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Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out
One day, an American on the verge of converting to Islam said to one of the editors, Please, I fear I am about to make the biggest mistake of my life. Please give me one solid reason not to convert. This is the book Joel Richardson wishes he had at that moment. Powerful, often shocking but always heartfelt, these essays from over a dozen individuals who have left Islam -- often in fear for their lives -- are remarkable for their honesty. The stories of how these men and women freed themselves from this repressive and brutal religion are not just inspirational, but present a searing challenge to those Westerners determined to perpetuate the Islam is a religion of peace myth at all costs.
- GenresIslamReligionNonfiction
183 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2008
5 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Joel Richardson
41 books113 followersJoel Richardson is a husband and a father committed to the pro-life and adoption movements. He is an artist, human rights activist, New York Times Bestselling author, internationally recognized speaker and recognized expert on Bible prophecy and the Middle East. Joel’s heart is thoroughly missional, with a deep love for Muslims and the peoples of the Middle East.
Joel has been also featured on, or written for numerous radio, television and news outlets across the world including the Glenn Beck Show, the Mike Huckabee Show, the Gordon Liddy Show, the Dennis Miller Show, Chicago Public Radio, the Steve Malzberg Show, the Sid Roth Show, Jewish Voice Today, Janet Folger, Jan Markell, Janet Parshal, Kirby Anderson’s Point of View, the New York Daily News, WND, the Blaze, Front Page Magazine and many others.
Joel has been also featured on, or written for numerous radio, television and news outlets across the world including the Glenn Beck Show, the Mike Huckabee Show, the Gordon Liddy Show, the Dennis Miller Show, Chicago Public Radio, the Steve Malzberg Show, the Sid Roth Show, Jewish Voice Today, Janet Folger, Jan Markell, Janet Parshal, Kirby Anderson’s Point of View, the New York Daily News, WND, the Blaze, Front Page Magazine and many others.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 10, 2016
Damn. I have so much to say so let's do this. The rating is not because I agree with this book but because I appreciate it.
First of all, I'm incredibly grateful to this book. I believe I need to read as much as possible about everything, that I need to listen to everyone. If it makes me uncomfortable, I need to be exposed to it. This book made me extremely uncomfortable and therefore, I'm grateful.
Secondly, before I start discussing the actual claims of this book, I want to say that it was extremely interesting to read, regardless of my opinions. I'd recommend it to anyone, simply because it's a challenging book.
This book has an agenda and it shows the facts that support its agenda. I can't blame it and in fact, I'm thankful the agenda is straight and simple, the author isn't hiding that she has something to prove. That said, we must remember the truth is complicated and it isn't this simply. We can't ignore Islam has led to terror and extremism anymore than we can ignore that Islam has peaceful ideas, that Islam has a complex deep philosophy. We need to keep both in mind, the good and the bad. This book ignores the good and that's difficult for me.
As an Israeli who's very liberal, this book hits me where it hurts. Because on one hand, I'm the first to stand up and say, "this is brainwashing us against Islam. This is one sided, this is islamophobic." We can't generalize all the Muslims. There are so many Muslims that stand up to terror.
In the same breath, like all Israelis, I watch the news and see a 14 year old boy attempt to stab civilians, I see him claim he's going to go to heaven because he successfully killed an elderly Jewish woman. And he says he's following the Islam. And that makes it harder for me to accept Islam fully, but I'm trying, and I'm fighting this.
I think my difficulty with this book is the claim that extreme Islam is the right Islam. While I can see why someone who grew up in an extremist Islam community would claim every Muslim who isn't extreme isn't following the right Islam, many non-extreme Muslims claim the same thing about the extremists.
Every religion has its extremists. Judaism has issues with feminism. Christianity struggles with homophobia. I'm willing to accept that canonically Islam has issues with women and with non-Muslims as long as the majority of Muslims aren't following those ideas. At the end of the day, Islam is made out of Muslims and if the majority of Muslims don't believe or follow these things, who are we to condemn Islam? We should fight extremism in all of its shapes (like huh, this book is extremist against Islam), not the moderation version of Islam.
I think the comparison of Islam to nazism is unfair because nazism is a political agenda while Islam is a religion. To be Muslim can be many things, between those who don't eat halal or practice Islam, to those who only follow the moral philosophy, to the small few that attempt to extreme views. To be a nazi automatically means you think Aryans are better than everyone else and that is unacceptable.
