Ahmed Hussein Al-Harqan: Atheist Apostate from Islam Speaks his Mind

Ahmed Hussein Al-Harqan

Memri Video Clip

I don't know how I overlooked this apostate from Islam last October, but I did, so here he is, Ahmad Harqan, speaking out fearlessly, as shown in excerpts on Memri Clip Transcript No. 4649 (October 21, 2014), which presents him being interviewed by Al-Kahera Wal-Nas TV as to why he left Islam:

I do not believe in the existence of God. Being non-religious and leaving Islam is not something that I wanted, but having lived 27 years of my life in this religion, I decided that I could not go on [as before] . . . . All people could reach the same conclusion, if they were allowed to think freely about this. But the reality is that people are denied the opportunity to reach this decision. They are not allowed to think critically about [Islam] . . . . Islam is a very harsh religion, and what ISIS is now doing is, perhaps, a physical manifestation of [Islam] . . . . The Quranic texts are crystal clear. When the Quran says "strike their necks," it is very clear [about beheading unbelievers]. When it says "Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day, and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful, and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the [Quranic] Scripture - until they give the jizya[, i.e., sharia-required 'protection money' taken from Jews and Christians, and they give it] willingly while they are humbled" [-] it is very clear, and ISIS understands and implements it in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere. [In Nigeria,] Boko Haram are also implementing this when they capture women. This is what the Prophet Muhammad and his companions did . . . . I . . . say that it is a criminal faith, and that the Quran is full of teachings that incite to hatred and murder . . . . I know . . . [what I am talking about] because people who used to be my [fellow Salafi] friends [have] joined ISIS.

These excised remarks are not quite "crystal clear," or I wouldn't have had to clarify them by adding brackets and punctuation! Perhaps that can be put down to the nature of excerpts, but I don't know. Anyway, after the program aired, Mr. Harqan was attacked by some militants, then by the police, in response to his remarks, but he is - remarkably - still alive, according to this blogger.