This man-turned-woman leads prayers in a Pakistani town (DP Exclusive)

NANKANA SAHIB – A female religious scholar in a Punjab village has turned into a man, now serving as an imam at a local mosque.

Naseem Tahira, the eldest of eight sisters, has now changed her name to Muhammad Abdullah.

Narrating the transformation story, Abdullah told Daily Pakistan that a few months ago, (s)he felt searing pain in his lower abdomen. The local doctor referred him to a Allied Hospital because it has better facilities to deal with such matters. He went through a series of operations until his transformation was complete.

As Naseem Tahira, Abdullah was already a hafiza and a religious scholar having completed the ‘alima fazila’ certification. Now he uses that knowledge to lead prayers at a local mosque near Nankana Sahib and even delivers the Friday sermon.

Abdullah’s father, Falak Sher, is overjoyed because he had always missed having a son and thanks God for providing one to him.

Abdullah says he is enjoying life as a man more because of the freedom he now has.

“Our family has always been religious and I did not have permission to go out alone. Now I can and I like this life better.”

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