How a Transgender Woman Found the Mahdi

"By the time I came out as a transwoman, I wasn't necessarily walking with God. I figured a God who would accept me was too good to be true." - Mariah Covey

Faith and identity don’t always seem to walk hand in hand—especially in a world where people are often forced to choose between who they are and what they believe. We at the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light say that God must have made a way to embrace both.

We spoke to Mariah Covey (37), a dear sister, companion, and transgender woman, to discuss this very issue. Mariah lives in the United States with her husband, Blayke, and their two daughters, Azina (12) and Sumayya (10). In this interview, we sit down with Mariah, whose path took unexpected turns—from questioning her place in the world to finding Islam and eventually pledging her allegiance to Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq.

Hers is a story of struggle, doubt, revelation, and ultimately, conviction—in the form of a pledge of allegiance. She opens up about what it was like to navigate faith as a transwoman, the challenges she faced, and the moment she knew she had found the truth. More than just a personal journey, this is a testament to the power of the message of the Riser Aba Al-Sadiq—proving that no one is beyond God’s reach. This is her story, in her own words.

Can you share a bit about your personal journey? What was your religious background growing up?

My personal journey… I remember when I was about seven years old, I told my mom, “Mom, I’m a girl.” But my mom said - "No… if God had wanted you to be a girl, He would have made you one.”

I was raised Christian. I used to go to church. My dad left, and I grew up with my mom. We would go to church every Sunday. It was just me and my brother growing up. We would go to church events, such as Easter, etc. My father was in the Air Force.

At a young age, at about 10 or so, my journey with God began. People would say strange things at church, things I wouldn’t really understand… The pastor would say, “Stay within the flock.” But he didn’t really seem to care about the sheep. I would see more than one sheep leave, but the shepherd would do nothing to get them back, even though Jesus said He would go out to find every lost sheep. They were not being good shepherds. That’s what I saw.

I was involved in youth programs. I believed in God, but not the way they were teaching it. I had an isolated feeling about the church. But the thing is, though, that I would still want to have conversations with God. I would try to talk to God. I knew He was there, I just didn’t like how the church was portraying Him. And then, when I was a teenager, I had a conversation with this friend of mine who was troubled by something. I asked him, “What’s bothering you?” And I remember he told me, “I’ll tell you, but don’t tell anyone.” Then he said, “I’m gay.” That’s when I started understanding—okay, there’s more to this. I learned to be kind to these people. But the people I trusted—the adults, the guardians, the church—they would say, “These people go to hellfire.” It just didn’t make sense to me. If someone loves someone, as long as they are not adulterous, why would they go to hellfire?

You mentioned that you became Muslim at one point in your life. Can you tell us how and why?

I converted to Islam at 24 years old. I would listen to lectures by Sunni scholars of Islam, who would be giving Dawa. I was living in a family shelter at the time, and I met a family there—a Muslim family from Somalia. I really felt at home with them. I felt welcomed by them; they were so kind, hospitable, and caring. I really loved them. This opened my heart to Islam and showed me what it could be like to be Muslim. I became Sunni… most of my Muslim friends were Sunni.

Can you share how it was for you, to discover your identity as a transgender woman and your path to faith?

I came out at 27 years of age. That’s when my friend Isabelle brought to my attention that there are people who are trans, people who are intersex, people born feeling a certain way—they are different, and there is a whole spectrum.

By the time I came out as a transwoman, I wasn't necessarily walking with God. I figured a God who would accept me was too good to be true. I was more agnostic, in the sense that I knew within me that there had to be a Creator - but religion? Religions out there like Christianity, Islam, etc., they weren’t really making sense to me. It wasn’t working. I said, “Okay, there must be a God, and I have to be a good person. That’s it.” That was what truth meant to me at the time.