All in all, I think awareness is important. Awareness though means both being aware Hamas are terrorists but also being aware not all Palestinians are part of the Hamas. This book didn't convince me Islam is evil, sorry.
What this book did was make me realize how difficult this situation is. After all, every country has the right to run their own affairs. Who am I to say Saudi Arabia needs to give women their rights? It's none of my business isn't it? If I say everyone has the right to do whatever they want, how can I deal with sexism? Who am I to provide limits to other countries? But in the same time, women are suffering is those countries, unable to leave or know it can be better. We need to help but how can we?
I will give my international friends the Palestinian guy's portion because it explains how some of the conflict isn't about the land, it's something deeper about the west.
what I'm taking with me
• My heart aches for those people. I wonder what can be done to help.
• I'm gonna go read a pro-Islam book now because I want a bigger picture.
• I honestly don't understand why are Jews always this relevant, like we're a reasonably small religion full of nerds who doesn't have any intention to grow? Judaism doesn't actively want people to convert. Why are we mentioned all the time?
First of all, I'm incredibly grateful to this book. I believe I need to read as much as possible about everything, that I need to listen to everyone. If it makes me uncomfortable, I need to be exposed to it. This book made me extremely uncomfortable and therefore, I'm grateful.
Secondly, before I start discussing the actual claims of this book, I want to say that it was extremely interesting to read, regardless of my opinions. I'd recommend it to anyone, simply because it's a challenging book.
This book has an agenda and it shows the facts that support its agenda. I can't blame it and in fact, I'm thankful the agenda is straight and simple, the author isn't hiding that she has something to prove. That said, we must remember the truth is complicated and it isn't this simply. We can't ignore Islam has led to terror and extremism anymore than we can ignore that Islam has peaceful ideas, that Islam has a complex deep philosophy. We need to keep both in mind, the good and the bad. This book ignores the good and that's difficult for me.
As an Israeli who's very liberal, this book hits me where it hurts. Because on one hand, I'm the first to stand up and say, "this is brainwashing us against Islam. This is one sided, this is islamophobic." We can't generalize all the Muslims. There are so many Muslims that stand up to terror.
In the same breath, like all Israelis, I watch the news and see a 14 year old boy attempt to stab civilians, I see him claim he's going to go to heaven because he successfully killed an elderly Jewish woman. And he says he's following the Islam. And that makes it harder for me to accept Islam fully, but I'm trying, and I'm fighting this.
I think my difficulty with this book is the claim that extreme Islam is the right Islam. While I can see why someone who grew up in an extremist Islam community would claim every Muslim who isn't extreme isn't following the right Islam, many non-extreme Muslims claim the same thing about the extremists.
Every religion has its extremists. Judaism has issues with feminism. Christianity struggles with homophobia. I'm willing to accept that canonically Islam has issues with women and with non-Muslims as long as the majority of Muslims aren't following those ideas. At the end of the day, Islam is made out of Muslims and if the majority of Muslims don't believe or follow these things, who are we to condemn Islam? We should fight extremism in all of its shapes (like huh, this book is extremist against Islam), not the moderation version of Islam.
I think the comparison of Islam to nazism is unfair because nazism is a political agenda while Islam is a religion. To be Muslim can be many things, between those who don't eat halal or practice Islam, to those who only follow the moral philosophy, to the small few that attempt to extreme views. To be a nazi automatically means you think Aryans are better than everyone else and that is unacceptable.
All in all, I think awareness is important. Awareness though means both being aware Hamas are terrorists but also being aware not all Palestinians are part of the Hamas. This book didn't convince me Islam is evil, sorry.
What this book did was make me realize how difficult this situation is. After all, every country has the right to run their own affairs. Who am I to say Saudi Arabia needs to give women their rights? It's none of my business isn't it? If I say everyone has the right to do whatever they want, how can I deal with sexism? Who am I to provide limits to other countries? But in the same time, women are suffering is those countries, unable to leave or know it can be better. We need to help but how can we?
I will give my international friends the Palestinian guy's portion because it explains how some of the conflict isn't about the land, it's something deeper about the west.
what I'm taking with me
• My heart aches for those people. I wonder what can be done to help.
• I'm gonna go read a pro-Islam book now because I want a bigger picture.
