deceiving loved one in the process leading to feeling of shame for own continued closet pretending and subsequent feelings of isolation and loneliness since they reduce on relationships that requires pretending on other hand they would not have freedom to choose relationships they prefer exacerbating isolation and loneliness further.[7] Cotee outlines different phases on the way of leaving Islam, disavowal of self, relief, excitement, guilt, anger, residual anxiety, confusion, disclosure, and more.[2]
Khalil Bilici study
2007 Khalil Bilici study says that motivations of leaving Islam can be classified broadly in two categories, namely intellectual/ideological motivations and social /experiential motivations.[5] According to Teemu Pauha and Atefeh Aghaee first group would find religion to be naive and irrational, where as second group emphasizes on, constraints and breach of human rights of individuals negatively affecting social progress as significant concern, Teemu Pauha et al. further point out that, depending on the doubting group one belongs to, finds religion being an example of stupidity or viciousness.[6]
Findings of the Khalil Bilici study say that among intellectual/ideological motivations following ones seem important: 1 The subordinate status of women in Islam, 2 The contradictions in Shari‘a vis a vis human rights, 3 The problematic nature of the Qur’an, 4 The character of the Prophet and other Muslim leaders, 5 Islam as illogical and unscientific (e.g. vis-à-vis the theory of evolution), 6 The eternal damnation of good non-Muslims, 7 The unnecessary, strict rules and expectations of Islam, 8 Islam not being universal, but rather Arab-centric, 9 The dubious historicity of the Qur’an and Hadith.[5] Cotee's interviewees inform their intellectual doubts about perceived religious inconsistencies in Islam like, the barbarism of certain verses in the Qur'an, the improbability of the existence of God, the wickedness of the possibility of God creating Hell, discontent with the treatment of women, and more.[2]
Among Social /Experiential motivations behind leaving Islam, as per Khalil Bilici, 1 Unpleasant encounters with bad and cruel Muslims, 2 Muslims as oppressive, 3 Backwardness among Muslims, 4. ill-treatment of women among Muslim, 5 ill-treatment of non-Muslims by Muslims, 6 Muslims in a state of illusion regarding their own religion.[5]
2007 Khalil Bilici states that it is not necessary that ex-Muslims are always taking in to account the whole range of historical and contemporary Muslim scholarly opinions, and their understanding may be mixed one.[5] The Khalil Bilici study attributes gender discrimination and repulsive feelings owing to negative individual experiences and perceptions as most prominent motivations of individuals leaving Islam.[5] Khalil Bilici say that their study confirms earlier scholarly findings that Ex-Muslims cite 1971 Bangladesh experience as an example of oppressive nature of Muslims.[5]
Khalil Bilici further informs that like in many other conversions, considerable Muslims from frontiers where they get exposure with different perspective may be leaving Islam. “Leaving Islam” narratives come from individuals of various ethnic backgrounds and age groups, and across from the world, South Asia, South East Asia, Middle east, West are prominent and that gender mix relatively seems to change as per geography.[5]
To cite as examples Khalil Bilici takes note some individual narrations like one ex-Muslim finds Quran getting engrossed with of trivial” aspects related to the private life of Muhammad to be odd. In another example an ex-Muslim found “killing of innocent people” by natural phenomena such as disease to be unfathomable to believe in God.In narration of another ex-Muslim found life as a Muslim imposing socially restrictive choices and making skip opportunities and responsibilities to fulfill mundane religious mandates, the same account found status of women in Islam and condoning child marriage by the prophet to be problematic. Before deciding to leave Islam one ex-Muslim evaluated for and against arguments of theory of evolution and found the theory of evolution to be more credible, found Quran to be unscientific, idea of eternal damnation horrible, hypothesis of God unnecessary for explaining the existence of life.[5]
During panel discussions by Ex-Muslims of North America at University of Colorado Ex-Muslim women from countries such as Lebanon and Saudi Arabia attributed flight from their countries of birth to day-to-day controlled life full of gender repression, isolation and abuse by families and community with internalized religious narratives.[9] In many cases continuation of education becomes difficult for women since families and communities give preference to early marriage and in many cases forced ones.[10]
Teemu Pauha and Atefeh Aghaee study
Teemu Pauha and Atefeh Aghaee in their analytical study of Iranian ex-Muslim accounts, broadly concur with Phil Zuckerman about reasons of leaving religion but prefer to classify categories of intellectual atheism and social atheism in further broadly distinctive but occasionally overlapping four sub-categories namely seekers, rationalists, rebels and disillusioned ones.[6] Teemu Pauha et al says that while rationalists stress on intellectual grounds, those who belong to seeker category stress on moral deficiencies as their respective reasons of de-conversion but both these sub categories focus on theoretical aspects.[6] The sub categories of rebel and disillusioned ones focus on their experiences and knowledge about social behaviors of believers in Islam far from being ideal practically harmful to individuals and society and not progressive enough - rebels give a try to rebel and leave and disillusioned ones leave because they don't expect any change in the situation.[6] Other than seeker sub-category other three categories are already skeptics at some level to begin with, so change over to atheism is more straightforwards and emotionally and intellectually less confronting or stressful.[6]
Teemu Pauha et al says but for seeker sub category their intellectual journey since begins with hope but practical realization that morals of Islam not coming to their expectation is emotionally and intellectually confronting and stressful. This happens because in comparison to other three categories, seekers originally happen to be most sincere devote believers in Islam usually having positive people and experiences since childhood, basically they do not start from doubt but to explore and seek more about faith, but while doing so when they encounter with morals in Islam not matching their own standard of morals values and expectation of all and total good God, first they attempt in denial but eventually prefer to accept after quite a bit of additional emotional and intellectual self struggle they end up accepting atheism or compromise with some sort of individual level spirituality.[6]
Examples of doubts by ex-Muslims
A 'Firstpost' news report about ex-Muslims in India by Tufail Ahmad informs one ex-Muslim could not believe that the god [Allah] who is so great would not have a sense of fair play and will send all non-Muslim kids of a school to the hell, another questioned since a day can last six months in countries near the North Pole, when should Muslims break their day-long fast?, One of ex-Muslim's mother was christian when clergies pleaded to not to take food and water from non-Muslim, raised doubts in their mind[11] [Work in progress]