Being around Muslims and being trans at the same time… I came across this article that the Holy Prophet Mohammed had eunuchs in his community of Muslims. He accepted trans people in his group, he allowed homosexuals, etc. But for some reason, Muslims today are totally against anyone like that. This was the hypocrisy I saw—the way Muslims are against it.

One day, I said to myself, “I can’t keep hiding. I can’t do this anymore.” And I came out. It was brave—I had to be brave—but it was stressful. I felt scared. And sure enough, all my friends, everyone who said they loved me, became my enemy.

But I clung to my belief in a Creator. I told God, “I know this image they paint of You isn’t You. It can’t be You.” God always knew my secret… He had always known me. But the others who claimed to be with God—I was scared of how they would react. I was crying, praying, saying to God, “I know the true Mohammed. If I was in front of Mohammed, he wouldn't just accept me—he would hug me, hold me, and say I’m welcome. What matters to God is what’s within, not the vessel. The body is just a vessel.”

That’s how I see Mohammed, the Holy Messenger… I wouldn’t wear a shirt that says “Mohammed loves gays”—I’d wear a shirt that says “Mohammed loves everyone.” And you know what makes me cry? That’s what makes me cry: It’s that Aba Al-Sadiq is exactly like Mohammed. It really is the same with Aba Al-Sadiq. He’s exactly like his great-grandfather Mohammed. We’re so blessed.

Was there a specific moment or event that made you start searching for a deeper truth?

I was a Sunni Muslim, and they were all praising the companions. Then I heard a Shia scholar talking about Omar, saying, “I’d never follow Omar or Abu Bakr or Othman.” That’s when I really started thinking about it. Before that, I was just going along with what I was hearing people say.

Around a year ago, I started looking up Shia Islam, and then suddenly, Aba Al-Sadiq’s videos popped up in my feed. That’s what really started waking me up to life having a deeper meaning than just what we see in Islam, Christianity, Judaism, etc. People forgot the truth. They forgot it a long time ago. Even I did.

What was it about the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light that resonated with you?

What resonated with me was that Aba Al-Sadiq is just so heartwarming, so caring, so compassionate. At first, I didn’t want to believe it since people like that usually end up being deceptive, and they hurt other people. I became a Muslim, then a Mormon, and I almost became a Jehovah’s Witness. But again, these paths were just not making any sense to me.

What stuck out to me about this religion, however, were the qualities of Aba Al-Sadiq. Every person I met in my life showed me that they meant well, but they were the first to judge me, to condemn, to stick the dagger in further. They were the first to want to march with your head on a spear in the streets. But Aba Al-Sadiq—he really is just different. Those prophets in the books that we used to read about, in the scriptures—he’s from them. He’s their messenger.

What these Muslims did is bizarre. They managed to convince themselves and others that God would never send another messenger—that the world is forever doomed. But how could God do that to us? God would never leave a true believer in the dark.

Were there any challenges you faced from your family, friends, or community when you embraced this path?

My family has been supportive. When I first believed, my mom and daughters were on board, and my husband, Blayke, too. Honestly, my daughters were hesitant at first, but now they’re fully on board. One of my daughters said recently, about us becoming part of the Community of the Qaim, “Mom, I have a really good feeling about this, a funny, tingly feeling in my stomach.” She said she believes and that even if people may not see him as the Imam of our time, they still have to see him as a humble man who loves God. Because that’s what he is.

Have you found support and acceptance within the community of believers? How has that impacted you?

When I reached out, the community of believers was very supportive. Including believers in different countries that I reached out to, like Tazeem from New York, Thamina (United Kingdom), Valerie (United States), Jafary (Zambia), and others. We had some great conversations. I’m thankful for their support, and the Outreach Team, of course. I was blessed to get to talk to you all.

Do you have a message of inspiration for others that may be in similar shoes?

Do not give up. Keep praying. God is bigger than the scholars. A lot of people, when they have questions about religion, think to themselves, “What would the scholars say?” Know that Allah is bigger and knows more than scholars could ever dream of knowing. Do not give up on wanting community or change. It’s around the corner.

