On March 14, a Pakistani national, Zakriya Hanif, who identifies as transgender, announced that she was leaving Islam and embracing Hinduism. In a tweet where she posted photographs of herself donning Tilak at a temple and the gate of the temple, she wrote, “Officially leaving muslimanity and joining Hinduism.” She also used the hashtag Ghar Wapsi, a term often used for people coming back to Hinduism.
Officially leaving muslimanity and joining Hinduism 🧡🧡🧡 #gharwapsi pic.twitter.com/VdyWOnqufm
— zaakra 🏳️⚧️ (@zakrieyaa) March 14, 2022
While people from Hinduism, especially from India, welcomed Hanif to Hinduism with open arms, the Islamists had a mixed reaction. While they did not like him promoting Hinduism openly, some of them felt relieved that an open LGBT community member was out of Islam.
Islamists in Pakistan attack Trans woman for giving up Islam and embracing Hinduism
A Twitter user Hafsa mocked Hanif and said if it was related to some childhood experience, she should keep it to herself, and no one really cared if he left Islam.
Another Twitter user from Pakistan, Zabir Rizwan, expressed happiness on Hanif’s announcement to leave Islam.
Bint Umar, another Islamist, said no one cares about Hanif in the comments.
no one cares
— Bint Umar (@lxtespring) March 14, 2022
A Twitter user Eman said as a Muslim, she would not feel ashamed anymore.
A Twitter user said it was no loss for Islam as Hanif was a Rafidhi (Shia).
This guy is a rafidhi so no loss. https://t.co/Pd5kSa8dB8
— Malik (@thouba0) March 15, 2022
Sabrina, a Muslim Twitter user probably from the United Kingdom, mocked her and said Hanif had a chance to go to heaven, but she would now go to hell.
You had a chance of getting into Jannah but now have fun in Jahanam 😂 https://t.co/GWaShRam49
— Shaddy’s Sabrina (@Shadabkhan7fc) March 14, 2022
Who is Zakriya Hanif?
Zakriya Hanif, also known as Zaakra, is a transgender from Lahore, Pakistan. She has been vocal about the LGBT issues in the Islamic Republic on her social media accounts. She claims to have more friends from India compared to Pakistan on social media platforms.
Hanif has been accused of blasphemy multiple times for her statements. In August last year, in a now-deleted post, she had written, “Stop policing bodies of women in the name of religion!!! Nobody wants to hear what a man said 3000 years ago.”
Though she did not mention the name of the religion, the Islamists got irked, and she had to delete the post.
Even now, when she had announced leaving Islam, she was being targeted, claiming she had committed blasphemy. Calls are being made out to kill her.
Last month she had released a video in which she had detailed how the LGBT community in Lahore was transphobic and often called Transgenders sitting with them ‘Khusra’.