In examples cited by Teemu Pauha and Atefeh Aghaee study, those who leave Islam prioritize universal value of human morality ahead of religion, some of the values in the religion being insulting to universal human values, experiencing that practice fasting by close relative not helping one from facing death, when comparing with other religions doubt that what if the other religions are right?, studying scriptures and being open to questions coming to one's mind, hypocrisy of conservative leadership, questions over homophobia, epistemological doubt that why God rather than being helpful enough why does he puts one in eternal damnation of hell?, worst practices of religious people in practice.[6]
Cottee's respondent ex-Muslims elaborate their questions further, Why would any wonderful God create hell and subject even innocent non-Muslims to hell if predestination is his own creation? and with predestination where is free will? A God without providing any solid physical proof of own existence, wish to send everyone to hell for eternity just for doubting him, irrespective of they were good people who lead a good life neither sounds like God's benevolence nor like his fairness.[4]
How does God allows for enormity of suffering?, Why the Muslim God is jealous, vain and insecure, demanding worship all the time.[4] Cotee's other respondent ex-Muslims says that in Quran related epistemological doubts; many Quran revelations sound like revelations of individual convenience. How other religions can be wrong and only Islam right? and that theory of Creation and end remain problematic when theory of evolution taken into account.[4] Prohibitions on relationships with people of other religion specially for Muslim women, punishments for apostasy, unequal treatment to women vis a vis men are reported to be questionable.[4]
Personal experiences like abuse, violence, illness, deaths, building or severing of relationships makes one reassess previously held beliefs and questions arise like how God can subject a child to illness like leukemia at very young age, or coming to term with reality of otherwise perfectly okay one's sexual life but religion wise objectionable inhibiting freedom. [4] Getting exposed to non-Islamic and atheist thoughts of scientists and about evolution brings fore doubts and on investigation further confirm and cement the same.[4] Cotee says many of ex-Muslims are devote in their rituals, either to please their believing loved ones, or to defend Islam they embark upon reading Quran and Hadith with proper translations and once they embark to actually study and examine scripture they stumble upon many questionable and crazy aspects in the name of God like God peeling off skin and other violent passages including Abrahamic God throwing those unbelievers too in hell who are actually good human beings by behavior. or instances of slaughtering of surrendered Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza from Prophet's life or even recent politically Islamic or terrorist events are more than disturbing ones[4]
Challenges in childhood and growing up years
One respondent in Cottee's study elaborates on kind of fear of hell fire and God's wrath thrust upon young impressionable minds that she ended up believing that bullying happened to her in school might have been a result of her questioning religion in her mind.[4] Another respondent remembers of fear of shaitan and subsequent threat of abusive practice of exorcism to dissuade children from doubting but practically their minds may not necessarily stop from.[4] One of Cotee's respondents informs that, she was scared of questioning, because she was taught not to question, But when question came to mind she had all those doubts, which she could not be confident to discuss with any one from parents to teacher since she would not know how would they react, and according to Cottee these childhood fears are carried to adulthood too to some extent as beginning journey of closeted atheist life under pressure.[4] Most children are dissuaded from asking difficult questions by parents by censuring them.[4]
Scholarly and literary Influences
Khalil Bilici says leaving Islam is deeply influenced by various previous literary and other events and interactions, including that of Taslima Nasrin and Salman Rushdie issues; also writings of scientists like Berrand Russell, Carl Segan, Richard Dawkins.[5][6] According to Teemu Pauha et al. Richard Dawkin's book The God Delusion is likely to be one of most influencing book among new generation atheists.[5][6]
Closeted life
Ex-Muslim, who has not declared his leaving of Islam need to cope up with non-approving conservative attitudes towards their non-following of religious tenets and liberal attempts.[7] To lie, conceal and having managing liberal expression of oneself remains a difficult task under constant family, friend and community vigils. Impact of the same to many Ex-Muslim individuals, leaving Islam is long duration and psychologically demanding process. Since larger society around holds such activities sinful this causes increased anxiety and possible guilt among neophytes unable to communicate these feelings to any one leads to feelings of uncertainty, guilt, self doubt, loneliness and depression. Lack of contact with similar minded people and lack of support network exacerbates the feelings [7] According to Cotee closet Ex-Muslims even if not physically are estranged psychologically from religion and practice.[7]
Khalil Bilici study says that closet Ex-Muslims usually tend to hide leaving of Islam mainly out of fear of harm by radical conservatives or they are unwilling for possible dissolution of existing intimate relationships with a believing Muslim.[5]
Coming out and facing risks
According to Cotee as per accounts relayed to him by Ex-Muslims during his study, Cotee finds process similarity of concealment and coming out of Ex-Muslims to steps described by Ken Plummer as a neophyte like sensitization, signification, coming out and stabilizing.[7]
For many ex-Muslims coming outs costs with their relations in immediate family, friends, community to the state. While even immediate family also likely to react in extreme to online threats.[10] Local police officers many time do not understand gravity of the issues involved and threats posed to lives of Ex-Muslims.[10] Phil Zuckerman says ex-Muslims are not only marginalized by their respective families and the wider community of Muslim believers but their views and plight is also understood poorly by non-Muslim individuals and communities.[2]Phil Zuckerman concurs with Cotee that challenges of “coming out” to family and friends, as well as the reactions that often follow are stressful, can turn out to be very harsh and damning, under such pressures some apostates tend to go back into the closet once again; While actually remaining nonbeliever, they end up pretending to be back in the Islamic fold to avoid the loss relationship with family and to save the loved ones from socially damaging shame and stigma. Zuckerman say degree to which many ex-Muslim' families and friends condemn despise and reject their apostate relatives for leaving Islam is too brutal.[2]
Family and friends
After coming out with family and community, ex-Muslims have reported various kinds of extreme reactions in many cases like forcing in to exorcism, threats to life, chasing with intention of retaliation.[10]
Clergy and society
