Ex-Muslims of North America

In the 14th century, the Maldives had long been an Islamic sultanate, following the conversion of its last Buddhist king two centuries earlier. But belief systems change faster than customs. That tension became clear with the rise of the Maldivian “sultanas,” beginning with Khadijah of the Maldives, who shared the name of Muhammad’s first wife. Khadijah became the first woman to hold the title “Sultan of Land and Sea.” Her accession appears to have drawn little controversy—likely reflecting the islands’ Buddhist past and their distance from centers of Islamic authority. She ruled, on and off, for nearly three decades, exercising power with the same legitimacy as any male sultan. Like many rulers of her era, Khadijah navigated politics ruthlessly. She lost and regained the throne more than once, and both her first and second husbands were assassinated after attempting to depose her. Despite this, her reign opened the door for other women—such as Raadhafathi (Myriam) and Dhaain—to rule the Maldives. When the North African traveler Ibn Battuta arrived, he found a society that diverged from Islamic expectations. The very existence of a female ruler contradicted a narration attributed to Muhammad: “Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman its ruler.” The standards of modesty expected of Muslim women had scarcely taken root. Khadijah wore no head or face covering—and, in keeping with local custom, nothing above the waist. Ibn Battuta tried to persuade the women to cover themselves, but largely failed. Khadijah was not seen as an apostate. Her name was proclaimed in Friday prayers, and her rule was considered Islamically legitimate. She simply rejected the burdens of modesty placed on women. Ibn Battuta otherwise spoke positively of Maldivian women. “A woman in these islands,” he wrote, “would never entrust to anybody else the serving of her husband…” It suggests modesty rules could be ignored—so long as women remained obedient at home. What does that say about what these rules are really for? Powerful women were always part of the story. #WomensHistoryMonth #IslamicHistory

Iran has executed three individuals, including a “star teenage wrestler,” accusing them of killing police officers during the January uprising. While the protests were not bloodless, the regime’s response was widely described as brutal. Given its track record and the use of coerced confessions, the state’s claims in these cases remain in question. Subscribe to stay informed, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

The month may end. The pressure doesn’t. For many, choosing freedom still comes at a cost. Help defend the right to walk away: exmuslims.org/donate

Laura Loomer claims that Muslims working in the TSA are a “national security threat.” Muslims enjoy the same constitutional rights as all Americans. This sentiment is hateful, anti-freedom, and wrong. Subscribe to stay informed, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

Every Ramadan, we’re told fasting is “healthy” and “spiritually uplifting.” But is it? From dehydration and skipped medications to shaky science and overblown claims—there’s a lot that doesn’t get mentioned. We took a closer look. Watch the full breakdown on YouTube → youtu.be/GkkOXjHj3rs Subscribe for more content questioning what others won’t.

Bangladeshi Baul singer Abul Sarkar has been in prison for three months since his arrest last year for allegedly insulting Islam. He now faces the prospect of up to two years’ imprisonment as his bail petition awaits a hearing. According to the case statement, Sarkar made objectionable remarks about Islam and the creation of Allah during a folk performance at the Khala Pagli fair in Manikganj on November 4. When videos of the performance spread on social media, they sparked criticism and protests. Raju Sarkar, assistant artist to Sarkar, said only partial excerpts of the performance were circulated online and that Sarkar had been speaking against religious fundamentalists rather than insulting Islam. Subscribe to stay informed on developments like this, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

A man in Malaysia has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for a Facebook post “deemed insulting to Islam.” Malaysia is one of the most overlooked hotbeds of blasphemy prosecutions, where individuals are routinely jailed for insulting religion or “hurting religious sentiments.” Subscribe to stay informed on developments like this, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

Musawwir’s illustration captures the story of Shajar al-Durr, the woman who briefly ruled Egypt in 1250. “Never will succeed such a nation as makes a woman its ruler.” This sentiment, attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and recorded in multiple hadith, captures Islam’s condescending view of women as clearly as any statement. Yet it has not stopped some Muslim women throughout history from attempting to rule. One such woman was Shajar al-Durr, briefly the “sultana” of Egypt in 1250. Born into slavery, Shajar was purchased by As-Salih Ayyub, who later became sultan of Egypt in 1240. First his concubine and then his wife, she stayed with him until his death in 1249. His heir, Turanshah, soon alienated the court with drunkenness and abuse of the Mamluks and bondmaids, and he was assassinated as a result. In the political upheaval that followed, Shajar al-Durr assumed the throne. Although widely regarded as intelligent, devout, and capable, her rule was rejected by the caliph in Baghdad. A woman, he insisted, could not be sultan. The words attributed to the Prophet Muhammad were unambiguous. After less than three months on the throne, Shajar al-Durr abdicated in favor of her new husband, Izz al-Din Aybak. Despite its brief duration, her rule saw the conclusion of the Seventh Crusade in Egypt in the Muslims’ favor and marked the transition from the Ayyubid dynasty to the Mamluk Sultanate, which would rule Egypt for centuries. Shajar never stopped vying for power. Threatened by Aybak’s new wife and seeking to regain influence, she arranged his assassination in 1257. Yet she would never again be named sultana. Instead, Aybak’s fifteen-year-old son, al-Mansur Ali, took the throne, and Shajar herself was assassinated soon afterward. The irony of her story is difficult to ignore: a capable and experienced woman was deemed unfit to rule because a prophet centuries earlier had expressed a low opinion of women; meanwhile, a teenage boy was accepted as a ruler simply because he was male. Powerful women were always part of the story. #WomensHistoryMonth #IslamicHistory

