Seeking Strength When Family Turns Away After Reversion

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. May Allah ease the trials of all of us. I am going through a very difficult period and wanted to share my experience in hopes of gaining some perspective. My mental well-being feels overwhelmed, and I find it hard to openly discuss this. This is a lengthy story involving personal hardship, so feel free to read the summary at the end. Two years ago, I embraced Sunni Islam after leaving the Shia path. It took me another year to gather the courage to inform my parents. Since then, their reaction has caused me immense emotional pain. I want to clarify that this is not a criticism of the Shia community; I respect all Muslims and do not wish to spark any sectarian conflict. My parents do not represent all Shia Muslims, and I pray we learn to accept one another, something my parents struggle with. In recent months, I have shed more tears than I thought possible. My parents have subjected me to various forms of hardship — verbal and physical. They have expelled me from home, disowned me, then taken me back. Every Friday, we argue because I attend the Sunni mosque. During Ramadan, they have pressured me for breaking my fast earlier according to our differing timings of Maghrib. Now, I face an important step in my life: marriage. Please forgive my frankness, but since childhood I have longed for a spouse, due to early maturity and personal challenges. Now as an adult with some savings and understanding of life, I feel ready to marry. Recently, I met a sister, and after getting to know one another, we agreed we are a good match to propose to our parents. Her family has been supportive, but mine refuse even to speak with them. Their condition is that I must “find myself” first — meaning return to their sect — and that my wife must be Shia. I prefer to marry within my own Sunni path, but my parents cannot accept that, nor can they accept me. You might wonder, as a husband, why should their approval matter? I understand that the bride’s family desires a husband with a stable family environment, not someone whose parents reject him and won’t attend the wedding. Their opposition means I remain single unless they choose a spouse for me — something I cannot wait for. I have therefore decided to move out next month and begin a life independent of them. This decision deeply saddens me, but it is necessary for me to start a family, find peace with a spouse, and escape the emotional distress at home. I feel lonely and yearn for a partner with whom I can share life’s joys, talk at day’s end, and embark on adventures. Moving out is the step that will grant me freedom from their psychological pressure. My question is: how can I reconcile with the fact that my own parents, who raised me, have become my greatest challenge after Shaytan? They restrict my basic rights to practice my faith, live under their roof, and marry whom I choose. Despite all, I love them deeply and want to maintain that love. Yet my heart is heavy, and I fear they may manipulate me into returning after I move out. Summary: My parents’ rejection of my Sunni faith and refusal to support my marriage cause me great pain. How can I find peace with the loss of family support?