• I honestly don't understand why are Jews always this relevant, like we're a reasonably small religion full of nerds who doesn't have any intention to grow? Judaism doesn't actively want people to convert. Why are we mentioned all the time?
May 23, 2008
Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out was not what I had expected it to be. The book itself is a collection of first-person accounts from individuals who, in some capacity or another, were previously involved in the Muslim religious community. I expected a comprehensive, globalised, overview of the atrocities perpetuated by Islam the world over; essentially, a macro-view of Islam's role in world politics, coupled with discussion of individual experiences in the religion and ideology.
There are about twenty individual accounts. Some are written better than others; the introductory five are really the most well-written in the entire book.
It is necessary to contextualize my review, because my personal politics dictate to me how I feel about this book. As a self-identifying atheist, I am comfortable with directly addressing the uglier aspects of religious and theological thought.
This is very much a book where one finds what one is looking for: individuals who are stringently anti-Islamicization are going to find more fodder for their beliefs, while those who belief Muslims are marginalized will find support for that, too.
Upon its release, Why We Left Islam was regarded as extremely controversial, because all of the testimonies brought forth are less than favorable. Most recount sheer barbarism in the name the religion: excessive misogyny, physical abuse, and sheer terror are all consistently perpetuated upon the writers. Each experience in the book is written by separate individuals, yet they maintain the same themes: subjugation of women, tunnel-visioned ignorance, and blind hatred towards the West.
Thoughtfully approaching this book is absolutely imperative. It is an important book to read, because it presents a different viewpoint than is generally propagated in Western media outlets. There is a lot of difficulty, particularly in our 'free' society, in critically exploring faith (Islam, particularly, in light of the 'touchiness' to its links with global terrorism)
Certainly, the threat to Western values of freedom (of speech, thought, belief, religion, conduct (generally), etc,) are clearly endangered by the influx of Islamic values into Western Europe (and to a lesser extent, America). Much like Pim Fortuyn's politics, "tolerating the intolerant" presents a very dangerous situation. How can European and American countries compromise prized values, in an attempt to 'tolerate' a religion that will not rest until the rest of the world is converted, subjugated, or killed? ...There aren't easy answers to the issues that arise in multicultural societies, and the problems are only going to increase in the coming years.
Notably, too, is that WND (WorldNetDaily) books published this collection of essays. WND is known for being a conservative news site, and they have published numerous other books exploring the 'darker' elements of Islam. The book is critical of Islam, but such criticism is not without merit. Clearly the editors of this book are aware how dangerous it is to promote and release such a title. Similarly-written books about Christianity, Judaism, etc, do not face the violent backlash that this book has driven.
There are about twenty individual accounts. Some are written better than others; the introductory five are really the most well-written in the entire book.
It is necessary to contextualize my review, because my personal politics dictate to me how I feel about this book. As a self-identifying atheist, I am comfortable with directly addressing the uglier aspects of religious and theological thought.
This is very much a book where one finds what one is looking for: individuals who are stringently anti-Islamicization are going to find more fodder for their beliefs, while those who belief Muslims are marginalized will find support for that, too.
Upon its release, Why We Left Islam was regarded as extremely controversial, because all of the testimonies brought forth are less than favorable. Most recount sheer barbarism in the name the religion: excessive misogyny, physical abuse, and sheer terror are all consistently perpetuated upon the writers. Each experience in the book is written by separate individuals, yet they maintain the same themes: subjugation of women, tunnel-visioned ignorance, and blind hatred towards the West.
Thoughtfully approaching this book is absolutely imperative. It is an important book to read, because it presents a different viewpoint than is generally propagated in Western media outlets. There is a lot of difficulty, particularly in our 'free' society, in critically exploring faith (Islam, particularly, in light of the 'touchiness' to its links with global terrorism)
Certainly, the threat to Western values of freedom (of speech, thought, belief, religion, conduct (generally), etc,) are clearly endangered by the influx of Islamic values into Western Europe (and to a lesser extent, America). Much like Pim Fortuyn's politics, "tolerating the intolerant" presents a very dangerous situation. How can European and American countries compromise prized values, in an attempt to 'tolerate' a religion that will not rest until the rest of the world is converted, subjugated, or killed? ...There aren't easy answers to the issues that arise in multicultural societies, and the problems are only going to increase in the coming years.
