Why I have left Islam – and the future of this blog.
BY PAUL WILLIAMS on
by Paul Williams
Yes, I have left Islam. Perhaps surprisingly for some readers this has nothing to do with a sudden realisation that Allah is a ‘Moon-god’ or that Muhammad was a false prophet. No. A leading Muslim apologist points out below,
‘Islam is a way of life, meaning that Islam is something you actively do, something you actively practise. You go to eat something? You eat Islamically. You go to the bathroom? Yep, Islam has rules and stipulations on bathroom use. Islam is a way of life that is meant to encompass all actions and all thoughts. At first that may sound like something difficult to practise…’.
Indeed it does. I could add that during Ramadan it is binding upon Muslims to abstain from all food and water from early in the morning till late at night. And to get up at 4.30am to pray etc. There are English reverts to Islam I see as spiritual giants such as Tim Winter who can successfully undertake some of these fairly extreme forms of self-mortification and self-denial. But I am not one of them. I suspect most people are not. The Quran claims that following the path of Islam is easy (see Surat al-Baqara 185 and passim) and I find myself forced to respectfully disagree with the Quran. The article below brings into clear focus the issues involved and I tend to agree with its conclusions. I had assumed I was just a bad person, but Ijaz Ahmad in his insightful analysis provides me with an understanding of my situation: Islam is not for everyone. He concludes that
‘Islam is not for everyone because not everyone can live up to the requirements Islam necessitates’.
This, I have discovered, is true for me.
By the way this blog will be deleted on Sunday 16th March, so if commentators wish to continue their discussions they have a little while to copy the tread and maybe continue the debate on another forum. Goodbye all!
Islam Is Not For Everyone
by Ijaz Ahmad from Calling Christians
This may be a strange concept if you’ve never thought about it before, but once acquainted with the reasoning behind it, there is no room for doubting the title of this article. Yes, Islam is a universal faith, all matters of persons can accept it, regardless of race, intelligence, social placement, etc. That however, does not mean that Islam is for everyone. Isn’t that a contradiction in saying? It isn’t. While anyone can accept Islam, the converse is not true, Islam will not accept everyone.
Islam is a way of life, meaning that Islam is something you actively do, something you actively practise. You go to eat something? You eat Islamically. You go to the bathroom? Yep, Islam has rules and stipulations on bathroom use. Islam is a way of life that is meant to encompass all actions and all thoughts. At first that may sound like something difficult to practise, if there are rules for everything, how does one learn all of these rules? It’s not difficult as you think though. Sociologically a way of life or culture, has norms and values. Norms and values consist of hundreds, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of unspoken, yet understood rules that a person practises as something which is natural to them. The way you speak (your accent), the way you dress, the way you laugh in front of others and by yourself, the way you walk, what you eat and don’t eat, familial rituals, friendly rituals, personal acts etc.
Generally though, it’s expected that the older you get, the more understanding you develop, so the more you know – the more you do these unspoken rules. In Islam however, the rules are spoken, so if you do join the faith, over time you’d ease yourself into the religion. One might ask, what is the purpose for all of these rules to follow? The logic flows like this, if there is God and He created you, then He intended for you to live and if you are to live, shouldn’t you live in a way God is pleased with you, as opposed to your own rules? With this frame of mind under consideration, the rules of living, are meant to make your personal life as well as your communal interactions easier and much more worthy. A simpler analogy would be to think of life as a stream of water and rules/ laws of God for us, as the boundaries that guide the flowing of the stream. If there were no boundaries, the stream would flow haphazardly, but with boundaries the stream is guided, directed and coordinated.
Having established a foundation we can work from, we should now understand that Islam takes effort, rather it is implied that if one wants to develop a lifestyle pleasing to God, they’d have to work towards reforming themselves. This is where my topic comes into play. Islam is not for everyone because not everyone can live up to the requirements Islam necessitates. Islam requires that sincere effort and concern for one’s self betterment be at the forefront of every action and interaction. In other words, if you aren’t sincere or concerned about bettering yourself, then Islam honestly is not for you. Islam is not a way of life (deen, religion, faith), that one switches on and off when they see it fit to do so. Islam necessitates that you are actively seeking to better not only yourself, but also those around you by living according to the rules of God. Therefore when a person says that they left Islam, this rarely is the case, rather Islam rejected them.
