List of former Muslims


Former Muslims or ex-Muslims are people who were Muslims, but subsequently left Islam.
Although their numbers have increased in the US, ex-Muslims still face ostracism or retaliation from their families and communities due to beliefs about apostasy in Islam.
In 23 countries apostasy is a punishable crime and in 13 of those it carries the death penalty.

Part of an unorganized religion or no religion

Became non-religious

Became deists

Became agnostics">Agnosticism">agnostics

Became atheists">Atheism">atheists

Undetermined current belief system

  • Charles Bronson – British criminal and self-styled "most violent prisoner in Britain".
  • David Hicks – Australian-born Guantanamo Bay detainee who converted to Islam and was notorious in his homeland for his once support of radical Islam and for the circumstances surrounding his incarceration, is believed to have renounced Islam whilst incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay.
  • Gérard Depardieu – French actor, had converted to Islam in his youth after listening to Umm Kalthum's recitation of the verses of the Qur'an at a concert, he was a practicing muslim for a few years before abandoning Islam.
  • Khalid Duran – specialist in the history, sociology and politics of the Islamic world.
  • Lex Hixon – not raised religious; Conversions to Hinduism, Sufism. Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and possibly Zen.
  • Linda Thompson – British folk singer who, along with her husband Richard, converted to Sufism in the 1970s. The couple have since divorced and she has left the religion.
  • Trie Utami – Indonesian singer who after a stormy divorce is known to have left Islam after 2005, but she refuses to declare to what religion she converted.
  • Wesley Snipes – American actor, film producer, and martial artist.
  • Zayn Malik – English singer and songwriter.
  • Tarek Fatah – Canadian activist born in Pakistan, who call himself an Indian.

Converted to an Indian religion

  • Piro Preman, first female Punjabi-language poet who lived in the 19th century. Born a Muslim but became an apostate after joining the Gulabdasia sect

Converted to [Sikhism]

Converted to [Buddhism]

Converted to [Hinduism]

Converted to an Abrahamic religion

Converted to [Judaism]

  • Amina Dawood Al-Mufti – Jordanian Muslim of Circassian origin, converted to Judaism upon marrying an Israeli Jewish pilot in secret in Vienna. She later became a spy for Mossad. An Arabic TV series called An Eastern Girl was made about her starring Suzan Najm Aldeen as Amina. The book was written about her.
  • Avraham Sinai – Lebanese former Shi'ite who converted to Judaism. He served as an informant for the Israelis while serving in Hezbollah, until his actions were uncovered. He fled to Israel and subsequently converted.
  • Dario Hunter – American politician. Became the first Muslim born individual to be ordained a rabbi.
  • Yasmeen Ali – British adult actress of Afghan origin. Converted to Judaism while dating her Jewish boyfriend.

Converted to the Bábí and Baháʼí Faith

These were mostly people who were followers of the Bahá'u'lláh at the time he founded the Baháʼí Faith. They were formerly Muslims.

Converted to Christianity

Religious founders

Other apostasy-related lists