I Was an Imam, Director of CAIR-Columbus, and President of The Muslim Forum of Utah. I Left Islam Because It Cannot Be Reformed.

I Was an Imam, Director of CAIR-Columbus, and President of The Muslim Forum of Utah. I Left Islam Because It Cannot Be Reformed.

By Bobby Darvish - darvishintelligence.blogspot.com 

In 2013, after years of leadership within the Muslim community, I left Islam. My journey to this decision began long before, through profound spiritual experiences, historical reflection, and a deep search for truth. I was the Executive Director of CAIR-Columbus and President of The Muslim Forum of Utah, roles that allowed me to see Islam not just from a theological perspective but from a practical one. I saw its influence on politics, culture, and people's daily lives. I came to the conclusion that Islam cannot be reformed. It is not the same faith as that of Jesus or Moses, despite what many Muslim apologists claim.

Islam, as I knew it, was an Arab monolingual cult rooted in the worship of the Moongod of War. It takes men and shapes them into warriors and women into slaves. It cannot change its core; it was designed by Muhammad and perpetuated by a rigid hierarchy to maintain control. Yeshua (Jesus) is God. Isa, as Muslims call Him, is the one true God. The Allah of Islam, however, is not. Allah and Muhammad bear the characteristics of a mafia boss—demanding loyalty and meting out punishment to those who dissent—and Lucifer, who distorts truth and leads people astray.

My ancestors were Christians, who for centuries were enslaved by Muslim rulers. We had to fight for our freedom from oppression. For over 500 years, they struggled under Islamic rule, until Jesus saved me once again. In 2018, I had a life-altering experience that confirmed for me what I had begun to suspect: Jesus is not just a prophet but God incarnate. In a vivid, lucid dream, I found myself in the body of Christ, walking the road to Emmaus. The experience was unlike anything I had ever encountered. It was as if I was truly there, my senses fully alive, feeling everything as Jesus must have—joy, love, and a profound understanding of time and eternity. He showed me the vastness of His power, that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

I woke up from that dream feeling the indescribable joy of having been in His presence, but also the painful separation that came with waking back into this world. It wasn’t just a dream; it was a spiritual encounter. I knew then that Jesus Christ is the true God. Islam had always denied His divinity, but now I knew, not just intellectually, but experientially, that this was wrong.

My relationship with Jesus became personal in a way that Islam could never provide. I had known death twice before—in my youth, at 15 in the emergency room and at 17 during surgery. On both occasions, I had near-death experiences, encountering what I can only describe as angels. But this was different. This time, it was Jesus Christ Himself who revealed to me the truth. I didn’t just believe in Him anymore—I knew Him.

Islam had become a prison for my soul, locking me into rituals and doctrines that left me spiritually empty. Its teachings could not be reformed, for they are based on a false understanding of God. Christianity, on the other hand, offered the freedom that comes from knowing the living God, Jesus Christ. I could no longer stay silent or continue my leadership roles within the Muslim community while knowing that the truth lay elsewhere. Islam is an unchanging system built on submission, while Christianity offers a relationship built on grace, love, and truth.

For those still caught in the chains of Islam, I pray that you seek the truth with an open heart. Jesus Christ offers something far greater than the rules and fear that dominate Islam. He offers Himself—God incarnate, who died for our sins and rose again so that we might have life eternal.

In Christ, I found not only a Savior but the freedom my ancestors longed for when they fought against their Muslim captors. Now, after 500 years, Jesus has saved me again, and I have experienced His glory firsthand. Islam cannot provide that, and it never will.

Citations:

1. Spencer, Robert. The Truth About Muhammad: Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion. Regnery Publishing, 2006.
2. Shoemaker, Stephen J. The Death of a Prophet: The End of Muhammad's Life and the Beginnings of Islam. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012.
3. Warraq, Ibn. Why I Am Not a Muslim. Prometheus Books, 1995.
4. Geisler, Norman L., and Abdul Saleeb. Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross. Baker Books, 2002.
5. Van Biema, David. "Inside the Growing Ex-Muslim Movement." Time Magazine, June 2018.