UK Members

1. Gulshan

   , Manchester
   

   The more I have read and studied about Islam the stronger I have come to the conclusion (a) that God doesnt even exist and (b) that Islam has some major problems. I want a community of like minded people to identify with against the pressures to conform.

2. Syed Shahriar Ahsan

   , Uk
   

   I used to be a good Muslim until I grew up and searched for the truth. I learnt a lot about Islam as I'm in the most populated Islamic country. When I came in touch with the sites faithfreedom.org, islamwatch.org, wikiislam.net, mukto-mona.com, I started to think differently. These sites helped me to find the gaps of all religion including Islam. I found that Islam is full of fallacies and leads to insane and satanic behaviour, really inhumane and crazy. Then I started thinking and decided that everyone is born as an atheist. I do hope that god exists but I can't deny that god is not, well, at least I don't have the proof so else millions like me. So I will just keep my eyes of mind open to think and live my life free from burden dogmas.

3. rezamohseny

   
   

   همکاری با سازمان

4. Usman Mahmood Bukhari

   , Birmingham, UK
   

   I was once being trained for being an Alim (scholar) of Islam but having read a variety of philosophical texts I slowly if not painfully at times lost my faith, particularly Kierkegaard's Fear & Trembling struck the final blow to me. Though now looking upon Islam I find it a very deeply disillusioned faith, though I hold the same views with most faiths. For me Islam and that of most faith is a form social indoctrination that can used to hold an individual down socially and politically. It does allow people to express themselves fully or even explore themes let alone actually experience it. For me it Islam has it moments of delights but they are rare and even then do not hold illuminating revelations that a philosophical, scientific or even a well thought literature can hold. Islam to me is a mechanism for social cohesion, not the means to produce free thinking society.

5. Hanif

   , Chelmsford
   

6. bahman

   , bournemouth
   

   him my name is bahman an iranian national and living in england scince 2000. i am ex-muslim and after various amount of study about religions and sects ,iam realise the athiest is totaly true and sensible.i was in japan back days 1992 for about 8 years and i know the eastern philosophy and i chosen eclectisism as belief before i become the athiest and join your group.i am realy intersted to hear from thank you

7. asim khan

   
   

8. Jean Beaini

   , Milton Keynes
   

   I had to convert to Islam when my ex husband and I married, it was strictly for the paper work so I could attain an Iranian passport to travel to his country as his wife, we also had to perform a Muslim marriage ceremony in London as it seemed the Islamic authorities did not recognize our British marriage even back in 1978 before the Islamic revolution.
   To please my husbands parents I even learned how to do namaz but one day after coming home from a friends wedding, for which I wore make-up and nail polish and therefore couldn't perform the namaz until I had cleaned it all off. I was standing there performing all of the days versus as a catch-up in the evening and I just saw how ludicrous the whole thing was.
   Shortly after the revolution there was a day when I was told I couldn't go out with make-up on or without a headscarf. I tore up my Muslim certificates and put them in the rubbish bin.
   I never did give in to their ridiculous rules, I was the only female member of staff at the English language institute who refused to wear the headscarf, and since I as also their only English, English teacher they shut up.
   I'm now atheist and living in the UK. I abhor the disregard Islam has for human rights especially those of women and young girls and would like to do anything I can to help fight against the abuse some Muslim women face, even if it's just stuffing envelopes and mailing out leaflets to support awareness. I am also totally against sharia law being introduced into the UK and would like to see all sharia law courts here shut down.

9. ziyad

   , London
   

10. Salima Akhtar

    
    

    Ever since I was little I always asked people "How do we know Islam is the right religion?" and not once did anyone give me an answer. But I still grew up believing and I turned to God all the time. When I was 18 I began questioning more and now I had the internet to ask. I searched endlessly, on many different websites and nothing would help address my doubts. Now I am 20 and I have completely lost faith in Islam.
    
    It's not easy. My family have no idea and my mother still tells me to pray and tells me I'm becoming more and more "English" but I cannot bring myself to tell them I am no longer a Muslim. To be honest I'm afraid of what they will say or do. They will think I'm mentally ill and most likely do something irrational. I've told a few of my closest friends, two of whom are Muslim themselves and they are understanding but they think it's just doubts and I have to simply get my faith back. I sometimes wish I had never had those doubts in the first place because I often feel so alone. There's no one to turn to where once there was God. I'm going to attempt to read the whole of the Qur'an in an English format because I don't want to be ignorant even though I have little or no confidence that it will help me.
    

11. basil magzoub

    , Sheffield
    

    Not only Islam but all religions did not make sense to me !
    i believe i was a muslim only because i grown up in a muslim family. I certainly believe in some form of a creator to this system ( people like to call it God, allah, jesus, buda, ...)
    Never believe that some one has been sent to tell us about that creator
    Never believe in any books claimed to be from God .
    All these stories and books have been written by normal human beings like us n they kept passing it over n over.
    Islam only spread hate res, brutality and retarded ideas .
    The quraan and the what so called hadeeth is full of nonsense !