Anyone who says you're trying to look for God but you can’t find Him because of your sexual identity, is lying. I feel like it’s weird how people who aren’t gay or trans themselves are so interested and invested in what’s going on in your bedroom. Ignore those people. Ignore those people. Ignore those people. Because they would betray their own prophet. If Moses, Jesus, or Mohammed came back, these same three groups would kill them. The Christians would crucify Jesus. The Muslims would chase down and exile Mohammed. Don't believe these men. There is hope. There is a messenger. I believe the only reason the Muslims said he's the last prophet was because they thought they could outsmart God, but they couldn't.

If you could speak to your past self, before you found this path, what would you tell her?

I’d tell her hey, for one, you don't have to be this boy anymore. Two, God does love you. And three, stop trying to appease religious people, they don't care. Don’t trust these religious people.

I would say, there’s a person coming. I know you don't believe me, but hold on. Someone’s coming. Be patient. Do some research so you can know. Aba Al-Sadiq is coming and he will find you.

Who is Aba Al-Sadiq to you? How would you describe him to others?

He’s kind, compassionate, he actually cares about humanity. He’s fearless. I've seen him. I’ve seen him look into the eyes of the scholars and say, "I’m right here. Stop doing this, stop throwing my followers into prison." He is a parent. He’s a good father. He is a real man. That’s what a real man looks like. Someone willing to stand up for their community. Someone who defends his women. A brother and a father to the women. A man who defends and protects the children. Someone who plays with them and encourages laughter.

With Allah and Aba Al-Sadiq, and my brothers and sisters in faith, I am strong. And by the strength of Aba Al-Sadiq’s humanity, I am strong. His smile is heartwarming and comforting. His smile can make me smile, even if I'm having a bad day. It equals a thousand suns.

Do you have a message you would like to share with the world?

For those abandoned, and longing for a home, you don't have to be alone anymore. Even if your family, friends, religion, or community have turned their backs on you. I’m here to testify with not just my soul and mind, but my heart as well, that a messenger has come again, and this proves to us that Allah does not leave His true people, the people that He loves, alone.

With this calling will come great responsibility and great willpower. This is something I want to say to the world. I am seeing the same thing play out today that Mohammed had to deal with 1400-plus years ago. And if you don’t think history will repeat itself, look at the stories of old. They are different, but similar. God sends a punishment when hypocrisy is exposed. God destroyed the people of Lot, and the same God destroyed the ones who attacked Prophet Mohammed. Don’t think for a second that God won’t defend His new messenger and the people that support him. Just like in the case of Noah, when the flood came and the doors closed, and God said, "O Noah, he is not your true son, only the righteous will enter the Ark."

If you hear about this man, please save your own selves and come to him. Please, if you don’t believe in him, at least read, listen with an open heart, and be as unbiased as you can, because if there is going to be destruction on earth, Allah always sends a messenger first. It’s time to wake up and realize that Allah did it again. He’s the God of yesterday, the same God today, and the same God tomorrow.

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I listened to Mariah’s words, hearing her voice catch as she spoke through tears—tears of sincerity, faith, and genuine belief. She is a someone who knows that God never abandoned her. Holding firm to a teaching of the Mahdi that states, “God never misguides His sincere servants,” is what saved Mariah and brought her from darkness into light. Mariah now lives to spread the Call of the Mahdi, and she knows that God is with her. After all, she found His chosen vicegerent, the Imam of the time, the Riser, Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq. His door is truly open to one and all. And many are walking through.

“We actively want them to come. I really hope that we have all kinds of people enter into the call from the LGBTQ community, and I hope that this is one of those things that we become known for. I am proud. Other people shy away from this. Other people are ashamed of this. Other people don't want to be associated with this. I want to be known and associated with our doors being open for them and for everybody else on the face of the planet.” - The Riser Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq