Can one be an Islamic Atheist?

[Sha'irullah]

This came to mind after reading Ali Dashti and his book 23 Years.
Ali Dashti had a deep respect for Muhammad but was an atheist yet always confused his audience on his religious affiliation and faith. He praised and criticized Muhammad equally while also being loosely identified as a Muslim

Is it entirely illogical to practice a religion such as Islam while being an atheist? When I say practice a religion I mean to practice the religion without any pressure at all such as threats of violence.

 

[Riverwolf]

Calling oneself a Muslim requires belief in Allah. It's in the very definition of the term "Muslim".

So, no, I wouldn't call it appropriate to be an atheist and identify as a Muslim, at least not at this time.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Calling oneself a Muslim requires belief in Allah. It's in the very definition of the term "Muslim".

So, no, I wouldn't call it appropriate to be an atheist and identify as a Muslim, at least not at this time.

I have heard a couple of people profess to be Muslim Atheists before. Never made sense although I do understand the cultural aspects of Islam

 

[Breathe]

Calling oneself a Muslim requires belief in Allah. It's in the very definition of the term "Muslim".

So, no, I wouldn't call it appropriate to be an atheist and identify as a Muslim, at least not at this time.

This.
Sorry.

 

[LuisDantas]

This came to mind after reading Ali Dashti and his book 23 Years.
Ali Dashti had a deep respect for Muhammad but was an atheist yet always confused his audience on his religious affiliation and faith. He praised and criticized Muhammad equally while also being loosely identified as a Muslim

Is it entirely illogical to practice a religion such as Islam while being an atheist? When I say practice a religion I mean to practice the religion without any pressure at all such as threats of violence.

Yes. Islam, for better and IMO definitely for worse as well, makes no sense whatsoever without a belief in Allah's existence, wisdom and ability to communicate by way of the Quran.

 

[LuisDantas]

I have heard a couple of people profess to be Muslim Atheists before. Never made sense although I do understand the cultural aspects of Islam

It does not make sense, yet it is also understandable.

Islam at its core is about two different things, which it insists on presenting as being one and the same.

1. An unrelenting belief in God, its Prophets and the Quran.

2. Nurturing the desire to contribute to society's happiness and harmony by being well-behaved and obeying the central authority.

Most Muslims seem to have convinced themselves that the two things are one and the same to some degree or another. Yet they are not, and the first is simply impossible for many people.

It makes sense that some would realize that yet not necessarily reject the second. Although it must be a real pain, since they are most likely being pressured into confusing the two paths continuously.

It does not help that the second path is often productive, but sometimes disastrous as well, and Muslims are only rarely encouraged to realize when or even that they must notice the difference.

 

[Sees]

Maybe some form of Cultural-Muslim, Philosophical-Muslim, or something like Islam-Influenced ideology.

 

[George-ananda]

Can one be an Islamic Atheist?

I say 'No'. It's a contradiction in terms. Islam is 'surrender to Allah'.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Iranian newspapers reported his death in 1982. The Islamic revolution came in 1979. Perhaps by that time he was a spent force. There cannot be an Ali Dashti in Iran now, or in Saudi Arabia, or in United Arab Emirates, or in Pakistan, or in Indonesia, and not even in Bangladesh. Not in Nigeria too.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Can one be an Islamic Atheist?

I say 'No'. It's a contradiction in terms. Islam is 'surrender to Allah'.

I suppose if a person considered "Allah" to be the personification of a set of ideals, then he could surrender to it even if he didn't think that Allah had a literal, physical manifestation.

 

[Breathe]

I suppose if a person considered "Allah" to be the personification of a set of ideals, then he could surrender to it even if he didn't think that Allah had a literal, physical manifestation.

It wouldn't work; to do so would go against the Quran, hadith, the names of God, the belief in predestination and more.

 

[George-ananda]

I suppose if a person considered "Allah" to be the personification of a set of ideals, then he could surrender to it even if he didn't think that Allah had a literal, physical manifestation.

I would say that is not 'Allah' as it's universally defined. It is just calling something else 'Allah'.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I would say that is not 'Allah' as it's universally defined. It is just calling something else 'Allah'.

If "Allah" is universally defined, then this is news to me.

 

[George-ananda]

If "Allah" is universally defined, then this is news to me.

With you, no words I use ever seem to have a normal colloquial meaning I can use; Allah, materialism-physicalism, paranormal, God, etc..

Use should change your name to '9-10ths Eel'.

 

[LuisDantas]

From what I have learned in the last few months, it seems to me that there may well be many Islamic Atheists, but they will feel pressured into hiding their atheism.

Muslims apparently think of atheism as a moral handicap and feel that it is unfair and cruel to point out that any acquaintances might be atheists.

 

[columbus]

From what I have learned in the last few months, it seems to me that there may well be many Islamic Atheists, but they will feel pressured into hiding their atheism.

Muslims apparently think of atheism as a moral handicap and feel that it is unfair and cruel to point out that any acquaintances might be atheists.

Given the huge number of cultural Muslims, and the large numbers of good reasons to believe that Muhammad made it up, my guess is that there are more Islamic atheists than Orthodox Jews.

Since it is a big problem to be honest about your beliefs in primitive cultures like Islam, most people aren't going to be honest. It is a capital offense in most Islamic countries. But if only 1% of culturally Islamic people realised that Allah is a fictional character that's close to 20,000,000 people.

Yeah, there are millions of Islamic atheists. They just don't express their beliefs any more than Saudi people who believe in democracy or civil rights express theirs.

Tom

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

With you, no words I use ever seem to have a normal colloquial meaning I can use; Allah, materialism-physicalism, paranormal, God, etc..

Use should change your name to '9-10ths Eel'.

... or you could be more rigorous. But I agree: name-calling is easier.

Edit: we employ concepts for metaphors all the time. If there's a person whose appreciation of Allah is similar to how people generally appreciate "Mother Nature" who calls himself a Muslim, I'm not going to tell him that he's not really Muslim.

 

[Breathe]

I would say that is not 'Allah' as it's universally defined. It is just calling something else 'Allah'.

I'm going to agree with you, here. Allah has certain attributes and characteristics as defined in Islam: all-seeing, all-hearing, the judge, exalter, generous, kind, merciful reviver of the dead, he has messages, has messengers, sends angels, is the creator, the destroyer, punishes the wicked, rewards the righteous, and one can become closer to Allah through prayers, and be pushed away from him through worshipping other gods.

This doesn't really set itself up for anything but theism, or, at a stretch, deism. There are some panentheist Muslims, but they're a bit rare outside of Ismaili Islam and Sufism, it seems.

 

[George-ananda]

But I agree: name-calling is easier.

Name-calling implies a more serious intent than trying to illicit a passing chuckle. I hope you didn't take it wrong....

Anyway, I don't think there is any consensus that the word 'Allah' is not referring to a Supreme Being as it's presented in the Quran.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Name-calling implies a more serious intent than trying to illicit a passing chuckle. I hope you didn't take it wrong....

Anyway, I don't think there is any consensus that the word 'Allah' is not referring to a Supreme Being as it's presented in the Quran.

And I never suggested that it didn't refer to a supreme being. What I'm saying is that I see no reason that this supreme being must be appreciated literally as opposed to as some sort of metaphor.

IMO, submission to the ideals embodied in Allah can be considered a form of submission to Allah.