According to Ziv Orenstein & Itzchak Weismann ex-Muslims happens to be strongest supporters of universal human values, human rights and of integration; and they do stand against divisive conservatism that controls Muslim communities misusing camouflaged garb of multiculturalism in non-Muslim majority countries supported by non-Muslim left.[12] While ex-Muslims may differ in perception on how to face and combat religious extremism they vehemently oppose religious terrorism, and also to the imposition of Sharia law, the wearing of hijab, and separate Islamic schools.[12]
According to Tufail Ahmad those who are leave Islam, tend to live in fear of local Islamic clergy, ex-Muslimns get isolated in their local neighbourhoods, stories of former Muslims bring out the fact that questioning minds are not acceptable to Islam, some Islamic scholars indulge in hate against non-Muslims and almost every Islamic cleric considers himself as the ruler of Muslims. Ahmad furthers says, since the critical thinking emerging through these ex-Muslims,[11] an urgent need does exist for a platform for them where they can join hands, network and discuss issues.[11]
Media, Censorship and State
According to Azweed Mohamad et al. in Muslim majoritarian countries while it is very common that conservative Muslim groups and Governmental bodies actively work to constrain apostasy being religious a taboo subject, but still, in spite of Governmental efforts to the contrary-from censorship, anti-blasphemy & anti apostasy laws- apostasy from Islam is neither a rare phenomena nor information can be kept hidden from public view, due to widespread availability of internet, so even news media too is attempting to cover apostasy issues making strategic use of intricate linguistic tools employing strong knowledge in linguistic use and the rhetoric structure to promote intended narratives, in spite of societal governmental pressures, though these pressures subdue such reporting and media has to self censor to an extent.[13] Azweed Mohamad et al. says as the information flows in, on one hand Governments scramble to use information to update laws and implementation to constrain apostasy, on the other hand apostates use the same information as touching stone to renounce the Islam.[13]
According to Azweed Mohamad et al. conservative media in Muslim majoritarian country plays influential role with it's higher followership by attempts of stalling rise of liberal practices and institutions by overshadowing through it's reporting by uplifting image of conservative practices and institutions; where as liberal media attempts to balance attitudes within far limited available space (freedoms) in Muslim majoritarian Malaysia retaining liberal rhetoric to the extent possible [13] Conservative media in Muslim majoritarian country tends to raise concern against rise of liberal practices and institutions, hype unease and emotions among Muslim conservatives and obliquely speak of threats to religious harmony and again ask credit for the same[13]; While liberal media news reports in effort to find hope attempt to employ supportive language for apostates, sarcasm can obliquely mock conservatism besides if liberalism is in trouble stakes are increased by placing responsibilities across to the government or top national leaderships and same time search for supportive social soft corners[13]
Humor as activism tool
Richter, Lena. 2021.Laughing about Religious Authority—But Not Too Loud https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/2/73 article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) [14] According to Lena Richter, Humor, is one of the most popular ways of expressing experiences and thoughts among non-believers in different parts of the world to challenge religious authority.[14] Richter says, on the surface, Internet memes and other jokes might appear trivial, lacking in seriousness, they are an intrinsic part of today’s digital culture (Milner 2012; Shifman 2013) and carry important social, emotional, cultural, and political messages (Miltner 2018; Bennett and Segerberg 2012). Beyond that, memes can be an important part of lived (non) religion, as they are a common and participatory expression of meaning-making in everyday life (Aguilar et al. 2017).[14] Richter says, humor remains a covert dissent strategy which establishes differentiation towards the religious majority, contribute to bridging (non)religious disagreement and creation of identification among non-believers.[14]
Richter says, In countries like Morocco , the room for humorous activism is influenced by the semi-authoritarian context, which restricts some freedoms but offers others (Ottaway 2003).[14] According to Richter, activism that openly advocates for freedom of conscience is rather restricted, as many activists fear the legal and social consequences. Suffering from stigmatization, activists reported cases of (verbal) violence by family members, investigations by authorities, and obstacles in professional, educational, and private life. As a consequence, The restrictive situation for non-believers gives an indication as to why many non-believers rely on more indirect forms of activism such as humor.[14]
Richter says, humor tests the border of what is still tolerated to express. On the one hand, some jokes enjoy a free pass as they are “not meant seriously” and provide a space of liberty that allows people to vent frustrations (Davies 2007). On the other hand, some topics, that touch the troika of “allah, al-watan, al-malik” (Kettioui 2020) cross that line and are labeled as blasphemous. The awareness that it is not possible to criticize or joke about certain topics leads to (self-)censorship (Rahman 2012) and a try-and-see ethos that tests the limits of freedom of speech (Iddins 2020).[14]
Instances of persecution and breach of human rights
In Malaysian textbook cases, Malaysian courts declined to approve change of religion and marriage to non-Muslim men to one Azlina Jailani who was allowed to change her name to Lina Joy but not the religion, in another case of Nur'aishah Bokhari she had to file habeas corpus against her own parents and flee from Malaysia to marry a non-Muslim beau. In one more Malaysian case a young woman Revathi Masoosai raised as Hindu in childhood by grandmother married to a Hindu, in before her parents had converted to Islam hence Malaysian courts not only denied her request to formally change record of her religion but also seized her daughter to hand over to her converted Muslim mother. [13][15]
Challenges and movements
The term 'ex-Muslim movement' is used to describe the social movement of individuals and groups who have renounced Islam, seek to normalize religious dissent and leaving of Islam,[16][10][17] support others who have done so or are in the process of leaving by linking them to support networks,[16] and sometimes encourage Muslims to leave Islam. According to Frank Fregosi, while publicly recommending leaving Islam, Ex-Muslims mobilize on politically secular lines, also defend absolute freedom of conscience and freedom of criticizing Islam.[18] Citing a 2017 Pew Research survey, in Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pipes says that, roughly hundred thousand people in US may be leaving Islam annually, and even if new ones join Islam in similar numbers, still it is those, who leave Islam would ultimately influence the Islamic faith more than any converts to Islam would do.[19]
Ex-Muslim activism uses avenues of news papers, public gatherings as well as online platforms.[18] Smaller gatherings and events do take at place in bars, cafes, and restaurants.[10]
Background
The Satanic Verses controversy (1988–2000)
“Mine is a voice..not yet found expression
..It is the voice of..born Muslims
but wish to recant in adulthood,
yet are not permitted to on pain of death.