12. Amir Soleymani

    , Liverpool
    

    I used to be a very good and obeying muslim. I was reading Quran very professionally and have been awarded in country level when I was 16.
    During military service, I was the only one who were chosen to read Quran infront of Khamenei.
    I also was active in Darvish communities and had so many Darvish friends.
    I was in their meetings where they were pretending they are speaking with Genes or other supernatural beings. That was terrifying !
    I also went to India to find a guru for myself. I met Sathya Sai Baba there and was amazed by his abilities.
    I was a true devotee to God and religion. I had my own speeches in meetings for how great god is and how the universe is calling his nam and all religions are united.
    Then suddenly, I started to see things differently.
    A trip to Egypt was the last shot and changed me forever.
    I am now an Atheist. A Secular.
    I believe in science and noting else.
    And I am a new member of this great community :)

13. Behrooz

    , Sheffield
    

    I started reading about religion and cultures when I was in high school, after some difficult times I had at that time. This difficulty was sort of problem caused by the fact that in Iran they separate men and women in schools and restrict them, which is in my opinion was the reason that many young men like me suffered from sexual abuse. I am looking at the situation as a natural reaction of a suppressed society, and now I am trying to let people know about what I have been through and what I learnt from books and people that I lost my fear to think. Now I am a non believer. I think religion at social and political level can create such hardship for people and cause a lot of pain for them.
    My message is to stop these suppression and respect every moment of peoples life, and dont let these unnatural behaviour ruin it. I am not an anti religious or any thing like that, I just want to show how exposure to new ideas and rejecting to taboos empowered me to think and start to doubt, because that is where everything started for me. It also helped me to forgive those people who made my childhood difficult and understand what happened from a psychological and scientific point of view.

14. Infinite_del

    , England
    

    This is probably one of the very few forums which gives voice to many people out there who out of fear, humiliation and many other reasons have been neglected and abused because of their stance on something as personal as belief or rather lack of belief in God. One has to be brought up in a Muslim family to understand that even the most moderate of Muslims can not fathom their sons and daughters denouncing Islam, and one can loose their family, friends and loved ones just because he/she would not and can not bring themselves to live a lie day in and day out. From childhood our perception of life and beyond it, the world and its varied population are all moulded by Teaching of Islam and to go against all that does take one an odyssey which is emotionally and physically challenging.
    
    It's such a bitter sweet experience going through the testimonials of the members on this forum, i feel im not alone in this struggle against these draconian dogmas which have not only ripped us apart from our families and loved ones but turned them against us to the point where we fear harm and malice from people we once relied on. Hopefully one day our future generations will not have to go through what we have/are going through.

15. umair ali nayyer

    , london
    
    

16. Sudo Nim

    , Leeds
    

    I sent an email before I saw this part of the site, well before I saw much of the site it seems :)
    
    Anyway I will copy n paste what I said in the mail here..
    
    i have only just heard of your organization. I am a multimedia artist/musician/writer, wannabe activist and temporary slacktivist.(hopefully) I go under the pseudonym "SudoNim". :)
    
    I suppose I am primarily a skeptic. This led to my atheism. I am also an egalitarian. This led to my feminism. I have been personally effected by the dogma and indoctrination of religion as a child. This has led to my anti-theism.
    
    I woulld like to offer my assistance with anything you may require. Your cause is my own. I am active within the google+ communities. I would heartily recommend setting up an account and a community within google+ as there is such a divergent international audience who can garner support. It is essential to be bold and show that there is a safety net, a community and like minded people who will accept them for who they are. You are such a community and I applaud your efforts.
    
    There needs to be a way of making your organization better known. I had never heard of you somehow. I searched for apostasy related things but didn't think "ex-muslim". If I was able I would create an infographic containing informaion about your organization and pehaps other salient information that imght be useful.and post it wholesale around muslim areas. It is my belief that many potential apostates are not computer literate and thus may never realize that such an organisation as yourselves exists. Oh well. It is also my belief that the internet will kill religion. Eventually....
    
    Until then I will make sure I include links to your site and videos.
    
    Kudos,
    
    SudoNim
    
    
    SudoNim

17. Loay Harun

    , Bristol
    

    I would like to work with fellow ex Muslims to abolish apostasy laws in Muslim countries and promote tolerance and freedom of choice.

18. Christopher Roche

    
    

    Freedoms of thought, conscience, association and expression are not the reserve of certain people, they are universal human rights. I hold myself to be profoundly fortunate in that I live in a place and at a time in which I am able to exercise these freedoms, where I may openly dissent from the beliefs held by those around me, where I am free to reject inhumane dogmatism, and be true to myself. For many, for most, this is not and has not been the case.
    
    I am eternally grateful to those who came before me, who fought and made personal sacrifices so that I might have my freedoms today. The very least I can do is continue that fight, in a struggle that will only end when these freedoms, these fundamental rights, are available to all. To shy away, to refuse to use ones freedom to ensure others have theirs, to remain silent in the face of tyranny and oppression, is to me unconscionable. For these reasons, I am proud to be a member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

19. ex-muslim persian

    , London
    

    I have been physically abused countless times by my parents for the smallest of things. I hate to imagine what my parents would do to me if they found out that I have left this evil cult called shitlam. British council of ex-muslims has given me hope that one day, I might not have to fear for my life just because I can think for myself.

    

20. Mujammel Chowdhury

    , GREATER MANCHESTER
    

    I decided to join your organisation to finally tell a wide community that i am an athiest , i have been for years .
    
    I stopped seeing myself as a non-muslim and just an atheist , when i started to real think about religion and god , that more i really thought about it the more i found the belief in god and there being a heaven and hell more unbelievable .
    I have done a fair amount of research about the religion i was born into .
    I know fairly well about islam , knowing more about it made me feel discusted that i was part of this religion and my family, relatives and friends follow this so called religion which is clearly a cult ..
    Religions are all man made to prevent people doing what are perceived to be bad things .
    Im from a british bangladesh background and 26 years old , by the way .