Why I Left Islam: A Personal Journey of Faith and Realization

I have studied the 28 major religions on earth, and Islam is definitely not my favorite. I find it to be violent, but I also don’t like the 8 major Christian religions, as I feel they are too far from the true teachings of Christ. Christ, as he is described in the Bible, taught four key things: (1) worship not merely him but his father in heaven; (2) he did not come to create followers, but to create leaders; (3) life is not about love, it’s about learning how to love, which includes cultivating the ability to love those who are unlovable; (4) the only way to grow and move forward is by forgiving those who have hurt you.

My Journey in Islam

I was once in a relationship with a woman who was born Muslim (Hanafi), and during our five-month courtship, I noticed that she never wore a hijab and dressed in styles reminiscent of Catholic girls in Cosmopolitan. She expressed her dislike for both Islam and her family due to her father’s violent behavior. After a few months, she said she hated Islam, her family, and even wanted to convert to the Catholic faith. However, the Church in Dubai refused to allow her conversion.

After six months, her father tried to pressure me into converting to Islam in order to prove my genuine love for her and commitment to marriage. Unfortunately, I was manipulated and coerced into converting under the guise of "Taqiya," a term for religious deception or dissimulation. After many years, I realized that I had been brainwashed and underwent a profound realization that led me to leave Islam, along with my wife and child.

Why I’m Losing Faith in Islam

Here are several reasons why I have lost faith in Islam, which will continue to evolve as I explore these topics further:

1. Forbidding Music

Islam forbids music, with the exception of music with profanities or promoting relationships. This seems overly strict to me. For example, can one simply relax and enjoy some piano music? Where is the harm in that? If something is harmful, as Islam states, where is the evidence?

2. Pedophilia and the Marriage of Aisha

Prophet Muhammad was my role model until I heard about his alleged marriage to a six-year-old girl and later at age nine. This news was shocking, and even when Muslims attempt to justify it by saying that there was no specific age for marriage at that time, it still strikes me as morally indefensible. Just because something was legal in the past does not mean it is ethical or just today.

3. Islam’s Claims of Exclusivity

Islam claims to be the only true religion and that all other religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, are human distortions. This assertion is difficult for me to accept, especially given that other religions have their own miracles and historical events to support their beliefs.

4. The Futility of Prayers

Islam teaches that your problems are a sign of God's love, yet I have often felt that turning to God has made my problems worse. Noah, for instance, had to wait 300 years for God to respond to his prayers. This feeling of helplessness and the lack of immediate responses to prayers have contributed to my growing disillusionment with the faith.

5. Theological and Historical Criticisms

Other religions also have their own miracles and events, such as the Resurrection in Christianity and the Isra and Miraj in Islam. The effectiveness of these miracles and events in proving a religion's truth can be subjective and open to interpretation.

While I have included these points in my critique of Islam, my beliefs and understanding continue to evolve. I encourage you to research and form your own opinions on these matters, as I strongly believe in the importance of critical thinking and self-reflection in one's spiritual journey.