Notably, too, is that WND (WorldNetDaily) books published this collection of essays. WND is known for being a conservative news site, and they have published numerous other books exploring the 'darker' elements of Islam. The book is critical of Islam, but such criticism is not without merit. Clearly the editors of this book are aware how dangerous it is to promote and release such a title. Similarly-written books about Christianity, Judaism, etc, do not face the violent backlash that this book has driven.
September 17, 2010
WHY WE LEFT ISLAM COMPILED AND EDITED BY SUSAN CRIMP AND JOEL RICHARDSON: In this original collection Susan Crimp and Joel Richardson take a big but important risk in the publishing of Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out. With currents events and the success of books like Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall and Escape by Carolyn Jessop, the controversial book Why We Left Islam doesn’t hold back in voicing the vehement opinions of those who have fled the religion and life of Islam.
Twenty-three different people speak about the situations they found themselves in under the controlling regime of Islam, what sacrifices they made, most importantly in the lacking of rights that many American citizens take for granted every day. While real names are rare in Why We Left Islam, the authors knowing the possible consequences, they do not hold back in ranting and excoriating the system of government and faith they found themselves oppressed under. These real life stories are moving and filled with emotion, as the reader learns of the many people who have died, been sacrificed for Islam under a rule that gives next to no respect or recognition for women, while threatening and coming after any who oppose their system of government and religion.
The book somewhat fails in showing the other side and what is good about Islam, but then it is called Why We Left Islam, and the real stories within show nothing but pain and suffering and now relief at being free. The book, albeit one sided, is a sobering look at some of the possible worlds that people have had to live through while under the rule of Islam.
For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.
Twenty-three different people speak about the situations they found themselves in under the controlling regime of Islam, what sacrifices they made, most importantly in the lacking of rights that many American citizens take for granted every day. While real names are rare in Why We Left Islam, the authors knowing the possible consequences, they do not hold back in ranting and excoriating the system of government and faith they found themselves oppressed under. These real life stories are moving and filled with emotion, as the reader learns of the many people who have died, been sacrificed for Islam under a rule that gives next to no respect or recognition for women, while threatening and coming after any who oppose their system of government and religion.
The book somewhat fails in showing the other side and what is good about Islam, but then it is called Why We Left Islam, and the real stories within show nothing but pain and suffering and now relief at being free. The book, albeit one sided, is a sobering look at some of the possible worlds that people have had to live through while under the rule of Islam.
For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.
February 28, 2011
This was an interesting book, and a quick read. Some of the essays are not the greatest examples of polished writing, but then they aren't supposed to be. They are what they are: a real person's testimony of what they went through, in their own broken words.
Some of the stories could be upsetting if you are not ready to read about horrible things happening to people who did not deserve them. I had decided beforehand that I would not get worked up about these and so I was okay, but don't go into this expecting a Bambi retelling.
I appreciated learning about the Sunna and Haddith. I didn't know that these existed or that they were as binding as the Quran.
I have to strongly agree with some of the assessments in the afterword. I do and have felt pressure to be ashamed of my European heritage and my Christian faith, as though they were dirty places to be from. But I am not ashamed of them; I am proud of them.
I am passing this book on because it is a one-read type of title, not a classic to be treasured and memorized, and because I think other people need to see this. However I think there is something in here for anyone interested in the current debate about Islam, and some of the testimonies featured include names and biographies or other writings for follow-up study.
Some of the stories could be upsetting if you are not ready to read about horrible things happening to people who did not deserve them. I had decided beforehand that I would not get worked up about these and so I was okay, but don't go into this expecting a Bambi retelling.
I appreciated learning about the Sunna and Haddith. I didn't know that these existed or that they were as binding as the Quran.
I have to strongly agree with some of the assessments in the afterword. I do and have felt pressure to be ashamed of my European heritage and my Christian faith, as though they were dirty places to be from. But I am not ashamed of them; I am proud of them.
I am passing this book on because it is a one-read type of title, not a classic to be treasured and memorized, and because I think other people need to see this. However I think there is something in here for anyone interested in the current debate about Islam, and some of the testimonies featured include names and biographies or other writings for follow-up study.
