My Friend Said She’s Atheist. How Should I Advise Her?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Last year my friend had a pet that she loved. When her pet died she said she was an atheist. I advised her to not say that, she then realized what she said, and said she’s Muslim. But I didn’t tell her to say the shahada again and repent. We were both 14 at the time, I don’t speak with her much now. Should I tell her now? And will I be accountable for not telling her before?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for being concerned about your friend’s iman (faith) and for wanting to do right by her. It is true that your friend should say the shahada again as she openly admitted to being an atheist, even though she didn’t mean it. It is not your responsibility to tell her this, and you will not be held accountable if you don’t, but it would be praiseworthy if you did. If you do not speak to her much anymore, I suggest that you email her this article that answers the question perfectly:

I Said That I Am an Atheist Without Meaning It. What Should I Do?

Also, keep in mind that she was 14, so she may not be accountable for her slip of the tongue if she had not yet hit puberty. However, she should still repent and say the shahada because she was so close to puberty.

May Allah reward you and strengthen the faith of all the believers.

[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad 
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied Aqidah, Fiqh, Tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied Fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.