..who does not live in an Islamic society
cannot imagine the sanctions,
both self-imposed and external,
..against expressing religious disbelief,
.. along comes Rushdie..speaks for us.
Tells the world that we exist..
..we are not simply a mere fabrication
of some Jewish conspiracy.
He ends our isolation.”
– A 1989 letter to London’s Observer
covered by By Daniel Pipes,
Wall Street Journal Aug. 6, 2020
The Satanic Verses controversy motivated Ibn Warraq to write his 1995 book Why I Am Not a Muslim (in reference to Bertrand Russell's 1926 classic Why I Am Not a Christian) in defence of its author Salman Rushdie and other apostates, followed by other books critical of the Quran and Muhammad.[20] Three years later, Warraq and other former Muslims founded the Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society to advocate for the interests of apostates and jointly express criticism of their former religion.[20]
Post 9/11 era (2001–2006)
Al Qaeda's terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 (colloquially known as 9/11) on the World Trade Center (1973–2001) in New York City and The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. made a powerful impact on doubting and former Muslims. For some, it (partially or temporarily) reversed their process of apostasy in the face of a generalised anti-Muslim backlash that (mistakenly) targeted them or their family and friends as "terrorists" in Western societies.[21] For others, it accelerated their loss of faith, or in fact planted the first seed of doubt about their Islamic beliefs, that appeared to be based on the same religious texts that the 9/11 hijackers used to justify their terrorist attacks.[22] Ali Sina, a Muslim convert to Christianity, founded the Faith Freedom International (FFI) website in October 2001. Meanwhile, Ibn Warraq compiled the first collection of stories from former Muslims: Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out (2003);[20] FFI's mission statement was included in the appendix of Leaving Islam.[23]
Seeing children of Muslim parents cheer at the 9/11 attacks, having checked that Osama bin Laden's justifications for it could indeed be found in verses of the Quran, and finally having read the Atheïstisch manifest of Dutch philosopher Herman Philipse, Dutch political scientist and former Somali asylum-seeker Ayaan Hirsi Ali renounced Islam in 2002 and became a prominent critic.[24] Due to her open hostility towards Islam in public discourse in the Netherlands, where she became a Member of Parliament in 2003, she received numerous death threats for leaving and criticising her former faith, culminating in the assassination of Theo van Gogh on 2 November 2004, with whom she had co-produced the short film Submission.[25] Hirsi Ali's essays were later bundled into two collections, De zoontjesfabriek and The Caged Virgin; the latter became an international bestseller and had been translated into about 10 languages by May 2006.[26] Subsequently in 2006, issues surrounding difficulties faced by apostates from Islam, for example by Italian journalist Magdi Allam, came into French discourse while discussing criticism of Islam by Robert Redeker in Le Figaro.[25]
Rise of European ex-Muslim councils (2007)
Central Council of Ex-Muslims (February 2007)
The modern international organised ex-Muslim movement may be traced back to the 2007 foundation of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims (Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime, ZdE) in Germany.[27][28]: 0:22 Its primary initiator was Mina Ahadi, an ex-Muslim refugee from Iran who escaped a death sentence that she received for criticising the Islamic regime; she settled in Cologne in 1996.[28]: 0:52 After an April 2006 workshop on political Islam in Osnabrück, she discussed how to do better activism for people who have renounced Islam with Giordano Bruno Foundation spokesperson Michael Schmidt-Salomon, who suggested the launch of an awareness campaign titled "Wir haben abgeschworen!" ("We have renounced!", in reference to the 1971 campaign We've had abortions!, "Wir haben abgetrieben!" in German).[28]: 0:52 It would be a collection of photographs of people who had escaped political Islam to Germany, and were willing to come out publicly with their faces as former Muslims.[28]: 0:52 To carry out such a campaign, Schmidt-Salomon suggested the foundation of a Central Council for Ex-Muslims, in contrast to the existing Central Council of Muslims in Germany (founded in 1994). Although Ahadi and fellow apostates disliked the term 'ex-Muslim' at first, because they preferred to call themselves atheists and humanists, they eventually agreed and made preparations.[28]: 0:52 The Council's formation was announced on 28 February 2007 at a press conference in Berlin, during which the "Wir haben abgeschworen!" campaign was launched as well.[28]: 0:52
Former Muslims expressed frustration at the media continually associating them with the Islamic religion that they had left. For example, Ibn Warraq and Salman Rushdie were called 'Muslim intellectuals', but after the Council's formation, the term "ex-Muslim" was rapidly popularised in the media.[28]: 0:52
Secular Islam Summit (March 2007)
The Secular Islam Summit was held 4–5 March 2007 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Other European councils (summer 2007)
The Central Council of Ex-Muslims directly inspired the foundation of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (headed by Maryam Namazie and others, presented on 19 June 2007) in the United Kingdom, the Central Committee for Ex-Muslims (headed by Ehsan Jami and, until June, also by Loubna Berrada) in the Netherlands in May, officially presented on 11 September 2007, and also a council in Scandinavia.[29][30]
Emergence of North American ex-Muslim organisations (2009–2013)
The American group Former Muslims United, headed by Muslim-turned-Christian Nonie Darwish, was founded in October 2009 in Los Angeles. It was followed in 2012 by the Muslimish group, and in 2013 by Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA), which formed a network of local ex-Muslim groups throughout the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, the online community Atheist Republic was set up by Vancouver-based ex-Muslim activist Armin Navabi in 2012; by May 2017, it had become the largest online atheist community in the world, with chapters ('consulates') in dozens of countries.[31]
Impact of Islamic State (2014–19)
We used to defend Islam. But now,
with ISIS, it's like having to constantly
make excuses for a serial killer.