What do I mean by saying Islam rejected them? When persons say that they could not be Muslim because they found praying 5 times a day to be too much, or performing ablution (wudhu) to be too cumbersome, or the rules of consuming halaal to be too restrictive, it speaks less about the rules and more about the person. Using the previous examples, we can see that praying 5 times a day necessitates that the person be punctual, patient and sincere in their devotion to God – anything less and prayer becomes a hassle, it doesn’t seem beneficial to you because you are not punctual, impatient and insincere about dedicating a few minutes, less than 1/2 an hour in total each day. Islam therefore rejects the person whose personal devotion to God cannot be maintained, only a person with sincere devotion and concern with their standing with God will develop the characteristic traits to fulfill the rules and requirements of God’s rules. The person who is unwilling to develop these characteristic traits quickly finds themselves being rejected by Islam.
In conclusion, Islam is not for everyone, because everyone cannot develop the characteristic traits needed to reach the level that Islam requires. Therefore, it is not the person that rejects Islam, it is Islam that rejects the person. So the next time someone mentions they left Islam, smile and kindly explain how it isn’t that they left Islam, but that Islam left them.
‹ The Trinity: a Muslim Perspective
Categories: Islam
So according to Muhammad and Islam...the Muslims can now kill him because he left...oh wait, Luckily for Paul Williams he lives in a NON-Islamic country.
ReplyDeleteYou join a cult of death and murder, yet remember when you quit it...according to that cult...you have to be killed for being an apostate. What a FOOL.
Anonymous as always you hypocrites hide behind these anonymous IDs lol
DeleteNo nobody can kill him because he left Islam, Islam does not force anyone to become a Muslim, you are a coward and a liar, you are pathetic, lol
All Ham do to Allah
ReplyDeletePity I didn't save any of the posts (bar the very long one a few weeks back) where we toppled the Muslims including Paul!
ReplyDeleteThis is really hard to understand. i know paul and seen him many times in hyde park. for a person to leave islam just because they cant pray or wake up for fajr or always look for halal shops to eat etc doesnt make sense, i am a muslim for over a year now and i still struggle with fajr does that mean i have to leave islam lol. of course not. allah swt i am the most mericful. im sorry but this really is a very lame excuse to leave islam.
ReplyDeleteby the way i wonder it says in the bible to apostates too??
Ali wake up,
DeletePaul reject Islam for a different reason,
For his safely from the 'religion of peace' he has to say this.
Remember what Muhammad said 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him' — Bukhari 9.84.57
what on earth are you talkng about lol. he clearly says hes leaving islam coz of its responsibilites thats the lamest reason to leave islam im sorry it really is. what does the bible say about apostacy???
Deletedeuotronomy 13 say kill an apostate and not only that kill anyone that tries to revert him back lol
Ali answer this.
DeleteDo you reject Muhammad when he said 'Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him' — Bukhari 9.84.57
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi,
DeleteEVERYONE seems to forget that ISLAM is Arabian Talmudic Judaism!
The Babylonian Jewish Talmud has 35 vol. They are a commentary on TORAH, the first 5 books of the Jewish Bible.
If you will open the bible and turn to Matthew ch 15; ch 23 and John ch 8, you will read what the Prophet of Galilee had to say about people who have these silly, stupid rules!
Then read Matthew 16:6 and Matthew 18:6
"THE TALMUD IS ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD. During the twenty centuries of its existence...IT SURVIVED IN ITS ENTIRETY, and not only has the power of its foes FAILED TO DESTROY EVEN A SINGLE LINE, but it has not even been able materially to weaken its influence for any length of time. IT STILL DOMINATES THE MINDS OF A WHOLE PEOPLE, WHO VENERATE ITS CONTENTS AS DIVINE TRUTH..."
