How to deal with a strictly religious friend?

I have a group of friends that are Muslim and I am non Muslim. In all honesty, some of them are the nicest, kindest and most humble people I’ve been friends with apart from one who is unfortunately the odd one out. She has strong or should I say she takes her religious views to the extreme and has a horrible personality. She is quiet judgemental and criticise me whenever I’ve done something that she deems wrong or ‘haram’ in their religion.

For example, when we went out to eat fish and chips, halal fish can be ordered, so we all did that and I wanted some gravy with mine, and she asked me what is it, subtly hinting me that I shouldn’t order it, I guess she couldn’t say it infront of the waiter but later told me that it is haram. I have felt hurt because it is as though I should be following what they do if I was to go with them. It is becoming annoying as she thinks everything I do is wrong. There are other examples where I feel like she is imposing her religion onto me and sometimes I had felt like I’ve been bullied. I really want to confront her because I believe that a true believer of god or allah in her case is someone who is loving, kind and nonjudgemental, who loves everyone as everyone is creation of god.

How should I deal with this? Should I just accept it and keep silent since Im in their circle of friends? I want to confront her but not fall out. What should I say?

I’m not saying you should do this but if I were you I would 100% go down the troll route if I’m honest. So I wouldn’t confront her but I’d do even more of what she was saying was haram. So I’d order even more gravy with my fish and chips and messily dip the fish in it right in front of her. And it would be so delicious and when chewing I’d say “thank you God so so much for spending loads of time crafting the perfect creation of gravy, I’m so grateful this was an idea you loved and came up with and sent to the world.”

Avoid all direct interaction and involvement with the person with a horrible personality.
She is a rotten apple and not worth any of your time or emotion.

She sounds really insufferable tbh. I think you should stand up to her in a polite way. So for example when she says something like “it’s haram” to you you should reply “no, I’m not Muslim so this is halal for me. It’s fine if you don’t agree with it but please stop forcing your religion onto me.”

im sorry to hear this. im muslim myself and this isn't how someone who is muslim should behave. islam is a very loving and peaceful religion and people who have doubts about it because of how others act should actually learn about islam and find that it is a very peaceful religion. what this friend of yours is doing is wrong. and like what londonmyst said, stay away from her

yeah i agree with all, you should confront her this isn't how a person should act if their religions are different. you could also talk to your friends in that group and tell them how you feel, im sure one of them could help you with the confrontation if that is what your also worried about.

Hiya, yeah as a Muslim she isn't allowed to impose on you like that.
you need to let her know what she's doing makes you feel uncomfortable and she shouldn't worry about you like that because your belief is yours and hers is hers. I'd only understand her telling you what to do/ not to do when you're literally about to commit a crime she's gonna be witness to.

You should talk to 1 or more of the other friends and ask if they'll help you talk to her or what they think of the situation.

But the bottom line is, she can't police you and hold you to religious standards when you aren't a part of the faith.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it!


I think this would be quiet hard to do as we are all in the same group, we hang out together almost everyday. That’s why I might need to confront her privately and tell her how I feel. But I don’t know how to go about it without falling out and causing tension or divide within our group.


Thank you for your reply! Yeah I think she is taking her religion too extreme. She might even think that being friends with me, a nonmuslim, is haram, that’s why she tries to always criticise me when I’ve done something ‘haram’ so she’s not associated with anything haram.


I agree! Islam is a peaceful religion. I have met the kindest and pure hearted people that are Muslim. The rest of the group are very nice, they always invite me and welcome me to their homes. I don’t know how to stay away from her because we are all in the same group.



I don’t want to tell the others in the group because I feel like it’s going to cause a rift or divide within the group so I want to keep it just between us two and just see how it goes and then consider involving the others. I’m not too sure how she will react when I try confront her and tell her how I feel.


Thank you for your reply! I’m quite respectful of other’s religion so when she says something is haram, I won’t do it so to not offend her. But it is getting too much when she criticises me even for the littlest thing.

Thank you all for your replies!