Osama Dorra: Ex-Muslim Brotherhood atheist

Due to contradictory principles of the banned group of the Muslim Brotherhood, former member Osama Dorra converted to atheism. Dorra has abandoned Islam due to MB members’ attitude, which contradict the religion.

“Those who appointed themselves as guardians of faith and standard-bearers of religion and thought that they are in a sacred mission [...] lie and go back on their promises. They conduct suspicious deals. They spread rumors that serve their desires [...] Is that the religion?! My religion is not yours,” Dorra summed up the psychological trauma he experienced within the group.

Dorra achieved his fame via writing a book titled “Inside the Brotherhood, I Speak.” He focused in his book on the Brotherhood’s negative role in the society and how it negatively damaged the image of Islam.

"Are we the reason? We have adopted Islam as a partisan slogan, we have made Islam as weapon to fight with! .. So did we become a barrier between the ruler and Islam?,” Dorra questioned in his book.

Dorra’s criticism came to public via several media outlets; a move that led to a crisis between him and the Brotherhood. The group did not hesitate to suspend his membership after a conducting an interview with hism in one of the newspapers. However, the suspension was removed after Islamist politician Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh mediated.

Dorra participated in 2011 January 20 Revolution against Mubarak’s 30-year ruling. He, then, issued a book titled "From the Brotherhood to Tahrir Square" talking about the Brotherhood’s role before and during the revolution.

When the 2011 Revolution broke out, Dorra announced his resignation from the Brotherhood, directing a barrage of criticism against the group’s structural defects. In his resignation, Dorra said that the political arm of the Muslim brotherhood - the dissolved Party of Freedom and Justice- did not meet the needs of society.

Abandoning the religion

Dorra announced his abandoning Islam on October 23, 2012, four months after the Muslim Brotherhood assumed power, saying “Many people like to attribute my religious change to my old affiliation to the Brotherhood, and to my long argument with them before resigning from the group. That is true, but it is often used misleadingly by them [those people].”

Dorra, who voiced his pride in having the courage to disown the brotherhood, may return to Islam again, or continue on his way seeking another path to adopt.