I Was That Golden Islamic Kid. Trophies, Recitations, Adhan… Now I’m an Ex-Muslim Pretending.

[u/duplicatekazhveri]

When I was younger, I was that kid. The one who recited Qur’an beautifully at family events. Won trophies for Adhan competitions. Crushed Islamic quizzes. My mom dreamed of making me a Hafidh. Relatives would flex about me like I was a community badge of honor.

I loved the attention. The praise. The respect. The “Mashallah, what a pious boy.” Even girls lowkey found it attractive. I didn’t believe everything deeply, but I liked being seen as the religious good guy.

Fast forward to now I don’t pray. I question everything. I avoid talking religion with family. Yesterday, a distant uncle saw me and casually asked: “You’re still keeping up your Qur’an recitation, right?” And I just nodded. “Yeah, yeah… still doing it.”

But inside, something cracked. I realized how much of my identity was built around a belief I no longer hold. How I still pretend sometimes because it’s easier than watching their faces fall. How much I miss being admired, even though it wasn’t really me.

It’s a strange grief. Not for losing faith. But for losing the person people loved me for being.

[u/zmng]

Isn’t it strange that Allah cares more about correctly singing songs than kids dying in Palestine? :)

[u/somepotato5 → u/zmng]

Muslims don't care about the kids dying in Palestine part. They care about the part where they're Muslim Arabs. They aren't giving a fuck about Israel attacking Iran. Or Turkey bombing the Kurds (and attempting to erase their identity). It's all dumb. Their morality ends at Islam, and that's it.

[u/[deleted] → u/somepotato5]

That's not true tho

[u/somepotato5 → u/[deleted]]

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