Ex-Muslim Sahil

Nisar Shaikh popularly known as Ex-Muslim Sahil is an Indian activist, author, and YouTuber. He is known for his critical analysis of Islam and his advocacy for the rights of ex-Muslims.

Early Life

Sahil was born and brought up in a Muslim family in the Dharavi neighbourhood of Mumbai. He actively participated in Tablighi Jamaat programs and also engaged in Da'wah activities, which involve inviting non-Muslims to convert to Islam. However, in 2018, he decided to leave Islam after reading the Quran, Hadith, and other religious texts. In one of his videos, he expressed his belief that these religious texts promote division between Muslims and non-Muslims, which he found contradictory to the idea of a universal religion. He also pointed out that many clerics themselves struggle to interpret these texts, which raised questions about their clarity and validity. In an attempt to change his mind, his family invited a religious scholar and expert from Deoband to engage in a discussion about atheism with him. They engaged in a conversation for approximately four to five hours, during which the scholar's responses to Sahil's questions did not provide satisfactory resolution and despite efforts by his family to persuade him to reconsider, Sahil remained firm in his decision, and eventually, his family accepted his choice.

Activism

After leaving Islam, Sahil established a YouTube channel to discuss various aspects of Islamic customs and beliefs, as well as topics related to science and human evolution. His channel quickly gained popularity, amassing over 500,000 subscribers, and he also built a Twitter following of more than 33,000 users. Sahil, whose identity was initially concealed, engaged in debates with religious leaders and explored a wide range of subjects, including the role of the Waqf board in secular India. Through his platform, he aimed to stimulate conversations and address misconceptions. However, his anonymity was compromised when a Pakistani cleric exposed his personal information.

He also expressed support for Nupur Sharma's stance. He noted that Sharma's comments about Muhammad were based on Islamic sources and questioned the controversy surrounding her remarks. He emphasized that if there is an issue, it should be directed towards the sources themselves and not individuals who reference them with proper citations.

On July 6, Sahil's YouTube channel was banned in India, sparking debates about the reasons behind the ban and the decision-makers involved. Sahil expressed his surprise and disappointment, likening the situation to censorship experienced in Pakistan. This ban led to the launch of a petition advocating for the reinstatement of his channel, supported by a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #UnblockExMuslimSahil. In addition, Sahil conducted live streams to voice his concerns and garner support for the restoration of his channel in India.

Books

Sahil has authored several books that recount his experiences as an ex-Muslim. His most renowned work is "Why I Left Islam," published in 2019. Other notable books by him include:

• 2020, Islam: The Religion of Peace?
• 2021, The Quran: A Critical Analysis
• 2022, The Hadith: A Critical Analysis

See also

• 2022 Muhammad remarks controversy
• List of former Muslims
• Ex-Muslims

External links

• UCjk7V7Rw2jJSflLXYxBOY0g
• Ex-Muslim Sahil on Twitter