I refuse to participate in that any longer.
– Ir@qi@theist (pseudonym)[22]
It is generally understood that the rise of the jihadist-terrorist organisation Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS, IS or Daesh), that proclaimed a caliphate in July 2014 and committed massacres and systematic sexual slavery across Syria and Iraq in the name of Islam, had a major impact on many thousands of Muslims throughout the world (primarily the Middle East and North Africa) in dissociating themselves from their religion.[22]
The period from 2014 to 2019 saw a surge in Kurdish Muslims converting to Zoroastrianism, the original faith of their ancestors that was prevalent in the region before the Muslim conquest of Persia. This surge is largely attributed to disillusionment with Islam after the years of violence and barbarism perpetrated by the ISIS jihadi group.[32][33]
Africa
In Nigeria, Mubarak Bala, an Ex-Muslim and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria was forcible subjected to psychiatric institution on leaving Islam in 2014, and arrested again in April 2020, he was arrested in Kaduna for blasphemy due to a FaceBook post he made, facing difficulties in getting legal aid as of July 2020.[34][35][36]
South Asia
Globally quite a few notable ex-Muslim activists are of Pakistani and South Asian origin.[5][37] According to the Gallup Poll In 2005, 1% of those Pakistanis who participated in the poll were atheist and by 2012, the figure rose to 2%.[38] In 2012, Atheist & Agnostic Alliance Pakistan was founded by Fauzia Ilyas, who had to take asylum in Netherlands after being persecuted under Pakistani blasphemy laws.[39][40] Pakistani deep state attempts to suppress, the nascent online atheist activism by clandestine infiltrating by pretending to be atheist and suppressing with blocking online and offline safe spaces for free-speech and persecuting with unofficial abductions and Pakistani blasphemy laws threats.[41]
In the early 21st century, an un-organised ex-Muslim movement started to emerge in India, typically among young (in their 20s and 30s) well-educated Muslim women and men in urban areas.[42] They are often troubled by religious teachings and practices (such as shunning of and intolerance and violence towards non-Muslims), doubting their veracity and morality, and started to question them.[42] Feeling that Islamic relatives and authorities failed to provide them with satisfactory answers, and with access to alternative interpretations of and information about Islam on the Internet, and the ability to communicate with each other through social media, these people resolved to apostatize.[42] On March 16, 2017 an atheist political activist of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK) named Farook Hameed of Coimbatore Tamil Nadu ( an Indian state known for decades of well established atheist politics) had an open what's app group named 'Murtad (atheist)' was hacked to death allegedly by his own close friends for openly professing his atheism.[43][44][45]
A significant number of Bangladeshis left Islam to join Christianity (because missionaries stood with them during their difficult times during the civil strife) or to atheism after 1971 due to their experience of oppression experienced from fellow Pakistani Muslims in the Bangladesh Liberation War (March–December 1971).[5] After the Internet became available, atheist, secular and ex-Muslim Bangladeshi bloggers began to appear in the mid-2000s. Asif Mohiuddin organised the first meeting of Bangladeshi freethinkers, atheists, agnostics and other nonbelievers in Dhaka in 2010, which was attended by 34 people.[46] Mohiuddin then became the first victim of the attacks by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh (2013–2016), although unlike many others, he survived the attempt on his life, and managed to flee to Germany. According to him, the number of 'secularist, humanist, atheist, nonbeliever' bloggers in Bangladesh (which has a 89% Muslim population) grew from 'four or five' people in 2005 to '15,000–20,000' in 2015.[47]: 16:15
In Muslim majority small South Asian island state Maldives free thinker activists contested extremist narratives on social media, took out silent protests, questioned some conservatives since 2010; at least one of them arrested or in protective custody subsequently had to publicly reverted to Islam in the custody period, another young air traffic controller was found dead after getting exposed for his apostasy, and further multiple questionable deaths of ex-Muslims over the years were linked to international terror connections of the accused.[48][49][50][51][52]
In Sri Lanka, 9.7% of the population is Muslim. Due to the social taboo on leaving Islam, the Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka was founded in secret in 2016. Members of the organisation hold meetings in hiding. In June 2019, Rishvin Ismath decided to come forward as spokesperson for the Council in order to denounce government-approved and distributed textbooks for Muslim students which stated that apostates from Islam should be killed. Ismath subsequently received several death threats.[53]
South East Asia
In Malysia Pro-moderation group G25 state that while they do not advocate apostasy but support doing away with anti apostasy laws.[54][55] In 2017 Malaysian government investigated a group of atheist republic chapter members in Kaula lumpur and declared atheism to be unconstitutional. Indonesian Atheist facebook page was started in 2008, face to face gatherings of atheists were started in 2011 in Jakarta Indonesian atheist 'Karina'.[56][57] Atheist republic chapter in Jakarta Indonesia also had to self sensor their activism further under pressure of blasphemy laws.[58][59][60]
Decriminalization of apostasy
In July 2020 Sudanese transitional government declared that they will be doing away with criminal codes against apostasy.[61] [62]
Life without and beyond Islam
Simon Cottee says that for an Ex-Muslim to move on beyond religious discussion is much an aspiration but materializing that aspiration remains to be challenging.[4] Khalil Bilici , while agreeing limitations of the their 2007 study data base is too small, found substantial number of South Asians tend to remain agnostic or atheist after leaving Islam where as good number of middle east people likely to choose for Christianity after leaving Islam.[5]
Support requirements
According to Simon Cottee, overwhelming realization from the interviews of ex-Muslims he has taken, marginalization of individual ex-Muslims across the board is serious cause of concern and Cottee earnestly pleads in his book preface that ex-Muslims do deserve better deal than what they are presently getting.[4]
According to Cotee ex-Muslim individuals, self-help groups and forums would need to find financial support from larger society in lieu of family and community. Cotee says ex-Muslims in the west ought to manage the moral stigma attached to apostasy within their own communities and emotional difficulties and challenges involved in leaving Islam.(Cotee Page 5) [4] Cottee further says it is not about traditional notions families and surrounding community is afraid about duty, honor and shame has nothing to do with Islam but empathy is solution where in Ex-Muslim individuals are looking forward to continuation of familial and community relationships in spite of leaving their faith. Cottee says even social workers and even mental health care workers need to be trained not only about nuances of Islamic faith but also about difficulties and dilemmas while leaving Islam.[4]
Ex-Muslim literature
- Ham, Boris van der; Benhammou, Rachid (2018). Nieuwe Vrijdenkers: 12 voormalige moslims vertellen hun verhaal (New Freethinkers: 12 Former Muslims Tell Their Story). Amsterdam: Prometheus. p. 209. ISBN 9789044636840.
- Hirsi Ali, Ayaan (2007). Infidel: My Life (Mijn Vrijheid). Simon & Schuster UK. ISBN 9780743295031.
- Hirsi Ali, Ayaan (2011). Nomad: From Islam to America. Simon & Schuster UK. ISBN 9781847398185.
- Al-Husseini, Waleed (2017). The Blasphemer: The Price I Paid for Rejecting Islam (Blasphémateur ! : les prisons d'Allah). New York City: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 9781628726756.
- Jami, Ehsan (2007). Het recht om ex-moslim te zijn (The Right to Be an Ex-Muslim). Kampen: Uitgeverij Ten Have. ISBN 978-9025958367.
- Mohammed, Yasmine (2019). From Al Qaeda to Atheism: The Girl Who Would Not Submit. Free Hearts Free Minds. ISBN 978-1724790804.
- Rizvi, Ali Amjad (2016). The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason. New York City: St Martin's Press. ISBN 9781250094445.
- Saleem, Aliyah; Mughal, Fiyaz (2018). Leaving Faith Behind: The journeys and perspectives of people who have chosen to leave Islam. London: Darton, Longman & Todd. p. 192. ISBN 978-0232533644. ASIN 0232533644.
- Warraq, Ibn (2003). Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1591020684.
- Susan Crimp, Joel Richardson (2008). Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out, New York, WND Books. ISBN 9780979267109
Mutual criticism
An article in opera.news/ng almost juxtaposing Simon Cotee's analysis criticizes ex-Muslim positions that rather than questioning non-Islamic framework for it's correctness, ex-Muslims mistakenly compare with un-Islamic standard which they have been indoctrinated with and which is dominant among non-Muslims.[8] While ex-Muslim cite their intellectual journey of leaving Islam, their accounts are largely moved by emotions, but just to confirm they refer to anti-theist books and anti-Islamic websites.[8] The article in opera.news/ng says ex-Muslims go by Scientism to be correct epistemological standard when ex-Muslim (atheists) do see scientific evidence for God they concluded that there is no God.[8] Ex-Muslims compare with (indoctrinated) liberal moral standard to conclude Islam is harmful and wrong.[8] opera.news/ng article further says few ex-Muslims wanted Islam to be true but find it is not, where as some ex-Muslims want to put personal autonomy on priority and would not want to believe in Islam even if it would be true; and that ex-Muslims end up believing so due to their exposure to dominant non-Islamic way of lifestyle and indoctrination like " 'so called' rationality and critical thinking", the principles they miss to apply on, " 'so called" secularism'."[8] In the end the opera.news/ng article notes that Muslims need to be exposed and trained to stand up to non-Islamic narratives specially Scientism, Liberalism, Feminism in inception itself on how to be critical of those ideas.[8] Where as one of Simon Cotee's ex-Muslim respondent says that, actually many of them are originally very devote and when they study original scriptures and Prophets life to defend against doubts about Islam they end up on side of confirming doubts being valid enough.[4] According to Aki Muthali, apologist claims of persecution of Muslims by new atheist ex-Muslims are dishonest; and actually it is atheists, who have been and are most persecuted by religious societies and how many more homicides of atheist Muslims would take it to acknowledge need of (modernist) reform in Islam.[63]
On other hand some ex-Muslims do complain that in non-Muslim majority countries, non-Muslim conservative right attempt to misuse their criticism to demonize Muslims as an individual or community; on the other hand liberals and political left leaning distance themselves from Ex-Muslims to whitewash limitations of as an ideology, narrative and religion to avoid upsetting the minority.[4] [10][64][65]Atheist author Ali Amjad Rizvi expresses his anguish at 'liberal left in non-Muslim majority countries' contradictory attitude to treat non-Muslim far-right ideas as bad but hesitating in extending the same level of criticism to questionable illiberal ideas and practices advocated in Islamic holy books like Quran from misogyny, homophobia, extremist interpretation of jihad, harsh corporal punishments like hand amputation, sever legal penalties for blasphemy and apostasy and many more.[64]
Rizvi calls, 'liberal left in non-Muslim majority countries' behavior of not supporting ex-Muslims but rather distancing themselves to shake hand with conservative Islamic bigotry is kind of betrayal of true liberalism, shared by ex-Muslims.[64] According to Rizvi 'many liberals in non-Muslim majority countries' inadvertently end up empowering inhuman and undemocratic attitudes of Islamist institutions and governments in Muslim majority countries, who misuse victim-hood card to oppress and persecute liberal dissidents within their own societies.[64]
Rizvi further points out that bigotry against Muslims as human community and criticism of Islam are two different things, ex-Muslims do not support any hate against Muslims rather ex-Muslims themselves too suffer from the same hate coming from far right for the reason they do share same Muslim-cultural names; in fact ex-Muslims face triple jeopardy, that they receive discrimination from far right, persecution from their erst-while Muslim relations and community, and even liberal left of non-Muslim stand with persecutors of ex-Muslims.[64] According to Rizvi critics of ex-Muslims tend to confuse between hate against a community and legitimate criticism of Islam, Muslims as humans do have rights and deserve respect, where as Islam is just an idea, and all ideas are very much expected to be open to unreserved criticism and that what ex-Muslims limit their criticism to Islam and do not extend to Muslims as community.[64] While Quoting Maryam Namazie Rizvi reiterates that, 'criticizing Islam and Islamism is not anti-Muslim', rather avoiding legitimate criticism of Islam and Islamism tend to create vacuum as an open field for far right which is frequently used against Muslims.[64]
Ex-Muslims are found to have concerns about some of the practices including that of; not allowing questioning in and about religion, practicing hatred of Kafirs, hate of animals like swine and dogs, sending more women to hell, Polygamy, thighing[11]
See also
- Apostasy
- Apostasy in Islam
- Apostasy in Islam by country
- Blasphemy in Islam
- Criticism of Islam
- Cultural Muslim
- Doubt
- Irreligion
- Islam's Non-Believers
- Kufr
- List of critics of Islam
- List of former Muslims
- List of ex-Muslim organisations
- Munafiq
- New Atheism
- Pastafarean
- Superstition
- Superstitions in Muslim societies
- Taqiya
- Zandaqa (Zindīq)
References
- ^ Peters, Rudolph; Vries, Gert J. J. De (1976). "Apostasy in Islam". Die Welt des Islams. 17 (1/4): 3. doi:10.2307/1570336. JSTOR 1570336 – via JSTOR.
By the murtadd or apostate is understood as the Moslem by birth or by conversion, who renounces his religion, irrespective of whether or not he subsequently embraces another faith.
- ^ a b c d e f Zuckerman, Phil (2015-12-01). "The Apostates: When Muslims Leave Islam". Sociology of Religion. 76 (4): 484–485. doi:10.1093/socrel/srv052. ISSN 1069-4404.
- ^ Beaman, Lori G.; Tomlins, Steven (2014-12-04). Atheist Identities - Spaces and Social Contexts. Springer. p. 154. ISBN 978-3-319-09602-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Cottee, Simon (2015). The Apostates: When Muslims Leave Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1-84904-469-1.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Khalil, Mohammad Hassan; Bilici, Mucahit (January 2007). "Conversion Out of Islam: A Study of Conversion Narratives of Former Muslims" (PDF). The Muslim World. 97: 111–124. doi:10.1111/j.1478-1913.2007.00161.x. hdl:2027.42/72141 – via deepblue.lib.umich.edu.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Pauha, Teemu; Aghaee, Atefeh (2018). "'God never existed, and I was looking for him like crazy!' Muslim stories of deconversion". In Nieuwkerk, Karin van (ed.). Moving In and Out of Islam. University of Texas Press. pp. 333–359. ISBN 978-1-4773-1748-8.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Cotee, Simon (2018-12-05). Nieuwkerk, Karin van (ed.). In the closet (The concealment of apostasy among Ex-Muslims in Britain and Canada). University of Texas Press. p. 281. ISBN 978-1-4773-1748-8.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Why few Muslims leave islam - Opera News". opera.news. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- ^ Upton, Allegra (2017–2018). "THE OTHERING OF MUSLIM WOMEN BY WESTERN ANDEASTERN SOCIETIES". University of Colorado Boulder – via https://scholar.colorado.edu/.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)|via=
- ^ a b c d e f g Amos, Owen (2017-11-29). "They left Islam and now tour the US to talk about it". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
- ^ a b c d Ahmad, Tufail. "India's ex-Muslims". Firstpost. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Orenstein, Ziv; Weismann, Itzchak (2016-10-01). "Neither Muslim nor Other: British Secular Muslims". Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations. 27 (4): 379–395. doi:10.1080/09596410.2016.1148892. ISSN 0959-6410. S2CID 147266809.
- ^ a b c d e f Mohamad, Azweed; et al. (Winter 2017). "Discourse analysis on newspaper reports of apostasy cases". Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies. 16 (48). Romania: 96–111. ISSN 1583-0039 – via jsri.ro.
- ^ a b c d e f g Richter, Lena (24 January 2021). Pace, Enzo (ed.). "Laughing about Religious Authority—But Not Too Loud". Religions (Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)). 12 (2): 73. doi:10.3390/rel12020073 – via MDPI.
{{cite journal}}
: External link in
(help)CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)|type=
- ^ "REVATHI: That's my name, forever". Malaysiakini. 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
- ^ a b "Sarah Haider – Writer, Activist, Founder of Ex-Muslims Of North America (Episode Co-Hosted by Sarah Nicholson". www.womenbeyondbelief.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017.
- ^ Rose, Flemming (2016-05-10). The Tyranny of Silence. Cato Institute. p. 209. ISBN 978-1-944424-10-7.
- ^ a b Fregosi, Frank (2013-02-28). Nielsen, Jorgen (ed.). Muslim collective mobilization in contemporary Europe:New issues and new type of involvement. Edinburgh University Press. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-7486-4695-1.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Pipes, Daniel (2020-08-06). "Opinion | When Muslims Leave the Faith". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
- ^ a b c Hans Jansen (22 March 2003). "Waarom Ibn Warraq geen moslim is". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ Nadia Ezzeroili (21 October 2013). "'Hoe Allah en ik in liefde uit elkaar gingen'". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ a b c Eva Lüdemann (23 May 2015). "Dappere goddelozen. Ex-moslims trotseren hun omgeving". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). (English translation)
- ^ Ibn Warraq (2003). Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. pp. 433–436. ISBN 1-59102-068-9.
