I don’t like the word “revert” either
Posted on October 28, 2006 by Tariq Nelson
If anyone has noticed, I always use the word ‘convert’ to describe Muslim converts instead of the word “revert”. (I suppose I am resistant to it because it seem to be part of the pretentious lexicon) I have done this for some time, but never made a big deal about it. However, Ali Eteraz has a take on it here that I agree with
Filed under: Convert Issues, The Culture of Denial and Pretense
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
I don’t like it either and never use it (it is wrong, for reasons Shaikh Hamza Yusuf pointed out: what we are born on is fitra, not the deen of Islam as transmitted by the Prophet, sall’ Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). However, I have had my head bitten off on one occasion for using the term convert (verb or noun) rather than revert, and I am sure this may have happened to others as well.
I completely agree. Honestly, I only started noticing the change from “convert” to “revert” in the early 90’s. It was just something that sounded clever in the form of a slogan that used a widely mis-understood hadith as its source.
My good buddy (Tariq) and I were discussing this earlier and he and I agreed that in Arabic, to say I’m a ‘revert’ one would have to call himself/herself a Murtid because in Arabic, “reversion” or “return” is riddah - and we seek refuge in Allah from riddah!! So why use phrases and stuff that require all that unnecessary explanation. I guess it just sounds clever.
Plus, you confuse people who are not hip to the jive we’re putting down ya dig by saying…”Well, I reverted to Islam 5 years ago…” What if they haven’t been initiated into the jargon? I love the way Eteraz takes the idea to its logical conclusion. Are Jews, Christians, and others subject to the rulings of Apostacy? I mean, if we were all born Muslim…then some of us CONVERTED to Christianity…wouldn’t there be consequences under the Shari’ah? Of course not. Because we all know better than to believe this literally. So why do we say it? Again, it just sounds cool.
Salaam ‘Alaikum
I can’t stand the word “revert.” Can’t stand it.
Assalamu alaikum, you know, I don’ like the “revert” word anyway. Because I don’t feel like I’m “reverting” to anything! And I like Yusuf’s comments above, though I didn’t have any idea that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf had commented on this, anyway I could find those comments?
As salaamu alaikum,
I have always been uncomfortable with the term “revert”, because it simply made no sense to me. It is extremely inappropriate on so many levels. If I am not mistaken, we are to speak to a people in a way which they understand. In the West, this means staying away from confusing word usage.
I don’t think it sounds cool at all. I think it sounds silly, and I am a convert in the West who has a fairly decent command of the English language.
[...] Ali Eteraz has an interesting piece on his displeasure at the term “revert” for Muslim converts and Tariq Nelson has picked up on this. I share the opinion of both Ali and Tariq that revert is not an appropriate word and I have stopped using it even if I do not agree with all of the arguments that Ali makes in his piece such as his displeasure when people claim the supremacy of their own faith which I see as a fundamental of an authentic faith. [...]
Yeah, it annoys me too. Kind of like saying, that you were crap, but now you are okay again. I also find the converts that use the term are those who really feel insecure in their position in the community (who can blame them) and for them it is like saying “see, I really am a part of you so stop rejecting me”.
It really is not Ali’s place to say anything here however that being said they term is somewhat convoluted and for the sake of simplicity I think should be avoided but to each his own.
Rasheed, may I ask why it is not Ali’s place to say anything?
Why don’t you brothers make it simple? The classical scholars like ibn Qudamah referred to ‘reverts’ as ‘tawwabeen’- those who ‘repented’.