What it's like to Be in a Muslim Cult
- What it's like to Be in a Muslim Cult Elizabeth Pearson Garr 45:16
When Yousuf Azhar first joined a religious Sufi community in Chicago, he felt more connected to his faith and to Allah. He made close friends, and followed the guidance of his shaykh and mentors. Azhar and his family stayed in the community for thirteen years, and lived under the guidance of leaders until Azhar became suspicious that something was amiss.
In this week’s episode, Yousuf shares what it’s like to be in a cult – and what it’s like to leave one.
Yousuf tells us about the ways that cults pull people in, and how they trap their followers with manipulation, fear, and dehumanization. Now that he’s on the other side, he shares the importance of knowing the red flags of these groups, and how to avoid getting sucked into them. He also tells us what it’s like to gain personal and spiritual independence after thirteen years of reliance on others to make his decisions. Yousuf’s story is one of immense resilience, and is a testament to the strength of personal spirituality and self determination.
Want to learn more about Yousuf?
- Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yousufsketchnotes/
- Link up on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yazhar/
- Find him up on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yousuf.s.azhar
- Tweet him via Twitter: https://twitter.com/ysazhar
- Check him out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ysazhar
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