A young Muslim -- a madrasah-educated Hafiz (Quran memorizer) and considered a role "model Muslim" in the community -- writes to Ali Sina about how he and his wife left Islam.

I don’t know where to start, perhaps with a huge THANK YOU.

My story is such, my only purpose in life was to please HIM, I tried logically and it wasn’t working. So I handed my intellect to Mo and His imaginary friend Allah, and complied with the tenants of Islam even though they made no sense.

However, I did mental gymnastics to make them look sensible and logical. Eventually if I were to be what He wanted me to, I’d have become a loony and it wouldn’t be humanly possible to maintain such a lifestyle, not in this era anyway!

I studied Islam in Madressah, I did Hafiz classes, I was at some stage a role model Muslim. But as I mentioned, my intellect was thirsty for logical answers for what appeared weird behaviour of Mo.

I stopped reading the Quran like a parrot in a language I never understood and started reading a compendium of translations. After all God couldn’t have expected only Arabs to accept Islam or understand it, that would be insane.  I searched for answers and every time I found one, I found 10 more problems. Eventually the errors, the contradictions, injustices, unfairness, stupidity, oppression became unanswerable.

I was in denial for very long. I sought answers on other websites, but they attacked either the person posing such questions or went off at a tangent as they too couldn’t answer. Your site was instrumental in me leaving my faith. I left Islam 3 years ago and I’ll never go back. It is sheer evil and the advice of a lunatic. Muhammad and his mental illness took many valuable years of my life…wasted!

I married young and have been fortunate enough to convince my wife to leave Islam too. We’ve been happier ever since. I would like to personally thank you, hence this mail. I have purchased your book and loved it. It is on the money, not because I agree with it, but because it’s plausible and relies on authentic sources.

I still wonder how I ever followed Islam!  I’m 25years old and glad to know what I know now. However, family and friends will be impossible to change. I can’t even pray for them anymore. lol.

Once again…thank you. And despite what others write about you, I know you are a good man. Take Care and a job well done Could you please reply even if it’s just to say you received it? At least I know you know how I feel.

Ahmad and his wife