The Apostate Prophet: Why He Left Islam
Leaving Islam isn’t just a theological decision, it can be a death sentence. Ridvan Aydemir left anyway, and now he’s on a mission to expose the doctrines he once believed, from antisemitism to calls for a global caliphate.
Stefan Tompson
May 29, 2025 - 2:29 PM
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V24 presents an in-depth series covering the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. This comprehensive series features on-the-ground interviews, bringing firsthand insights from diverse voices, including politicians, professors, journalists, experts, and influencers. Our guest today: Ridvan Aydemir, also known as The Apostate Prophet.
From Devout to Dissenter
The accusation comes up a lot: “You’re an Islamophobe.” For Ridvan Aydemir, better known online as the Apostate Prophet, it’s a label he accepts, not out of hatred for Muslims, but out of deep opposition to the religion he left behind. In an interview conducted in Jerusalem’s Arab Quarter as part of Visegrad24’s series on the Israel–Hamas war, Aydemir shared the story of how he transformed from a devout believer to one of Islam’s most vocal critics.
The Cost of Leaving
Aydemir was born in Germany and raised in a deeply religious Muslim family. From a young age, he was taught that Islam was not just a religion but the only legitimate framework for how the world should function. In school and at home, he was taught to believe in the coming of a global Islamic caliphate.
One memory stood out to him: being in first grade and learning hadiths that predicted Muslims would one day fight and kill Jews, with even trees and rocks calling out to expose them. “This wasn’t fringe,” he said. “It was mainstream.”
He began questioning what he had been taught in his late teens and eventually rejected the faith. But leaving Islam wasn’t just a quiet personal decision. “In Islam, you don’t just stop believing. You become a traitor,” he said. Apostasy is considered a crime punishable by death in many parts of the Muslim world, and even in the West, former Muslims can face intense backlash. Aydemir’s online presence has made him a target. “I get thousands of threats,” he said, describing messages telling him he should be gutted, stoned, or executed.
Confronting Radicalism Online
Despite the danger, Aydemir founded the Apostate Prophet channel to speak openly about his experience and challenge Islamic ideology head-on. “I chose the name deliberately. It’s provocative, but honest,” he explained. His aim isn’t to attack Muslims as individuals, but to expose what he calls “the dangerous elements embedded in mainstream Islamic thought,” including antisemitism, political supremacism, and the inability to tolerate criticism or dissent.
Through his platform, he’s reached over half a million followers. The feedback has been intense and polarizing. “Most of it is hostile,” he admitted. “But there are messages from Muslims saying, ‘You made me think.’ That’s why I keep going.”
According to Aydemir, many young Muslims in Europe, particularly second and third-generation migrants, quietly hold radical views, even if they won’t admit them publicly. “The dream of a caliphate is alive,” he warned. “The hatred of Jews, the contempt for the West - it’s more widespread than people want to believe.”
When Hamas launched its deadly attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, Aydemir hoped for clear condemnation from Muslim leaders. Instead, he saw justification and celebration. “That was the moment something in me snapped,” he said. “I realized we’re not just dealing with a political crisis. This is a moral one.”
Since then, he has become a passionate supporter of Israel. His trip to Jerusalem only reinforced his views. “Meeting survivors, visiting sites of attacks, it changed me,” he said. “Israel isn’t perfect, but it’s a frontline state in a much larger civilizational struggle.”
Islamophobia: A Misused Word
Aydemir acknowledges the controversy of his stance, especially around the word “Islamophobia.” But he rejects the way it’s used. “Criticizing Islam is not bigotry. It’s necessary,” he said. “If opposing misogyny, antisemitism, and apostasy laws makes me a phobe, then fine. I want better for Muslims. That’s why I want them to leave Islam.”
He speaks from experience - having lived, questioned, and left the faith. In an age where fear and politics silence honesty, voices like his need to be heard.
“We won’t be silent,” he told me. “Not now. Not ever.”
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Stefan Tompson
Founder | Visegrad24