- ^ David Schaefer & Michelle Koth (22 December 2007). "Absolute Infidel: The Evolution of Ayaan Hirsi Ali". The Humanist. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ a b Hurenkamp, Menno; Tonkens, Evelien; Duyvendak, Jan Willem (2012-08-21). Crafting Citizenship: Negotiating Tensions in Modern Society. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-24154-1.
- ^ "Liegen over je identiteit is noodzaak". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). 26 May 2006. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- ^ Ahmed Benchemsi (24 April 2015). "Invisible Atheists. The spread of disbelief in the Arab world". The New Republic. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
In 2007, a now-worldwide network of "ex-Muslims" was established to support refugees, exiles, and anyone from a Muslim background. The first such group was created in Germany at the initiative of Iranian exiles vowing to support the freedom to criticize religion and to end "religious intimidation and threats."
- ^ a b c d e f g Ricarda Hinz (17 November 2017). "10 Jahre Ex-Muslime: Die Geschichte einer internationalen Menschenrechtsbewegung" (in German). Giordano-Bruno-Stiftung. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ Christine Brouwer (17 September 2007). "A New Brand of Nonbelievers. Ex-Muslims add their voice to a growing European debate". ABC News. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ A. C. Grayling (19 June 2007). "The courage of their convictions". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Andrew Griffin (11 May 2017). "Facebook repeatedly 'unpublishing' world's biggest atheist page, owners claim". The Independent. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
- ^ "Iraqi Kurds turn to Zoroastrianism as faith, identity entwine". France24. 23 October 2019.
- ^ Fatah, Lara. "The curious rebirth of Zoroastrianism in Iraqi Kurdistan". Projects 21. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ "Mubarak Bala, President of Nigerian humanists, under arrest". Humanists International. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Human Rights Watch calls on Nigeria to release Mubarak Bala, humanist arrested for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad on Facebook". TODAY NEWS AFRICA. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ "Atheists and humanists are facing discrimination worldwide: Report". WION. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ "The rise of atheism in Pakistan - The Commentator". www.thecommentator.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ Husain, Irfan (27 Aug 2012). "Faith in decline". Dawn. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
Interestingly, and somewhat intriguingly, 2 per cent of the Pakistanis surveyed see themselves as atheists, up from 1pc in 2005.
- ^ Khan, Deeyah (13 October 2016). Islam's Non-Believers.
This website [Atheist & Agnostic Alliance Pakistan] was set up in 2011 for atheists in Pakistan, but its founder Fauzia Ilyas faced multiple death threats and was charged with blasphemy.
- ^ Sherwood, Harriet (2020-06-25). "Atheists and humanists facing discrimination across the world, report finds". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ Shahid, Kunwar Khuldune. "The Defiance of Pakistani Atheists". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ a b c Tufail Ahmad (10 November 2016). "India's Ex-Muslims: shedding traditional Islam for science". Firstpost. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
- ^ "How an Atheist Was Silenced in Coimbatore". The Wire. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
- ^ "Godforsaken". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
- ^ Reporter, Staff (2018-07-30). "'Secular parties soft to minority fundamentalism'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
- ^ Asif Mohiuddin (30 July 2016). "Asif Mohiuddin speaking in Utrecht, Netherlands". Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- ^ "Asif Mohiuddin – Freedom of Speech Means Freedom to Offend (2015 National Convention)". YouTube. American Atheists. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- ^ "Rilwan killed by Maldives group linked to al-Qaeda, presidential commission reveals". Retrieved 2020-07-25.
- ^ What will happen to the Maldivian who renounced Islam? Archived 2010-08-30 at the Wayback Machine Haveeru Daily (English Ed.) 2010-05-31
- ^ Maldivian who renounced Islam reverts back Archived 2010-12-12 at the Wayback Machine Haveeru Daily (English Ed.) 2010-06-01
- ^ Islamic Foundation calls for death sentence if apostate fails to repent Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Minivan News 2010-05-30
- ^ Charles Haviland (15 July 2010). "Maldives atheist who felt persecuted 'hangs himself'". BBC News.
- ^ Hella Camargo (17 January 2020). "Sri Lanka: Apostaten in Lebensgefahr". Diesseits (in German). Humanistischer Pressedienst. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "G25: We do not condone nor encourage Muslims to leave Islam". Malaysiakini. 2020-01-16. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ "Critics of G25 missing the historical contexts of Islam: Ex-academic | Daily Express Online - Sabah's Leading News Portal". www.dailyexpress.com.my. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
- ^ Schonhardt, Sara (2013-04-26). "For Indonesian Atheists, a Community of Support Amid Constant Fear". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
- ^ "Soul friends". Inside Indonesia. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
- ^ "Malaysia authorities investigating 'atheist meeting' held in the capital". The Independent. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ NW, 1615 L. St; Suite 800Washington; Inquiries, DC 20036USA202-419-4300 | Main202-857-8562 | Fax202-419-4372 | Media. "Religiously unaffiliated people face harassment in a growing number of countries". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Atheist, Friendly. "A Picture of Malaysian Atheists Has Led to a Government Crackdown on Ex-Muslims". Friendly Atheist. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ "'Thank you, our glorious revolution': activists react as Sudan ditches Islamist laws". the Guardian. 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ "Changes in criminal law as Sudan annuls apostasy death sentence". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^ Muthali, Aki (2015-09-27). "Atheistophobia: It's time to talk about the most persecuted minority in the world". The Nation. Retrieved 2020-08-15.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e f g Rizvi, Ali A. (2016-11-22). The Atheist Muslim: A Journey from Religion to Reason. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-250-09445-2.
- ^ Friedland, Elliot (2015-10-01). "Aki Muthali: Critics of Islamism Must Have a Bigger Platform". Clarion Project. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
- Possible Redirects : Former Muslims, Leaving Islam, Deconversion from Islam, Murtads, Apostate cultural Muslims,
- Proposed categories list: