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Liam Neeson hints at converting to Islam
Catholic Hollywood star Liam Neeson says he reads a lot about God or the absence of God and atheism.
"The call to prayer happens five times a day, and for the first week, it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit, and it's the most beautiful, beautiful thing," says Neeson. PHOTO: AFP
Irish actor Liam Neeson has revealed he is considering giving up on his Catholic faith and converting to Islam, The Sun reported on Wednesday.
The Hollywood star, 59, having recently filmed in Turkey became fascinated with Islam during his stay.
Speaking to The Sun, he said, “The call to prayer happens five times a day and for the first week it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit and it’s the most beautiful, beautiful thing.
“There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim.”
Neeson was raised in Northern Ireland as a Catholic alter boy and was named after his local priest.
But the star – whose wife, Natasha Richardson, died aged 45 in a skiing accident in 2009 – says his faith has been challenged in recent times.
On his Catholic beliefs, he said: “I was reared a Catholic but I think every day we ask ourselves, not consciously, what are we doing on this planet? What’s it all about?
“I’m constantly reading books on God or the absence of God and atheism.”
Correction: An earlier version of the post carried the word “challenge” instead of challenged.
Reader Comments (71)
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hmmm…buying a book only after looking at the cover?
Why not first read what the critics say?
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No doubt Islam is the best religion on earth to be practiced
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Am I reading this correctly?? I became a big fan of his after seeing Schindler’s List.
Good God Gracious, show him the right path. Ameen.
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Its your personal choice Mr.Neeson.What matters most id peace of mind and soul. If you get the same in Islam, take refuge in its ideologies. I am a borne Hindu but follow the oneness of GOD having no shape or face and find our VEDAS very similar to QURAN as for as religious and social teachings are concerned.GOOD LUCK.
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That is why Turkey is the model Muslim nation. Had he come to Pakistan he would have been repulsed.
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wow!
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May Allah help u..
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Abu Normal, well, there is a particular kind of human mind that is fascinated by, attracted to praying five times a day, and all the rest that Islam requires. Probably we need to investigate what kind of mind it is, what it does once it “finds Islam”, how a person’s behavior changes, toward self and others.
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@antanu g:
Dear, Choice to choose is your right. I would only say to you that open up your mind and pray to the One GOD whom you have faith at the moment that HE may guide you the ‘Right Path’ and then open either VEDAS first & the Quran or vice versa then read them carefully. Insha Allah you will find the ‘Right Path’.
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@sick of this nonsense:
he is talking of islam and not turkey or pakistan….stop this biased attitude towards pakistan and try to be no-nonsense
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@kaalchakra:
to learn this go and read VEDAS and you will understand Islam.I have found mind boggling similarity between the Sanatan Dharma and Islam.
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So then Liam wud become the 1st person from Hollywood to enter Islam, haan, good for him.
May the Force be with him.
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Correct your english please
But the star – whose wife, Natasha Richardson, died aged 45 in a skiing accident in 2009 – says his faith has been challenge in recent times. It should be “has been challenged” or “has been a challenge”Recommend
Antanu says “find our VEDAS very similar to QURAN”
LOL. You haven’t read any of the above you mentioned. No matter, what mask u put on, we can see right through you and that you are a Pakistani Muslim.Recommend
There is only ONE GOD and Muhammad (May peace be upon him) is his messenger..
This is the truth, and we all much come to it..
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Please keep him away from visiting Pakistan, otherwise he will definitely change his mind !
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@sick of this nonsense:
And Gujarat in 2002 would definitely obligated him to choose Hinduism, innit ? :0)
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Not a big deal this should not be a news, since he is an actor, it is a news, millions converted now news, this is not a biger deal, isn’t it
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nopes, just some gossip for sun to sell their newspaper
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May Allah make you steadfast in your decision:
(Ameen)
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When will ET also publish articles on many Muslims who have converted to Christianity, hopeso soon.
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Come to Pakistan & you will have second thoughts!
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Liam, Liam just say no.
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Truth shall prevail.
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InshAllah your heart will find the path and the presence its lacking.
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Anatanu g
I rarely say this now but you have taken a most despicable approach (since I do not know you enough to call you a despicable person).
i will be glad to explain to you why, if Express Tribune is not too afraid to allow an open discussion. I invite you to defend your statement. Best.
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@Kamran
U can find books written on some of muslims converted to christianty and easslly get it from
Border and Burns & Noble books store in north america u can google it and by the way these are very rare cases other wise u know who owns the Fox, CNN, ans Cnbc news chanels u know what i means hahaha
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naryana murthy
Most likely, we make a big mistake when we believe that people who take the approach that antanu g has taken are found in Pakistan alone. We should start being careful that they exist in India too, probably in very large numbers. Some of them I know personally. They are a great danger to anyone who does not wish to submit to foolishness.
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I’m really to see such unbiased interest in Islam of a popular person in West amidst such cacophonies and defamation of Islam.
Islam is beautiful.Recommend
When these news came out yesterday, some American Muslims of Pakistani background reacted as if something so big had happened that all self-created problems — and there are many — Muslims face will vanish. If Mr. Neeson wants to become a Muslim, he can do that. Not a problem; our First Amendment respects this. Likewise, if an American Muslim wants to convert to another religion, the same glorious Amendment in our Constitution respects that. But here is the issue: If Mr. Neeson becomes a Muslim but later finds out that it’s not his cup of tea and changes back to his original religion, his original religion will welcome him back but under Islamic law he would have become an apostate. Would those Muslims who are now jumping up and down with joy condemn the rigid among them who are always bent upon targeting “apostates?”Recommend
@kamran:
A great comment and a great question, I second it.
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@JA:
That’s what Christians, Hindus, Parsis, Jews, etc. say about their respective religion, and they all have a point just like you do. Whatever works for you is the best thing for you.
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@antanu g:
A great comment.
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@Abid:
Leave the commentator, antanu g, alone: From what I understand, he is saying that he has already found the path that is right for him. Who are you to tell him that he needs to keep looking?
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People who are talking about second thoughts after seeing Pakistan is not the way. If you want to become muslim just read Qur’an and Sunnah. You don’t have to look what Muslims are doing or other countries. That’s what you need to understand folks.
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I thought Buddhism was the religion to turn to, for the Hollywood type.
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Siddique Malik
We can be liberals, Islamics or whatever, but let’s first get things right.
Abid is simply following his Islamic obligation to carry out dawah. In the Quran, Allah does not forbid dawah to non-Muslims. What Allah tells Muslims is that if Non-Muslims try to do similar dawah to free you of Islam, then you should tell them that they can go their way, while you will go your (Islamic) way. Ways of non-Muslims are terrible, say Allah to Muslims, and will surely lead them to all sorts of problems and punishments.
If that is true, then Abid is doing antanu g a favor by inviting him to Islam.
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MashaAllah… another example for non muslims… stay blessed on the path of rightoeusness… ameen
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@kaalchakra:
Followers of all religions have instructions from their holy books to spread the message, and that’s fair. Then why does Saudi Arabia stipulate death penalty for followers of religions other than Islam for not just preaching their religion but even practicing it? Why are some Muslims so afraid of other religions? If Anatanu G suddenly become impolite — which I am sure he is not — and instead of simply advancing his arguments starts preaching his faith to Abid, would that be okay with you? Would that be okay with your Saudi brothers, were Anatanu G in Saudi Arabia — I would advise him to stay away from that country. By the way, the Quran also says that “you” should invite others towards the ways of Allah with wisdom and in a decent manner. And your friend Abid violated that Quranic command by jumping to the conclusion that Anatanu G was begging him for advice on conversion to Islam. That self-conceit on the part of Abid was neither wise nor decent, and you considered it your religious duty to support it. So that means you violated that Quranic, command, too. This is not something new. Every day overzealous thakedaars of Islam violate its sanctity by their misguided behavior.
Siddique Malik, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
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Does he know about the mousetrap?
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I cannot understand how one could ever leave the Eucharist. If you really knew who it is that you are giving up, you would never consider it an option. There are many problems in the Catholic Church, yes. But these problems are all of them miniscule when compared with the MAJOR problem of every other religion in the world – none of them have Jesus in the Eucharist. None of them have a relationship with God quite like ours.
Read the early Church Fathers, read the lives of the Saints… just because you were raised culturally Catholic doesn’t mean you’ve been exposed to the true richness that is the Church. If you like the frequency of Islamic prayer, perhaps you should consider praying the Liturgy of Hours, the Divine Office. There is such a depth and richness in the Church, and I will be praying – and offering many sacrifices – that your eyes may be opened to the sheer beauty that God gives us through His gift of the Church.
love from
your sister in faith.
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@Dr Omar:
Hope you don’t mind me asking. Is Omar your last name(family or Surname) or first name.
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great…:)
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Islam is a ‘way of life’ try to learn it and follow it, You’ll get success here and hereafter
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@Nabeel:
“Islam is a ‘way of life’ try to learn it and follow it, You’ll get success here and hereafter”
Since you are a Muslim and must speak from experience, perhaps you will also acquaint us with the “huge” success you must be enjoying to the exclusion of all other Muslims who don’t seem to be doing too good for a long time now. We are not interested in your “hereafter”.
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@sick of this nonsense. Turkey a model Islamic nation? where more than 90% population is Muslim and head scarves are banned in universities?
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@amylia:
Are you saying that child molestation and rapes of innocent little boys that goes on in some churches — including Catholic churches — are “miniscule”? You are as devoid of logic, fairness and decency as are today’s Muslim zealots who think their religion is the best and all other religions are works of the Satan. Ignorance knows no boundary.
Siddique Malik, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
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Siddique Malik Sahib
When people speak of “all religions” they tend to speak mostly of semitic/middle-eastern religions – Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Even those three differ considerably in the extent and the manner in which they promote evangelizing/dawah. Overall, the world’s ‘religions’ can differ on that dimension as significantly as night differs from day. Abid is simply being a good Muslim as he sees it and millions of Muslims around the world see and have always seen it.
We don’t have to recount Islam’s military and sufistic history for you. And Sir, I will never do an antanu on you – pretending to be what one is not. Islam is just not the religion for me.
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@JA:
what Liam Neeson does not know, is that converting from Islam to any other religion has death penalty in many Muslim countries.
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@lalu (@laluno1):
“@JA:
what Liam Neeson does not know, is that converting from Islam to any other religion has death penalty in many Muslim countries. “
That is what I meant by “mousetrap” (See my comment above). A piece of cheese at the entrance to greet you. Once the trapdoor closes behind you, it is too late to realize that there is no exit.
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thats the beauty of secularism, to be free to think, to be free to choose ur lifestyle, to be free to leave religion, to be free to convert to other religion without being prosecuted. Cant say this about Islamic Pakistan!
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For the love of God! they’re quoting an article from The Sun. That’s a tabloid! it regularly makes up stories for publicity. I wouldn’t take anything printed in that rag seriously.Recommend
WELLCOME LIAM NEESON
ASSALAM O ALIKUM
ISLAM IS A TRUE WAY ISLAM IS THE RELIGION OF PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD IF U HAVE ANY HESITATION SO PLEASE READ QURAN THE BOOK OF SUCCESS AND QURAN ALSO CLEAR YOU MIND ABOUT ISLAM .
Recommend@amylia:
hello,
well you will be surprised to know that Jesus Himself told you to follow Prophet Muhamma dpeace be upon him.
he said to his followers that he is going and another prophet will come after him and that they should FOLLOW him.
thats why Christians all the time were waiting for that Prophet.
and actually the jews ARE waiting for 3 Prophets who are (John , Jesus , Muhammad)
but they Rejected the three
as for chritstians, actually there were SECTS
they divided into 3 sects
one the true christians didnt change anything and said that Jesus isthe christ, the word of GOD and a Messenger from GOD , but not GO , and not SON of GOD, those had their bibles too.
the other 2 major sects were the ones who said Jesus was either GOD himself OR son of GOD …
the Romans 325 sided with the sect who said Jesus was GOD, and banned the others and exiled them and banned their bibles too. they kept practicing in secret and some flee to the mountains and desert .
BUT ALL SECTS were waiting for the prophecy to be fullfilled , the last remaining Prophet they have to follow.
when Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him CAME and said Jesus is NOT GOD and not SON of GOD , but the crhist , word of GOD and soul from him and his messenger and human being created
The True christians became Muslims and fulfilled Jesus commands to them.
the OTHERS .. who remain till today, Rejected it. and they stopped talking about the coming remaining prophet that Jesus talked about.
it has been 2012 YEARS and they never teach it in the church they keep it “low”
even they Deny it some times and say oooh hes not a prophet but the hly spirit etc..
while the texts shows it
now go learn and do your research and ask yourself , where is that [prophet? its almost the end of time … and GOD will send Jesus again to rule .. and the prophet didnt come yet?
take your time and do your research
and remember that Jesus himself told you
worship GOD ALONE , my Lord and your lord
and told you
“why do you say I am good ? only GOD ALOOOOOOONE is GOOD”
an told you
ALL The Miracles not my doings
and told you
I dont know when the last hour is no one knows not even the angels .. only GOD knows
and he Prostrated on the ground and prayed to GOD.
and remember .. those Bibles that were banned were not banned with proof. they were banned out of Roman dictatrship.
read about the history of your christianity
and if you need info about Islam , try this site
http://www.islamreligion.com
thats all.
take care.
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lets see wat is going to happen
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@sick of this nonsense
Yvonne Ridley was held captive by Taliban and she converted because she was impressed with her captor’s attitude. What to talk about Pakistan! Pakistan is a much tolerant countryRecommend
You people got riled up over tabloid news?
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after reading the article one could easily conclude that liam neeson is considering atheism [the more rational and evoloved path] over religion. nowhere does the article claim that he is contemplating islam. nowhere.
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He should visit Pakistan and Afghanistan before he decides to convert. In the most places Islam is not followed in the relatively liberal and ‘live and let live’ environment of Turkey. Perhaps Liam would change his mind after living in Kandahar or Jhang for a few weeks?
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Islam is the most modern way of living on this planet. Accept the truth ISLAM as soon as possible
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Islam is social science.Non of its teaching is against science.
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@Dr. Abdul Hafeez: like earth is flat, evolution was a myth, big bang was another hot air bubblegum theory by Zionists,sun sets in a muddy water.yes it was completely in congruence with science.i don’t have any problem as long as you don’t come up with the statements like these”Islam is social science.Non of its teaching is against science”
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@G. Din:
your arrogance and biased attitude says it all and by the way do u treat shudars or lower caste hindus equally……….if u say yes then i would laugh OUT LOUD…………if u can’t keep ur double standards away then keep urself away from ISLAM bashing.
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ET ..You did it again …start of new debate !!!
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Seriously…you people have all the time in the world to actually “comment” on a person converting to some other religion!!!
get a life guys.
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poor soul, he was in turkey, it is a muslim country with beautiful mosques and has lots of islamic influence. Although it would be great if he reverts to islam but what i feel is he just liked the culture there and nothing else , so we should not spice this news up and create a story abpout it.
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He’s a reasonably sane individual – and will quickly come to his senses after the honeymoon with the exotic ‘religion’ . He’ll see the ‘buraks’, the hajj, the jew-hatred, OCD body washing for what it is.
And then he’ll leave. And what will muslims say then – ‘It’s not Islam’s fault, Shaitan (and the Hollywood Jews??) got to him ‘ , of course.
So predictable,
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@Mrs. Sohail:
Liam Neeson might possibly become another troubled celebrity who has a short dalliance with Islam – and then wakes up and recants.
A better example for non-Muslims is the late Mohammed Merah, of Toulouse, France.
Or the jihadis who took the Beslan, Russia schoolchildren hostage and killed them in their hundreds.
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@JA:
……’no doubt Islam is the best religion on earth to be practiced…’?
No doubt! just ask Mohammed Merah of Toulouse, France. Oh, wait – he’s no longer on earth is he?
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While criticizing PAKISTAN, most of the people are swayed by media giving and working out on creating perceptions against this country.
My one simple question to all, “Just collect the statistics of India & Pakistan on just following two subjects since independence-1947 :
Assault on minorities and based on their beliefs/ religion in both countries
Number of people Killed in the name of Religion, Cast, Ethnicity basis
I wish people come to Pakistan and see with their own eyes, the love for peace & tranquility, affection for all and humane nature of the masses (no less than any other civilized nation in the world) despite being unjustifiably/ unthankfully bashed and bullied by more the friends than the foes!
Regarding Liam Neeson considering to convert to Islam, is absolutely one individual’s personal decision and we being Muslims believe in “Absolutely no compulsion in religion what so ever” (as states Quran). So embracing for Islam or not is ones personal decision and everyone has his own reasons for making choice(s).
Well, if some people (Muslims in particular) do something otherwise, is totally against Islamic conjunctions.
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Are there enough muslims in the world? Just joking.
A Peshawary
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