# Why I Am Not a Muslim

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Muslim
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Muslim.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Muslim
> Source revision: 1332437001
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

***Why I Am Not a Muslim***, a book written by [Ibn Warraq](/source/Ibn_Warraq), is a critique of [Islam](/source/Islam) and the [Qur'an](/source/Qur'an). It was first published by [Prometheus Books](/source/Prometheus_Books) in the United States in 1995. The title of the book is a homage to [Bertrand Russell](/source/Bertrand_Russell)'s essay, *[Why I Am Not a Christian](/source/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Christian)*, in which Russell criticizes the religion in which he was raised.

## Motive and contents

Outraged over the [fatwa and death threats](/source/The_Satanic_Verses_controversy) against [Salman Rushdie](/source/Salman_Rushdie), Ibn Warraq assumes a [pseudonym](/source/Pseudonym) to write what the historian and writer [Daniel Pipes](/source/Daniel_Pipes) called "serious and thought-provoking book" using a "scholarly sledgehammer" approach to "demolish" Islam.[1] Warraq claims the work is his contribution ('my war effort') in the struggle against the kinds of people who would want to murder Rushdie.[2]

The author's "polemic" criticizes Islam's mythology, theology, historic achievements, and current cultural influence.[1] Warraq, drawing largely on previous research, provides what English philosopher [Antony Flew](/source/Antony_Flew) called an "invaluable compilation" of Islam's shortcomings. Flew wrote that the book "makes a compelling case" that Islam is "flatly incompatible" with "individual rights and liberties of a modern liberal, democratic, secular state".[3] According to Warraq, one either has to believe that the Qur'an is the word of [God](/source/God_in_Islam), or that [Muhammad](/source/Muhammad) was a liar. Moreover, progress made in modern [critical scholarship of the Bible](/source/Biblical_criticism) has serious and possibly detrimental consequences for belief in the [inerrancy of the Qur'an](/source/Quranic_inerrancy) once it is subjected to the same type of [scholarly criticism](/source/Criticism_of_the_Quran).[2]

## Reviews

Dutch Arabist [Hans Jansen](/source/Hans_Jansen) noted that 'it is remarkable that in this first book, Ibn Warraq makes no distinction at all between 'normal' Islam and Islamic fundamentalism. Both oppose the freedom of expression with all their might.' Jansen wondered whether the criticism of Islam that Warraq, Rushdie and other British–Indian writers such as [V.S. Naipaul](/source/V.S._Naipaul) and [Arun Shourie](/source/Arun_Shourie) displayed was perhaps so 'ruthless' – compared to the much milder approach commonly adopted by [Judaeo-Christian](/source/Judaeo-Christian) writers – because of vestiges of 'Hindu prejudices', or because these authors felt no inhibition to scrutinise a fellow [Abrahamic religion](/source/Abrahamic_religion).[2]

## See also

- [Apostasy in Islam](/source/Apostasy_in_Islam)
- [Criticism of Islam](/source/Criticism_of_Islam)
- *[Leaving Islam: Apostates Speak Out](/source/Leaving_Islam:_Apostates_Speak_Out)*

## Editions

- Prometheus Books (hardcover), 1995, ISBN 0-87975-984-4
- (French) Age d'homme, (1999), ISBN 2-8251-1259-3
- (Persian), 2000
- Prometheus Books (paperback), 2003, ISBN 1-59102-011-5
- (Spanish) Ediciones del Bronce, Barcelona, 2003 ISBN 84-8453-146-5
- (Danish) [Lindhardt og Ringhof](/source/Lindhardt_og_Ringhof), 2004, ISBN 87-595-2065-5

## References

1. Daniel Pipes (January 22, 1996). ["Why I Am Not a Muslim"](http://www.danielpipes.org/893/why-i-am-not-a-muslim). *[The Weekly Standard](/source/The_Weekly_Standard)*. Retrieved May 13, 2013.

1. Hans Jansen (22 March 2003). ["Waarom Ibn Warraq geen moslim is"](https://www.trouw.nl/cultuur-media/waarom-ibn-warraq-geen-moslim-is~b4bebcae/) (in Dutch). *[Trouw](/source/Trouw)*. Retrieved 8 October 2019.

1. Antony Flew. ["Turning Away From Mecca"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160529034626/http://www.bharatvani.org/books/tfst/chiv3.htm). *[The Salisbury Review](/source/The_Salisbury_Review)*. No. Spring 1996. Archived from [the original](http://www.bharatvani.org/books/tfst/chiv3.htm) on 2016-05-29.

## External links

- [An online version of the book](https://archive.org/details/why-i-am-not-a-muslim-ibn-warraq%2Fmode%2F1up) at [Archive.org](/source/Internet_Archive)
- [Review](https://web.archive.org/web/20140826180054/http://bharatvani.org/books/tfst/chiv1.htm) Review by [Daniel Pipes](/source/Daniel_Pipes)
- [Review](https://web.archive.org/web/20140826195710/http://www.bharatvani.org/books/foe/ch24.htm) Review by [Taslima Nasrin](/source/Taslima_Nasrin)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Why I Am Not a Muslim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Muslim) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Muslim?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.