Namaste,

I am a Muslim (Shia Ithna-Asheri Usuli), but I am seriously about done with it. I have so many issues with it, I don't even know where to start.

There are SO many freaking rules. Now, don't get me wrong, if it truly is God's religion, I would follow them willingly, but I find it hard to believe that God is this picky. For example, you're required to pray 5 times a day and fast the month of Ramadhan. I figured that if you didn't, but started up at some point, you would simply go from being a bad Muslim to being a good Muslim. Apparently not. Prayers and fasts are like some sort of bank account where it's all or nothing. I talked to a scholar, and found out that for me to get into good standing with Allah, I would have to make up 4,745 prayers, 60 fasts, and pay $1,700 worth of rice to the needy.

Holy sh*t.

I can't do that. This is only for two years of living a bad life. Can you imagine for someone that has gone for 20 years?! I'm willing to pay for my "sins" by being punished for them, because I recognize that every action has consequences, but this is borderline ridiculous.

That's another thing. Why is Heaven/Hell an absolute? What happens to good people that weren't Muslims? What about Muslims that fulfill all their requirements but are bad people in general? I really like the concept of eternal bliss in Jannah (heaven), but why is it an absolute? Why is it all or nothing?

There are MANY other issues I have with Islam, too many to name. I still feel a deep connection to Islam and the Imams (especially Imam Ali and Imam Mahdi), but living like a good Muslim is impossible unless you live in Iran or something, where it's the social norm to do everything perfectly according to Islamic law.