# Ask the "Muslim" **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 1, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748 "2005-02-01T07:42:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/1 "2005-02-01T07:42:36Z")
I did not read the “Ask the Muslim woman” thread. I do not intend to. Having said that, here’s my background: I was born into a South Asian Hanafi Sunni Muslim family. My father is a “freethinker” and a “monotheist” - his words. My sister is non-observant. My brother observes only a few elements (he doesn’t eat pork, he fasts during Ramadhan/Ramzan, he goes for prayers on the 'Eidain). My mother is fiercely proud of being a Muslim but has ceased praying or reading the Qur’an (she can’t fast for health reasons); she tries to get my father to stop drinking, and she’d be mighty upset if she found out my father, my sister, and I eat pork. Our relatives run the gamut from insane bigots to quietly religious to non-practicing. I privately renounced Islam many years ago. Only recently I began studying much about it: its history, its diverse movements, its rituals, its theology, etc. Fascinating religion, like the others I have studied. Some movements I have studied are Usuli Ithna-ashari (Twelver) Shi’ism, Nizari Ismaili Shi’ism, Daudi Musta’li Ismaili Shi’ism, South Asian Sunnism (a unique formulation of Islam). I will answer any question from any Muslim perspectives I have come into contact with; I will answer as an insider. I put the “Muslim” in quotes above because some may not consider me a Muslim, but I believe I can answer as a Muslim would (or should, anyway). Muslims who disagree are more than welcomed to correct me. (I’m going to sleep now, so I’ll answer any questions in a few hours.) WRS - la ikraha fi 'd-din. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/2 "2005-02-01T15:30:26Z")
Which is it? Are you [Mormon](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=188249) or muslim? ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/3 "2005-02-01T15:32:15Z")
If I could edit, I would correct that to read: “Which is it? Are you Mormon or Muslim?” The missed capitalization was an oversight, not a slight. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/4 "2005-02-01T16:05:55Z")
In a sense, both. There’s a sense in Islam that once a Muslim, always a Muslim. I may be a very, very bad Muslim, but I’m a Muslim nonetheless. Personally, I am still officially a Latter-day Saint. But that does not mean I cannot answer questions from a Muslim perspective. WRS ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/5 "2005-02-01T16:31:40Z")
Wait-I thought you said you were gay-in that other thread, you said you had a wife. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/6 "2005-02-01T17:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I thought you said you were gay-in that other thread, you said you had a wife. IIRC **WeRSauron** has said that he was at one time married, but has since divorced. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/7 "2005-02-01T17:21:26Z")
Ah, okay, never mind then. Sorry-I was just confused there. So you were raised Muslim, converted to LDS at one time or another, and now you’re more or less just non-practicing anything? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/8 "2005-02-01T17:42:23Z")
So, you did a little LDS…? ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/9 "2005-02-01T17:59:34Z")
The “Ask a Muslim Woman” thread was closed pending an investigation into fraud. Sarah W. claims that a person next to her on a public computer posted everything under her name. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/10 "2005-02-01T18:12:49Z")
> [@](#): > > I privately renounced Islam many years ago. Why? ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/11 "2005-02-02T04:02:53Z")
> [@Jojo](#): > > Why? Why not? WRS - with props to **Bryan Ekers** ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/12 "2005-02-02T04:50:22Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > South Asian Sunnism (a unique formulation of Islam) OK, I’ll bite. Barelvi or Deobandi? > [@](#): > > la ikraha fi 'd-din. Nobody was curious what this Arabic phrase meant? It’s a quote from the Qur’ân. 2:257, I think. “There is to be no coercion in religion.” ---
**Author:** ![recurriman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@recurriman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/recurriman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/13 "2005-02-02T04:53:13Z")
Ok, i’m sure you were expecting this one so here it is: Why did you switch from Islam to the LDS church? Please give as many details as possible. ---
**Author:** ![recurriman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@recurriman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/recurriman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/14 "2005-02-02T04:54:31Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > Why not? > > WRS - with props to **Bryan Ekers** You said you were going to reply to questions. Why not isn’t really an answer… ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/15 "2005-02-02T05:17:37Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > OK, I’ll bite. Barelvi or Deobandi? Neither, really. General South Asian Islam is unique in and of itself. It incorporates a number of elements from Hinduism (devout naats, seeking the intercession of saints, frequenting the tombs of saints, certain superstitions, etc.). South Asian Sunni Islam has elements of Shi’ism: for example, Sunnis believe in the reappearance of the Imam Mahdi, in whom other Sunnis do not believe. You got the Qur’anic verse exactly correct. 🙂 We’re impressed. (But then, I’ve always been impressed by you, **Johanna**.) Okay, I stand admonished by **recurriman**. Sorry. _Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa_. I renounced Islam for two reasons: 1. I disagreed with Islam. 2. I wanted to find the truth on my own, not by being born into it. I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I believe I have a testimony (a sure feeling) of its truthfulness; this after praying about the matter. I met contacted the missionaries as soon as coming to the United States (out of curiosity) and ended up converting. 🙂 WRS ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-muslim/287748/16 "2005-02-02T05:45:36Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > Neither, really. General South Asian Islam is unique in and of itself. It incorporates a number of elements from Hinduism (devout naats, seeking the intercession of saints, frequenting the tombs of saints, certain superstitions, etc.). What you described sounds Barelvi. What is Barelvi? It’s sort of a formalized version of the South Asian folk Islam with the features you mentioned. It’s pretty much a name given to the unique South Asian Islam you talked about. > [@](#): > > You got the Qur’anic verse exactly correct. 🙂 We’re impressed. (But then, I’ve always been impressed by you, **Johanna**.) Thanks! 🙂