SANHEDRIN, 55b-55a: "What is meant by this? - Rab said: Pederasty with a child below nine years of age is not deemed as pederasty with a child above that. Samuel said: Pederasty with a child below three years is not treated as with a child above that (2) What is the basis of their dispute? - Rab maintains that only he who is able to engage in sexual intercourse, may, as the passive subject of pederasty throw guilt (upon the actual offender); whilst he who is unable to engage in sexual intercourse cannot be a passive subject of pederasty (in that respect) (3). But Samuel maintains: Scriptures writes, (And thou shalt not lie with mankind) as with the lyings of a woman (4). It has been taught in accordance with Rab: Pederasty at the age of nine years and a day; (55a) (he) who commits bestiality, whether naturally or unnaturally: or a woman who causes herself to be bestiality abused, whether naturally or unnaturally, is liable to punishment (5)."
This "divine truth" which "a whole people venerate" of which "not a single letter of it is missing" and today "is flourishing to such a degree as cannot be found in its history" is illustrated by the additional verbatim quotations which follow:
SANHEDRIN, 55b: "A maiden three years and a day may be acquired in marriage by coition, and if her deceased husband's brother cohabits with her, she becomes his. The penalty of adultery may be incurred through her; (if a niddah) she defiles him who has connection with her, so that he in turn defiles that upon which he lies, as a garment which has lain upon (a person afflicted with gonorrhea)."
(footnotes) "(2) His wife derives no pleasure from this, and hence there is no cleaving. (3) A variant reading of this passage is: Is there anything permitted to a Jew which is forbidden to a heathen. Unnatural connection is permitted to a Jew. (4) By taking the two in conjunction, the latter as illustrating the former, we learn that the guilt of violating the injunction `to his wife but not to his neighbor's wife' is incurred only for natural but not for unnatural intercourse."
Ali Dawah, don't take the bait, these people are here to denigrate that's all they do all day long.
DeleteLooking for anything to exploit, they are paid agents most of them anyway.
I wouldn't waste my time with them, some are ignorant others are simply too arrogant and hateful.
May Allah bless you bro
Ali I completely agree this is a superficial reason for leaving Islam, and obviously we don't know the full reasons, but we could speculate 1) Paul doesn't want to offend his Muslim friends and community 2) Paul doesn't want to lose his life.
ReplyDeleteMy own suspicion is that Paul Williams has become an agnostic.
mark come on please lets be real lol. dont be too dramatic your sounding like a BBC reporter. he wouldnt offend anyone, all his mates will ask why did you leave and is there anything we can do to help, now coming to the apostate, in islamas far as i know you can leave islam and you wont be killed, the only time you will be killed is if you propogate it and go on enemy side and every country has the death penalty for treason.
Deletedeoutronomy chapter 13 says kill aposates and if anyone that tries to revert them back to christianity kill them too
Ali,
DeleteYour explanation regarding (1) is not intelligible.
With, (2), I see you are living in a "Osama Abdullah" fantasy world where we transform Islam into something we *want* it to be, in this case you think Apostasy in Islamic Law is restricted to those apostates who are open critics of Islam. The problem with this view of course is that it's not held by any of the mainstream Islamic schools of jurisprudence, even the Shia. The simple punishment in Islamic jurisprudence is that he has three days to repent, then he must be killed.
Deuteronomy is irrelevant. And I don't know where you got the anachronism that Christianity is referenced in Deuteronomy, but that's as abysmal or as poor as other Quranic and Muslim ahistorical fallacies.
Ali you should also offer your own explanation as to why PW has not given his complete real reasoning for leaving Islam.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI smell fish here.... Paul has finally discovered that the nonsense in the Korean cannot be defended, so he has taken the back door out. Paul obviously loves life (and who wouldn't?) If you were born in a free society why would you want to needlessly want to shackle yourself tho an ideology that is inherently illogical... Good on you Paul...
ReplyDeleteI just saw this on Monday, March 17 around 9:00pm. (Eastern Time, USA) Wow.
ReplyDeleteDid Paul Williams REALLY leave Islam, or is he putting his blog on privacy mode? (which he does from time to time)
Ken Temple
Nice to see you (again) Ken and good question.
ReplyDeleteI think we all wait in anticipation and suspense to see if Paul Williams really has left Islam and the real reasoning behind it, or whether he will back in the fore-front of Islamic apologetics as soon as he has conversed with Muslims who unlike Ijaz, might convince him that he belongs within Islam.
