# What if Superman was a Muslim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 30, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701 "2006-06-30T00:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/1 "2006-06-30T00:53:50Z")
I’m honestly not sure where to put this. It seems too light for GD, and Superman is pretty Society…yet it’s a question that I’d like to have an answer: If little Kal-El’s spaceship had landed in, say, Turkey, and he was raised by a moral and loving couple, how would his faith influence his use of his powers, his perception of himself and his mission in the world? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/2 "2006-06-30T00:59:08Z")
Afraid there ain’t no factual answer to that question. My guess would be this one goes to IMHO or the Pit, depending on response. On the merits, not sure Superman would necessarily join the faith of his adoptive parents. He’s a pretty cosmic dude in his own right. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/3 "2006-06-30T00:59:36Z")
He would have a big advantage of other Muslims in that he could fly to Mecca every single day if he wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/4 "2006-06-30T01:00:43Z")
I think there’s more to the Hajj than just going to Mecca. Even Superman would have to don the required garb and stop at the required places. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/5 "2006-06-30T01:07:32Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I think there’s more to the Hajj than just going to Mecca. Even Superman would have to don the required garb and stop at the required places. Right, but he could do it much faster and he is excellent at changing clothes already. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/6 "2006-06-30T01:18:55Z")
Good luck circumcising him. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/7 "2006-06-30T01:28:49Z")
It’s easy if you use a kryptonite knife. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/8 "2006-06-30T01:34:03Z")
What was the faith of the Kents? Did Clark/Superman adopt that faith or does he practice it now? Agree this is not a factual question since Superman is not a factual person. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/9 "2006-06-30T01:35:56Z")
Moved from GQ to MPSIMS. No factual answer likely. And, hey–MPSIMers can actually give real answers. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/10 "2006-06-30T01:43:23Z")
Similar story lines have been developed and actually run. This is a fun question. Some that come to mind are [Red Son](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_Red_Son) what if he landed in teh Soviet Union, what if he landed in [Britian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_True_Brit) written by none othe rthan John Cleese and the [classic SNL skit](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/78/78jwhatif.phtml) that wondered about him as a Nazi … I think a better version of the comic book guy than I can come up with more and maybe even an Arab one ---
**Author:** ![ululate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/59ef9b/32.png) [@ululate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ululate)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/11 "2006-06-30T03:31:55Z")
Actually, guiding off **Red Son** for a moment, the interesting question is how Lex Luthor turns out in this equation. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/12 "2006-06-30T03:41:00Z")
And in The Nail, we find out that Ol’ Kal, apparently never having come forth as a hero, is really (spoilerized because it’s kinda recent) An Amish guy named Karl. Would he be hailed as a second coming of Mohammad? I know little about Islam. And I THINK the Kents were Methodists, and that Superman has said “My God” once or twice. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/13 "2006-06-30T05:10:15Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > What was the faith of the Kents? Did Clark/Superman adopt that faith or does he practice it now? > > Agree this is not a factual question since Superman is not a factual person. Methodist, according to this site: [http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic\_book\_religion.html](http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_book_religion.html) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/14 "2006-06-30T06:03:06Z")
> [@Chez Guevara](#): > > It’s easy if you use a kryptonite knife. But if you circumcise him with a Kryptonite knife, is he still a dick? ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/15 "2006-06-30T06:09:46Z")
Superman doesn’t have to eat, does he? Because in that case, fasting during Ramadan wouldn’t be terribly meaningful. He’d have to have a special, Superman-only activity to do during that month. Maybe he’d have to wear a necklace with juuuust enough kryptonite to make him feel shitty. And since pilgrimages to Mecca wouldn’t be all that special, he’d have to fly to some designated far-off star instead. The Muslim authorities could pick it. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/16 "2006-06-30T08:24:38Z")
The Kryptonian God is Rao. Apparently. Superman has professed belief in Rao. Religous authorities would probably issue a fatwah against him. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/17 "2006-06-30T13:13:50Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Right, but he could do it much faster and he is excellent at changing clothes already. And instead of throwing seven pebbles at Satan, he could throw seven mountains! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/18 "2006-06-30T17:19:37Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > But if you circumcise him with a Kryptonite knife, is he still a dick? Not as big a one, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/19 "2006-06-30T20:07:53Z")
I’ve got no problem with him being a Muslim, so long as no nutty ayatollah tells him to get all jihad-y on us. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-superman-was-a-muslim/362701/20 "2006-06-30T20:32:02Z")
> [@jimmmy](#): > > Similar story lines have been developed and actually run. This is a fun question. Some that come to mind are [Red Son](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_Red_Son) what if he landed in teh Soviet Union, what if he landed in [Britian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_True_Brit) written by none othe rthan John Cleese and the [classic SNL skit](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/78/78jwhatif.phtml) that wondered about him as a Nazi … Don’t forget “Ubermensch!” by Kim Stanley Robinson.