Today, people across the world are rapidly leaving Islam. This has become a headache for Muslim clerics worldwide. Let’s explore the possible reasons behind this.

Doubts About Core Islamic Beliefs:

When many Muslim children hear fantastical stories of Islam in their lives, they encounter strange claims about Allah, His Prophet Muhammad, and the creation of the world that they cannot rationally accept. For example:

– Allah created humans to worship Him, and this world is merely a test; the real world will come after Judgement Day, when it will be decided whether one goes to paradise (Jannah) or hell (Jahannam).

– Allah created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Allah said, “Be,” and it was.

– Muhammad is Allah’s prophet, and only his followers (ummah) will enter paradise, while everyone else will burn in the fire of hell.

– Similarly, Prophet Muhammad had more than nine marriages and kept many concubines, which may not appeal to someone with a moral outlook.

Moral Conflicts:

As the world progresses together, certain aspects may trouble educated and open-minded individuals, such as:

– The punishment for leaving Islam is death.

– Giving more importance to men than women.

– Allowing men to marry multiple women.

– The slaughter of innocent animals in the name of sacrifice (Qurbani).

**Social and Religious Pressures**:

In Islamic societies, religious ideologies are forcibly imposed on Muslim children, such as:

– Marrying daughters off at a young age without their consent.

– Limiting children’s education to religious teachings (deeni taleem).

– Creating social pressure to wear hijab or burqa.

– Forcing practices like halala on divorced women.

– Not allowing questions about religion.

Personal Experiences:

When some people see that the Quran is mandatorily taught without explanation, pressure is applied to believe in illogical and unscientific aspects of Islam, and questions are met with vague answers or silencing, the human mind seeks answers. It begins to rebel and tries to find answers independently. In the age of the internet, such individuals connect with atheists or those who have left Islam, whose arguments seem more logical, scientific, and moral.

**Seeing a Large Muslim Population Involved in Terrorism and Illegal Activities**:

When a patriotic and good Muslim sees that many Muslims around them support those who aim to destabilise or attack the country or observes that a significant portion of the Muslim population is involved in or supports illegal activities, they may want to distance themselves from Islam and Muslims altogether.

Often, all these reasons play a role, to varying degrees, in the decision to leave Islam. Leaving Islam is not a one-day process; it happens after a long period of reflection and understanding.

For me, the fifth reason is particularly significant.