There is a growing phenomenon of people who may once have been adherents of Islam but who have thrown of the shackles of this very oppressive faith. I’ve noticed since I started writing about Islam a few years back that not only are there now more ex Muslims than I was ever aware of in the past but they are also more willing to speak out about their apostasy. Knowing how tight Islam’s hold on its believes are such free thinking is admirable. That they are apostacising a faith that has a long history of violence and especially violence against reformers and apostates is both brave and impressive.
Every time a Muslim becomes an ex Muslim or decides that they wish to try to reform the Islamic path and make it a civilised faith, they inspire and give succour to others in Islamic communities who either doubt that Mohammed’s path is a good one or wish to heal Islam’s internal sicknesses. Each ordinary ex Muslim or newly created reformist has an effect on others who may be thinking of walking down the same path. However the effect is magnified when a Muslim person who is high profile says ‘this is not for me’.
The singer Zayn Malik, a Briton of Pakistani heritage, a man with a huge personal following, has recently announced that he is not a Muslim. According to a report in the Pakistani publication ‘the International News’ (h/t ROP), Mr Malik said in an interview that he no longer describes himself as a Muslim and no longer ‘professed Islam’.
I’ve little doubt that such a revelation will give hope and cheer to those in Islamic cultures who wish to leave or change Islam for the better. Sadly I also have little doubt that Mr Malik’s announcement will also stir up the great number of violent intolerant Islamic headcases for which Pakistan has become world famous for. Whilst I wish Mr Malik well on his future spiritual journey, wherever it leads, I would also counsel him to beware of those who take Islam’s instruction to murder apostates very seriously and take appropriate security measures to guard against assault. I feel that in the immediate future Mr Malik’s decision will both help free some of Islam’s slaves while at the same time enraging those who are happy being slaves of this destructive and violent cult.
