Sinead O'Connor Has New Name, New Religion

She declares conversion to Islam
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 26, 2018 3:02 AM CDT
Sinead O'Connor Converts to Islam
In this Oct. 5, 2014 photo of Irish singer Sinead O'Connor performs during the Italian State RAI TV program "Che Tempo che Fa", in Milan, Italy.   (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni, File)

Another major life change for Sinead O'Connor: The Irish singer, who legally changed her name to Magda Davitt last year, now has another new name—and a new religion. "This is to announce that I am proud to have become a Muslim," she tweeted last week. "This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian’s journey. All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant. I will be given (another) new name. It will be Shuhada." She later tweeted a selfie of herself in a hijab, the AP reports.

On Thursday, Irish Imam Shaykh Dr Umar al-Qadri tweeted a video of the singer reciting the Muslim declaration of faith in the Islamic Center of Ireland, the BBC reports. "We pray that Allah grants her Peace in all aspects of this life and hereafter," he said in another tweet. "She has a truthful soul." O'Connor—who posted a video of herself singing the Islamic call to prayer on YouTube—has long had a complicated relationship with religion. In 1992, she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live. In 1999, she was ordained as a priest by a breakaway Catholic group and said she wished to be called Mother Bernadette Mary. (Years later, she explained why she ripped up the photo.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X