The Apostates: When Muslims Leave Islam

by Simon Cottee

The Apostates is the first major study of apostasy from Islam in the western secular context. Drawing on life-history interviews with ex-Muslims from the UK and Canada, Simon Cottee explores how and with what consequences Muslims leave Islam and become irreligious. Apostasy in Islam is a deeply controversial issue and features prominently in current debates over the expansion of Islam in the West and what this means. Yet it remains poorly understood, in large part because it has become so politicized-with protagonists on either side of the debate selectively invoking Islamic theology to make claims about the 'true' face of Islam. The Apostates charts a different course by examining the social situation and experiences of ex-Muslims. Cottee suggests that Islamic apostasy in the West is best understood not as a legal or political problem, but as a moral issue within Muslim families and communities. Outside of Muslim-majority societies, ex-Muslims are not living in fear for their lives. But they face and must manage the stigma attached to leaving the faith from among their own families and the wider Muslim community.

Genres: Religion, Islam, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Suha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/ main dish of rice and cooked vegetables (probably some pork and a glass of wine on the side:)). Very informative, I related to each of the cases. Apostasy is a very serious psychological/social matter that is not widely approached by scholars. This book briefs about the definition, the inducers, the influencers, of apostasy and the life of apostates pre and post leaving islam and how they deal with day to day matters with their family and friends. It is one of the very few non-fiction books that got me emotionally involved and stirred personal memories of my own experience.
I loved the academic context, it is very well written and structured and I loved the author’s humbleness in acknowledging the limitations of the book as the cases listed are only apostates in the UK, and Canada (and not in Arab societies). It gave me insight on research matters that should be approached in other societies such as Lebanon (the moderately religious country mixed with christians and muslims) or other extreme countries such as KSA or Iran.

[Nadia]

Had to read this for an internship at a research group at university.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - it's an excellent, enjoyable and thoroughly interesting look at the mechanics (the 'how') of leaving a belief system. 4 stars + a bit more for being the first serious study of what some folks are going through and a nod to the effort required to track down many of the respondents, men and women who retain all the outward signs of piety with regard to clothing, family, beards/hijabs, and friends yet secretly do not believe.

These private respondents stand in contrast to others more public who have to then go on a counter-offensive when they are deemed as shallow people who simply want to drink and sleep around (but even ex-Muslims never eat bacon, which was a hilarious part of the book) and explain why they've left has little to do with weakness of character.

Appreciated how the author was clearly extremely well read on the issue of the complications of leaving tightly woven communities, and the literature he cites on this issue in general is fascinating. Most interesting to me was how nearly all the folks in the book were pretty content to ditch the theological contradictions without too much agonizing beyond the inevitable questions about what belief system does one adapt if they leave faith, and how different folks 'came out' to their parents or friends or community, with interesting parallels to gay literature from the 1980s and 90s and the burning desire to stop pretending to be something they aren't. Expected, but he addresses it with care. The weight of how others perceived you was of course the dominant theme.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to order this book from Amazon/UK, as it wasn't available in the States. And yet, reading about what ex-Muslims go through as they wrestle with the enormous, life-altering consequences of leaving the religion of their families and community, was so eye-opening I'm surprised it's not more read. Leaving Islam is nothing like switching Catholic parishes or declaring yourself an atheist is, for most Americans. Becoming an apostate is dangerous--it could get you killed. Which is why so many of the people interviewed for what the author calls the "first sociological study of apostates" insist on remaining in the closet, so to speak, not even admitting to their own families how they've come to doubt the religion of their birth. A typical Westerner of Christian or Jewish or atheist background will have trouble appreciating the courage it takes to leave this particular faith. The books sheds a lot of light on Islam, and gives you more evidence (in case you need any) as to why this is a religion sorely in need of reform--from within.

[BAC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully done glimpse of life after islam as given by those whom have left. There are few books that I've found that deal with both the cultural and psychological aspects of leaving the muslim community. So I was very happy to have found this and would recommend it to everyone.

Cottee allows those interviewed to use their own words to describe where they came from, why they left, their journey in to atheism and cultural environment. He rather keeps his own thoughts to the psychological side of things, making notes of societal and personal adjustments.

Very honest and well done.