Andrew Tate Converts To Islam (Is He REALLY Muslim?)

Who is social media influencer Andrew Tate?

Andrew Tate, born Emory Andrew Tate III on December 1st 1986, is a well-known former kickboxer and British influencer who lives in Bucharest, Romania.

Originally from Luton, UK, the British-American kickboxer appeared on British reality show Big Brother in 2016. In 2022 Andrew became the most Googled person in the world and with his brother Tristan, became role models to an army of young men thanks to controversial videos primarily uploaded to TikTok and major social media platforms who gave him the nickname "Top G".

Last year in December 2022, controversial influencer Andrew Tate was accused of human trafficking in Romania and sentenced to prison, his first true battle against what he calls The Matrix. He served further time incarcerated at home and in August 2023 this house arrest was lifted.

Are Andrew Tate's parents Muslim?

Andrew Tate's father, Emory Andrew Tate, was an African-American International Chess Master. His mother Eileen is British and worked originally as a catering assistant. Due to the ethnicity of their parents, Andrew and his brother Tristan identify as mixed race.

Andrew Tate's parents have not identified as belonging to the Muslim communities and while Andrew's brother Tristan Tate has identified as a Christian, the personal beliefs of his parents are not clear.

When did Andrew Tate convert to Islam?

On popular YouTube channel One Islam Productions, Andrew Tate explained that yes, he did become Muslim and reverted to Islam and described the faith as "the last true religion" with pure intentions behind his reversion.

Before this, a video of Andrew Tate surfaced in October 2022 which showed Andrew Tate praying in a mosque in Dubai with a friend. This prayer video seemed to confirm Tate's embrace of Islam.

In December 2022, Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested. Upon his release, Tate publicly thanked God and many recent posts on various social media platforms contain references to the Holy Quran. Tate mentioned that in jail he regularly prayed to God and read the Quran which he considers a source of truth.

Andrew Tate's conversion hasn't shocked many in the Muslim community, given his prior appreciation of the faith and his sharing of Islamic views before he took shahada with renowned MMA fighter Tam Khan.

What do Muslim women think?

Andrew Tate's embracing of Islam has elicited varying responses from Muslim figures and social media accounts alike. Danzy, a content creator who discusses Islamic news on TikTok, expressed joy over Tate's conversion and reminded Muslims not to judge Tate based on his past, as Islam forgives all previous sins upon conversion.

However some question internet personality Andrew Tate and whether he truly has a good heart and whether this is simply a publicity stunt. They claim Tate still has misogynistic views and is the 'King of Toxic Masculinity' given many a video of Tate (reportedly taken out of context) where Tate jokes around disciplining women and how young women in the Western world today should show obedience to their men or husbands.

Muslim Twitter and mainstream media is always divided on the positive or negative impact on the successful entrepreneur Tate and point to stories from alleged rape victims, which Andrew is quick to point out on Tate's podcasts and YouTube videos that there have been no women that have come forward on the record with the same accusation.

What does Andrew Tate mean by the 'red pill'?

Javad Hashmi, a PhD Islamic Studies candidate, and Director of Research at Muslim Public Affairs Council, points out that many young Muslim men sought religious guidance from influential Muslim figures long before Tate's conversion. He believes that popular masculine figures like Tate tap into audiences that align with alt-right ideologies or 'red pill' culture. This 'red pill' ideology often involves rejection of feminism and liberal ideas, favouring instead strong masculine moral values.

Tate believes that this ideology is no different to what was taught by mainstream religions, like Islam & Christianity, hundreds of years ago. Despite him living in Romania, a Christian country, Tate believes there are still common themes which the Muslim world is getting right.

The debate surrounding Tate's conversion prompts a re-evaluation of the reasons why people are choosing to convert. Critics argue that some individuals are attracted to Islam because it seems to validate their pre-existing misogynistic views. They advise anyone genuinely intending to convert to Islam to seek closer sources of inspiration, such as local mosques or accessible scholars.

What's next for Andrew Tate?

As Tate starts his life post-prison, it remains uncertain whether his life will adhere more closely to Islamic principles and away from the drinking, gambling and sexual relationships he was previously known for.

What is clear is that Andrew Tate is now positioning himself as a self-help guru for young people. Through his YouTube channel, he acts as a success coach, encouraging young men to work hard, train and act with good family values.

However ultimately as Muslims we know that is only for Allah to judge and there are many supporting ahadith from the life of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) relating to the promise of Allah to show us mercy and forgiveness.

Ultimately all Muslims (Muslim men and Muslim women) strive to follow in the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), including now brother Andrew Tate.