Nonbelief among ex-Muslims in the United States: A critical grounded theory study

Few studies have examined religious exiting among people from marginalized faith groups, including ex-Muslims. Accordingly, the present study explored two research questions: (1) How and why do people raised within Muslim families and/or communities adopt a nonbelieving worldview? and (2) how, if at all, are hegemonic Christianity and related axes of oppression (e.g., Islamophobia) in the United States related to the development of nonbelief among people raised in Muslim families and/or communities? Using a critical, grounded theory approach, the present study interviewed 11 people who previously identified and/or were socialized as Muslim about the development of their nonbelief. Qualitative interviews resulted in six core categories: (1) the fear of religious exiting, (2) a misalignment of values, (3) catalyzing transition from doubt to nonbelief, (4) difficulty maintaining connection to Muslim community and culture, (5) reimagining the worldview without limits, and (6) comfort and peace with secularization. Participants described intrapersonal and cultural challenges related to the development of their ex-Muslim identity, identified incongruence between their personal values and the values rooted in Islam, and outlined the manner by which they constructed a personalized approach to life. They noted the ways in which their nonbelief contributed to living more authentically despite difficulty remaining connected to community and culture. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).