Ex-Baháʼís or former Baháʼís are people who have been a member of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

at some time in their lives and later disassociated from it. The following is a list of notable ex-Baháʼís who have either converted to another religion or philosophy, or became non-religious. Baháʼís who are not in good standing, having lost their administrative rights for some transgression, are not considered ex-Baháʼís.

Converted to Christianity

John Ford Coley John Ford Coley (born October 13, 1948) is an American singer, classically trained pianist, guitarist, actor, and author most known for his partnership in the musical duo England Dan & John Ford Coley. Early life Coley was born John Edward Coll ...

(born 1948) – American musician. * Francis Spataro – Became a follower of

Charles Mason Remey Charles Mason Remey (15 May 1874 – 4 February 1974) was a prominent member of the early American Baháʼí community, and served in several important administrative capacities. He is well-known for an attempted schism of 1960, in which he cla ...

. In the later years of his life, he became an archbishop of the Apostolic Episcopal Church and left the Baháʼí Faith altogether.

Converted to Islam

Abd al-Hosayn Ayati Abd al Ḥosayn Ayati (1871—1953) was an Iranian convert to the Baháʼí Faith, who later converted back to Islam and wrote several polemic works against his former religion. He was known among Baháʼí circles as Avarih and is regarded as an ...

(1871–1953) – Also known as Avarih. He spent 18 years as a Baháʼí travelling teacher and reverted to

Shia Islam Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, m ...

in 1921. *

Sobhi Fazl'ollah Mohtadi Fazl'ollah Mohtadi Sobhi (1897–1962) was an author, story-teller, and teacher in Iran and is considered as one of the most important researchers and collector of Iranian folk tales for children. He gained popularity as a story-teller through his ...

(1897–1962) – Secretary of 'Abdu'l Bahá, who was expelled after opposing the leadership of Shoghi Effendi and later joined a Shia-Sufi Order.

Others

Denis MacEoin Denis M. MacEoin (26 January 1949 – 6 June 2022) was a British academic, scholar and writer with a focus on Persian, Arabic and Islamic studies. He authored several academic books and articles, as well as many pieces of journalism. Since 2014 ...

(1949–2022) – British academic, Baháʼí from about 1966 to 1980, he departed after disagreements with Baháʼís, mostly due to his research. *

Alden Penner Alden Penner (born 12 January 1983) is a Canadian musician and producer best known for his work with the Unicorns, Clues, and for his solo output. Career The Unicorns (2000–05) In December 2000 Penner formed the Unicorns with Nicholas Thorb ...

(born 1983) – Canadian musician, left in 2013 after personal differences with other Baháʼís. *

Juan Cole John Ricardo Irfan "Juan" Cole (born October 23, 1952) is an American academic and commentator on the modern Middle East and South Asia. Dead link; no archive located. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University ...

(born 1952) – Having converted to the Baháʼí Faith in 1972, Juan Cole resigned in 1996 and became uninterested in organized religion. *

Ahmad Kasravi Ahmad Hokmabadi Tabrizi ( fa, سید احمد حکم‌آبادی تبریزی, Ahmad-e Hokmabadi-ye Tabrizi; 29 September 1890 – 11 March 1946), later known as Ahmad Kasravi ( fa, احمد کسروی, Ahmad-e Kasravi), was a pre-eminent Irani ...

(1890–1946) – Iranian lawyer and secular reformer, converted to the Baháʼí Faith and left it after a few years.

Notes

References

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:List of former Baha'is Baha'is, former *Lists

Converted to Christianity

Converted to Islam

Others

See also

Notes

References