How should a Muslim parent handle a child leaving Islam according to the Quran?
I’m a non-Muslim woman and I was talking with a Muslim man about how we’d raise kids if we were married. When we first met, he wasn’t really practicing his faith-he didn’t pray much, ate whatever, and had past relationships. But lately, he’s become very committed to Islam, which I totally respect. I’d even go with him to the mosque and find halal places to eat, no problem. The issue came up when we discussed our future children. He said that if one of our kids left Islam as an adult, he’d kind of distance himself from them. He’d still help if they were in real trouble, but a normal close relationship would be off the table. He also said a daughter would have to marry a Muslim man, and if she didn’t, he wouldn’t support the marriage or even go to her wedding. I’m just trying to understand: Is there something in the Quran that tells a Muslim parent to pull away from a child who leaves Islam? I’ve been reading the Quran and some explanations, but I’m not super knowledgeable. I’m finding verses that seem to say different things. For instance, Quran 31:15 tells Muslims to be kind and fair to non-Muslim parents, so I wonder about the reverse situation. Quran 47:22-23 really condemns cutting family ties. But then Quran 58:22 talks about believers not having affection for those who oppose Allah, even if they’re family, and some scholars interpret that as keeping distance. I’m confused if there’s a difference between disliking a family member’s decision to leave Islam and actually cutting them off emotionally. Could a parent still have a loving bond with their child while not agreeing with their choice? Just trying to wrap my head around his view and what Islam really says.