Thanks Mark!
ReplyDeleteSo, you are the same person as Derek Adams, I see.
I gave up commenting and looking much at Paul's site over last month or so, cause he completely banned me and would not let any of my comments through.
Hopefully, the legalism and externalism of Islam is exposing it as false to him.
Good that you copied his article here. He seems to genuinely struggle with many aspects of the realities of things inside the Islamic communities. (when he left MDI, comments about Adnan Rashid, others who do Da'wa a certain way, Salafis, etc.)
On this point, Ijaz Ahmad, and now Paul Williams) fails to realize the full purpose and practice of the Sunnah.
ReplyDeleteAt the time of the Prophet (PBUH), the Arab people were in a state of jahiliyyah. They were worshiping creation and things that they had fashioned with their own hands. The people were afflicted with an illness (i.e. Idol worshiper), and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), like all prophets, came with the remedy for their illness or condition. What was the remedy? Initially, it was to pray FIFTY TIMES A DAY.
Now, the over arching purpose of prayer is to keep one God conscious or God centered. So, when this strong medication was prescribed (i.e FIFTY prayers per diem) the people complained [to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)] that it was to much, and it was eventually cut down to five.
So, at this point, on it's face, the obligatory prayer were cut from fifty to five. GREAT! 90% of the dosage, required to cure the people ailment, was discarded. But, the people [Arab reverts of 1400 years ago] still required fifty prayers to keep straight. [What to do for this abatement in number of obligatory prayers? Where to turn?] Solution: to fill the void, in the supreme wisdom of Allah (SWT) and HIS Prophet (PBUH) came the Sunnah (i.e. The way of the Prophet (PBUH).
So, I argue, that after cutting out 90% of the prayers (45 Salaht's), the practice of 'Sunnah' was instituted and prescribed to the people of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), 1400 years ago. Furthermore, for the pagan Arabs of Mecca, following the Sunnah may have been obligatory; however, today, in modern times, I don't see it that way. it's my belief that the practice of Sunnah is related o the dthikir of Allah (The remembrance of God and God consciousness at all times).
I further assert that choosing NOT to practice Sunnah (i.e non Quranic Sunnah) does NOT take one out of the fold of Islam. Now, I am not an Islmic scholar, I am a revert, however, I felt the need to weigh-in on this discussion. If the doctors of Islamic law and scholarship hold a differing opinion, it is for them to explain.
So, Ijaz Ahmad got it wrong. I think he confused Islam with the Sunnah, by synthesizing the two into something 'other.' Furthermore, Ijaz Ahmad fails to realize the purpose of practicing Sunnah (not Islam as he framed it in his article) in the world of Islam today. He intimated that the 'Islam' controls every aspect of the believes existence, and that this was somehow untenable and oppressive it Islam does not choose you. I guess it would be oppressive if one were to do what he did (i.e. amalgamate Islam and the Sunnah, and call it Islam.)
In Islam, the practice of Sunnah is found in the books of Hadith. In the Hadith, there is a prescribed way in which to eat, in which to use the bathroom, etc., as his article outlined. Again, through my lends, Sunnah is a dthikir of Allah, and is not meant to control every aspect of a believers life It's a remedy to keep one God conscious as one requires/needs. So, if you practice certain aspects of the Sunnah and not others, great. When eating, one might use his right and left hands equally, but choose to enter the bathroom on his left foot and exit on his right. However much Sunnah on chooses to practice, beyond that which is obligatory, is entirely up to him. It is there as an aid and helper to keep one God conscious.
Salam
Mr. Paul Williams, as you know, there is no compulsion in religion, and I wish you well.
WHY ARE MUSLIMS SUCH BAD LIARS?
ReplyDelete["Mr. Paul Williams, as you know, there is no compulsion in religion, and I wish you well".
Kenneth WhiteFriday, June 13, 2014 2:50:00 p.m.]