September 14, 2014
I wanted to like this Book, but alas. I loved the barberic verses of Quran that the Author explains in detail yet I wished the Author had stopped hammering her Anti-Islamic views at every chance she got. The Stories are fascinating but after sometime they appear Repetative. The Author gives a short Narration of every Testimonial before posting the Actual Testimonial, which again makes the Narration repetative. I didn't read all stories as I knew most would be the same anyways.
December 26, 2025
Another superficial and crude book in which Western arrogance is visible throughout. It seems that one of the book’s goals is to fuel Islamophobia in the West. Here, the measure for everything is not human, but the Western human. Islam is considered wrong because it does not place the West and its values at the center, and perhaps the editor thinks, in a stubborn way, that even God should take those values into account when making laws. The book also naively asks Muslims “to stop dividing mankind into us and them”, but it seems the editor, apparently a Christian who supports the Israeli government, has not seen himself and only has a problem with dividing humanity when it comes from Islam. Makes sense!
But what about the testimonies from pathetic faint-hearted people? A girl leaves Islam because her grandmother could not answer her questions. (10) Keep in mind, her grandmother was neither a religious scholar/theologian. She even considers her relatives’ cultural practices part of Islam’s problems, for example, the issue of the wedding night and verifying virginity and muhallil marriage.
The second genius says: “At this point I had to go and buy a Bible and I started reading it and it had the word Israel all over it. The very word I hated was throughout the book. I thought, how do you explain this?” (29)
The fourth genius says:
“In 1999, my mother fell sick and eventually died. This was a turning point in my life. I thought: We, the Muslims, are not really the best in the world. Just like any other human being, we too get ill and die, after all.” (45)
He seems to have thought that Islam says Muslims have supernatural powers and are immortal! Had he never heard of anyone dying in Saudi Arabia before his mother died?
The sixth genius says:
“Instead of letting the two young lovers marry and build their nest of love, he took her to the religious elders and they ruled that she had committed adultery. She was sentenced to death by stoning.” (77)
But we all know that, in that situation, her punishment could not have been stoning according to Sharia. So who is lying?
______________________
“...And those who do wrong will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned.” (The Quran, 26:227)
But what about the testimonies from pathetic faint-hearted people? A girl leaves Islam because her grandmother could not answer her questions. (10) Keep in mind, her grandmother was neither a religious scholar/theologian. She even considers her relatives’ cultural practices part of Islam’s problems, for example, the issue of the wedding night and verifying virginity and muhallil marriage.
The second genius says: “At this point I had to go and buy a Bible and I started reading it and it had the word Israel all over it. The very word I hated was throughout the book. I thought, how do you explain this?” (29)
The fourth genius says:
“In 1999, my mother fell sick and eventually died. This was a turning point in my life. I thought: We, the Muslims, are not really the best in the world. Just like any other human being, we too get ill and die, after all.” (45)
He seems to have thought that Islam says Muslims have supernatural powers and are immortal! Had he never heard of anyone dying in Saudi Arabia before his mother died?
The sixth genius says:
“Instead of letting the two young lovers marry and build their nest of love, he took her to the religious elders and they ruled that she had committed adultery. She was sentenced to death by stoning.” (77)
But we all know that, in that situation, her punishment could not have been stoning according to Sharia. So who is lying?
______________________
“...And those who do wrong will come to know by what overturning they will be overturned.” (The Quran, 26:227)
January 22, 2011
wow. provokatif. nyaris nekat daripada sekedar berani...
duarrrr!!!
“…Pada 11 September 2001, saya melihat wajah Islam yang sesungguhnya. Saya melihat kegembiraan di wajah bangsa kami karena begitu banyaknya orang kafir yang dibantai dengan mudahnya. Saya sangat syok melihat rakyat kami yang sangat haus membunuh orang-orang kafir tidak berdosa. Saya melihat banyak orang bersyukur kepada Allah atas pembunuhan massal ini. Bangsa kami yang Islami ini mengatakan bahwa Allah telah mengabulkan keinginan kami, dan bahwa ini adalah permulaan penghancuran negara-negara kafir. Bagi saya, ini adalah tidak berperikemanusiaan belaka. Lalu, Imam memohon kepada Allah untuk menolong Taliban memerangi tentara Amerika. Saya sangat marah. Itulah sebabnya saya kemudian berhenti sembahyang”.
-Khaled Waleed, Arab Saudi
duarrrr!!!
January 1, 2016
Waste of time. One star is too many. Ew
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews