“I was an atheist:” Honey Singh opens up about his encounter with Islam

Bollywood rapper and singer Yo Yo Honey Singh opened up about his encounter with Islam during his atheist phase, revealing that he reverted to religion a few years ago.

The Brown Rang singer recently appeared in an interview where he candidly shared insights into the different phases of his life that led to a profound transformation in him as a person.

Singh revealed that during his transition from atheism to embracing religion, he explored various faiths, including Islam.

Recalling one such phase in his life, he mentioned that he stopped believing in Sikhism at the age of 13 and embraced atheism.

His encounter with Islam began in 2011 when he moved to the Indian city of Mohali. “I was not a singer or famous, but I used to produce music,” he said.

“I was introduced to Islam when I was an atheist, and it’s a very remarkable story. I gained knowledge about Islam through Muslim ascetics and sufis,“ the Desi Kalakar singer said.

“I learned about Prophet Musa (AS), Prophet Isa (AS), Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and their roles in the Quran and Islam,” he continued.

Honey Singh furthered on, “I would listen to these ascetics, and it was always a peculiar experience to sit with Muslim ascetics. I wasn’t popular at that time, but people would wonder why those ascetics were talking to me.”

“I used to ask them (the Sufis) very tough questions about Islam, and they answered everything,” he added.

The hip-hop artist did not go into detail about how his encounter with Islam affected him, but he shared that he grew more reckless in his life after gaining fame, which he now regrets.

“After 2011 and 2012, when I rose to popularity and became famous as a singer, I started glorifying satanic powers instead of being grateful to God.”

Honey Singh explained “being satanic” as “disrespecting God and promoting evil things in life,” He admitted to having once followed this path but now recognises it as a mistake.

“Even my songs sound satanic to me now,” he said, adding that he despises his previous songs because they reflect how he had deteriorated as a person.

The vocalist disclosed that he returned to religion in 2018 and experienced a profound inner transformation, but the process was filled with challenges, including struggles with mental health and alcohol addiction, which he eventually overcame.