History of conversion of Jews to Islam
Throughout history small numbers of Jews have converted to Islam.
Background
Jews who have converted to faiths other than Judaism, or who abandon Judaism for atheism, or the many Jews who simply view themselves as secular, often still feel strongly connected to their Jewish ethnicity or culture. Although conversion to Islam is considered apostasy by all branches of Judaism, halakha (Jewish law) states that a child born of a Jewish mother is a Jew regardless of the faith they practice. Thus in Jewish law a Jew who converts to Islam remains a Jew, and is able to return to Judaism without conversion (see Baal teshuva).
Historical occurrences
In the past groups of Jews and individual Jews have converted to Islam; some voluntarily, some by force, some due to social pressure, and some in hopes of improving prospects for themselves and their families. While those who converted voluntarily have typically lost their identification as Jews, others who converted under various kinds of pressures (such as the Daggataun of Timbuktu) have sometimes retained a connection to their ethnicity and faith, and some have even eventually returned to Judaism.
In Persia, during the Safavid dynasty of the 16th and 17th centuries, Jews were forced to proclaim publicly that they had converted to Islam, and were given the name Jadid-al-Islam (New Muslims). In 1661 an edict was issued overturning these forced conversions, and the Jews returned to practicing Judaism openly. Similarly, to end a pogrom in 1839, the Jews of Mashhad were forced to convert en masse to Islam. They practiced Judaism secretly for over a century before openly returning to their faith. At the turn of the 21st century, around 10,000 lived in Israel, another 4,000 in New York City, and 1,000 elsewhere.[1] (See Allahdad incident).
In Turkey the claimed messiah Sabbatai Zevi was imprisoned until he was presented with the choice to convert to Islam or be put to death, whereupon he converted to Islam in 1666. A number of his followers converted as well, becoming known as the Donmeh (a Turkish word for a religious convert). While outwardly Muslim, they retained a belief that Zevi was the Messiah, some believing him to be an incarnation of God. The Donmeh secretly remained Jews by most definitions, observed certain Jewish rituals, prayed in Hebrew and Aramaic, and celebrated Jewish festivals and fasts. Some Donmeh remain today, primarily in Turkey.
A number of groups who converted from Judaism to Islam have remained Muslim, while maintaining a connection to and interest in their Jewish heritage. These groups include the anusim or Daggataun of Timbuktu who converted in 1492, when Askia Muhammed came to power in Timbuktu and decreed that Jews must convert to Islam or leave,[2] and the Chala, a portion of the Bukharan Jewish community who converted voluntarily.[3]
Modern times
Since the start of the Twentieth century conversion of Jews to Islam has generally been voluntary, and a small number of Jews have converted to Islam. The most notable of these include:
- Muhammad Asad (formerly Leopold Weiss), a Galician Jew who converted to Islam in 1926.
- Leila Mourad (former Leelee Murdakhai), an Egyptian Jew, who converted to Islam in the 1940s.
- Lev Nussimbaum, an Azerbaijani Jew, who converted to Islam in 1922.
- Jemima Khan (formerly Jemima Goldsmith), a British Jew who converted to Islam after marrying Imran Khan.
Approximately 35 of Israel's 6 million Jews convert to Islam each year; in 2006 that number was expected to double.[4]
Notes
- ^ Ross, Dan. Acts of Faith, Schocken Books, New York, 1984, pp. 67-82. ISBN 0-8052-0759-7
- ^ Primack, Karen. "The Renewal of Jewish Identity in Timbuktu", kulanu.org. Retrieved Nov 12, 2006.
- ^ Abbas, Najam. "The Outsiders" (review of Chala (The Outcast) by Mansur Surosh Dushanb), kulanu.org, Retrieved April 16, 2007.
- ^ www.ynetnews.com