The gunman at Old Dominion University in Virginia has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh. He had reportedly tried to support ISIS in the past and shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire, killing Lt. Col. Brandon Shah. ROTC members subdued and killed him. Subscribe to stay informed on developments like this, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

Awake for sehri… technically. Rest easy. We get it. 😴 Support those who ask the questions others can’t. Donate to EXMNA exmuslims.org/donate #Ramadan #closetedExMuslim #ExMuslim #WorldSleepDay

To all the people who keep saying “Islam gave women their rights in the 7th century”... is that why HISlam gives men the rights and a 3-step plan to discipline nushuz (disobedient) women? 🤬 As a Muslim woman, this verse alone made me deeply uncomfortable. It made me question the ethics and values taught in Islam more than ever before, especially when you’re not allowed to question anything and accept it all as “God’s wisdom.” And when do you question it or ask, you’re met with all the mental misogymnastics to mansplain the built-in misogyny. Thankfully, I never have to justify domestic violence anymore as an ExMuslim. Included: Quran verse 4:34 with footnotes that don’t make the verse any better What popular Islamic sources say Research from whynotislam.net by Ex-Muslims of North America #exmuslim #islam #womensrights #herstory #womenshistory 🎨: @HaramDoodles

Americans continue to become less religious. A new Gallup survey finds that just 47% now say religion is “very important” in their lives — the lowest level ever recorded. Subscribe to stay informed, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

For many of us, giving during Ramadan was once tied to obligation. This year, we invite you to practice a different kind of zakat — one that protects freedom of conscience and the right to dissent. Your support helps amplify voices that can’t speak openly, challenge laws that punish apostasy, and defend the basic freedom to question. If you believe doubt should never be a crime, help keep that freedom alive. Donate today: exmuslims.org/donate #ExMuslim #FreedomOfConscience #Ramadan

A university student in Malaysia allegedly photographed “stomping” on a Qur’an now faces charges for blasphemy. The allocation of police and government resources to punish a young adult over something so trivial shows the skewed priorities of religious fanatics. Subscribe to stay informed on developments like this, or donate to support our work defending freedom of conscience: exmuslims.org

This International Women’s Day, I am wondering what the Quran would look like if Islam actually “gave” women their rights in the 7th century. “The Qur’an is explicit in defining a woman’s role in society as that of a wife and mother and codified a woman’s right to initiate divorce and receive inheritance. But just how progressive was Islam in the rights it afforded women?” Get the down low on women’s rights in Islam on whynotislam.net. #islam #womensrights #quran #internationalwomensday #exmuslim 🎨: @HaramDoodles

This International Women’s Day, Ex-Muslims of North America begins our series Women Islamic History Couldn’t Contain—spotlighting women whose lives defied the limits placed on them. We open with Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, depicted by ex-Muslim artist Raghed Rustom, who describes the symbolism and message behind his painting below. This painting depicts Khadijah bint Khuwaylid—a prominent businesswoman and the first wife of Muhammad. On the right side of the painting, Khadijah stands with dignity and presence. She wears flowing green garments layered beneath a deep red cloak, accented with detailed trim and jewelry that convey prosperity, refinement, and authority. Her posture is upright and composed, and her calm expression suggests confidence and self-possession. In her hands she holds a writing tablet—a business ledger made from darkened stone pieces used for record-keeping. Behind her, a warm sky of orange and gold tones creates an atmosphere of light and prominence, visually elevating her status. Across the middle ground, Khadijah’s caravan of riders on camels moves through the desert landscape. The diagonal movement of the caravan adds depth and directs the viewer’s eye toward her as the central, illuminated figure. In stark contrast, the left side of the painting is rendered in darker, muted tones. A group of Muslim women dressed in black garments stand closely together, their faces largely obscured, with only their eyes visible. They exist in a somber, grounded atmosphere, reinforcing a sense of hardship and marginalization. The color palette here—grays, blacks, and dusty browns—deepens the sense of weight and constraint. The painting is divided not only visually but symbolically: light and shadow, visibility and obscurity, agency and limitation. By placing Khadijah—shown as a literate, successful, and influential woman—in direct contrast with the shadowed group, my artwork invites reflection on how women's role in Arab society changed from authority and power before Islam to obscurity and obedience after Islam. — Raghed Rustom raghedrustom.com #WomensHistoryMonth #IslamicHistory #InternationalWomensDay