A KAFIR IS A NON-MUSLIM
Characteristics of Kafir
* 1 Kafir are Arrogant and Divided
* 2 Kafir are close-minded
* 3 Kafir are Deaf, Dumb and Blind
* 4 Kafir are Evil
* 5 Kafir are Greedy
* 6 Kafir are Like Animals
* 7 Kafir are Perverse
* 8 Kafir are Unclean
* 9 Kafir are Unintelligent
* 10 Kafir are the Worst of Creatures
KEFIR ARE ARROGANT & DIVIDED
Nay, but those who disbelieve are in false pride and schism.
Qur'an 38:2
KEFIR ARE CLOSE-MINDED
As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not.
Qur'an 2:6
They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive.
There is a disease in their hearts, so Allah added to their disease and they shall have a painful chastisement because they
Qur'an 2:9-10
Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them
deaf and blinded their sight.
Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'an, or
are their hearts locked up by them?
Qur'an 47:23-24
KEFIR ARE DEAF, DUMB & BLIND
As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not.
Qur'an 2:6
The likeness of those who disbelieve is as the likeness of one who shouts to that which hears nothing, save a call and a cry; deaf, dumb, blind -- they do not understand.
Qur'an 2:171
KEFIR ARE EVIL
In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie.
Qur'an 2:10
O ye who believe! spend of that wherewith We have provided
you ere a day come when there will be no trafficking, nor friendship, nor
intercession. The disbelievers, they are the wrong-doers.
Qur'an 2:254
And We prescribed for them therein: The life for the life, and the eye for the eye, and the nose for the nose, and the ear for the ear, and the tooth for the tooth, and for wounds retaliation. But whoso forgoeth it (in the way of charity) it shall be expiation for him. Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are wrong-doers.
Qur'an 5:45
The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of God: and God guides not people who do wrong.
Qur'an 62:5
Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me. 'If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.
Qur'an 24:55
No plea had they, when Our terror came unto them, save that they said: Lo! We were wrong-doers.
Qur'an 7:5
O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.
Qur'an 7:27
KAFIRS
ReplyDeletePART 2
Evil as an example are people who reject Our signs and wrong
their own souls.
Qur'an 7:177
KEFIR ARE GREEDY
And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life (greedier) than even those who are polytheists; every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement, and Allah sees what they do.
Qur'an 2:96
KEFIR ARE LIKE ANIMALS
If it had been Our will, We should have elevated him with Our signs; but he inclined to the earth, and followed his own vain desires. His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls out his tongue. That is the similitude of those who reject Our signs; So relate the story; perchance they may reflect.
Qur'an 7:176
And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
Qur'an 2:65
Shall I tell thee of a worse (case) than theirs for retribution with Allah? (Worse is the case of him) whom Allah hath cursed, him on whom His wrath hath fallen and of whose sort Allah hath turned some to apes and swine, and who serveth idols. Such are in worse plight and further astray from the plain road.
Qur'an 5:60
When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
Qur'an 7:166
Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle; - nay, they are worse astray in Path.
Qur'an 25:44
KEFIR ARE PERVERSE
And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!
Qur'an 9:30
When thou lookest at them, their exteriors please thee; and when they speak, thou listenest to their words. They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up, (unable to stand on their own). They think that every cry is against them. They are the enemies; so beware of them. The curse of Allah be on them! How are they deluded (away from the Truth)!
Qur'an 63:4
KEFIR ARE UNCLEAN
O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will Allah enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for Allah is All-knowing, All-wise.
Qur'an 9:28
KEFIR ARE UNINTELLIGENT
O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence.
Qur'an 8:65
KEFIR ARE THE WORST OF CREATURES
For the vilest beasts in God's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who understand not.
Qur'an 8:22
For the worst of beasts in the sight of God are those who reject Him: They will not believe.
Qur'an 8:55
Verily those who believe not, among those who have received
the scriptures, and among the idolaters, [shall be cast] into the fire of hell,
to remain therein [for ever]. These are the worst of creatures.
Qur'an 98:6
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DeleteThe camp of Islam is purified.
May Allah continue in its purification.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deletethis was 4 years ago, he had returned to Islam since
DeleteLol. Paul Williams no longer a Christian.
ReplyDeleteThis video was uploaded 26-03-2021 https://youtu.be/0zZUEgtBGjY
Ha...ha...Nice try cristians...next time make better lies. LOL