It has been and remains common to attribute the primary reasons behind the phenomenon of atheism, which is an ancient phenomenon, mainly to philosophical, intellectual, or moral roots. Some atheists experience doubt about the existence of a "god" who runs the universe after subjecting it to their limited reasoning. Others reject the guidance and instructions imposed by "God," and their atheism becomes an expression of rebellion against "God" Himself. They try to justify their stance intellectually by attributing deficiencies and attributes of weakness and cruelty to "God," ultimately legitimizing their atheism.
These motives, filled with doubts, have consistently been the reasons behind the majority of atheists. However, with the development of the concept of the state, a new wave of atheism has emerged recently, driven primarily by political motives. The continuous political developments, results of conflicts and wars, along with prevailing chaos and attempts to sever ties with pre-revolution cultural, social, and political patterns, have had clear impacts on faith convictions and doctrinal deviations among various segments exposed to a sort of shock.
Atheism and the "Arab Spring"
Until recently, Arab societies were not particularly concerned with atheism in general, let alone politically motivated atheism. The call for atheism and the atheist movement were significantly limited compared to other societies, especially Western ones. This lack of widespread atheism posed no real threat to Arab societies, which prided themselves on not suffering from the spiritual emptiness leading some to atheism in Europe, America, and other places. Moreover, Arab societies did not experience the struggle between the church and secularists opposing its dominance over everything. However, this did not prevent some institutions and advocacy figures in the Arab world from playing their role in refuting atheists' doubts and protecting the rest of society from confusion.
This state of doctrinal stability, if you will, in the Arab world was shaken following the eruption of the "Arab Spring" revolutions, a significant historical moment. This doctrinal stability was disrupted, especially among the youth, indicating the seriousness that necessitates attention and attempts at resolution.
Some researchers, including the Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville, believe that radical political transformations lead to deep social changes. He said, "After a revolution is complete, the revolutionary habits it left behind will remain in the nation for a long time, and deep social disturbances will follow the revolution." Therefore, according to some, the rise of atheism is a natural phenomenon, citing historical examples like what happened in Britain in 1886 after the atheist Charles Bradlaugh won parliamentary elections, significantly impacting the cultural foundation in Britain and making atheism part of the power structure. Similarly, in France, atheism was seen as a form of struggle against church tyranny, as described by Dr. Zeinab Abdel Aziz in her book "Atheism and Its Causes: The Dark History of the Church."
However, we cannot rationally accept these explanations as a reason for atheism in the Arab world. If the previous explanation applies to atheism in the West as a rebellion or struggle against church dominance, this does not apply to Islam, which has never aligned with tyranny or values that people might reject and revolt against. Any misconceptions about Islamic values or a predisposition towards atheism seized the opportunity to express themselves. More logically, the frustration over the failure of the Arab Spring revolutions serves as the political motive for some who turned to atheism. These individuals, unfortunately, believed that God—exalted is He above what they say—did not fulfill His promise and abandoned them despite their prayers, remembrance of God, and struggle. This reflected not only a lack of doctrinal stability but also a failure to understand the comprehensive nature of God's laws and ordinances, which cannot be taken piecemeal and are infallible.
Repression, Corruption, and Violence
While the previously mentioned causes are significant, the political motives for atheism in our world are not limited to "frustration." There are other reasons that drive various sectors towards doctrinal deviation, including:
The political utilization of religion by repressive regimes, using it as a tool to justify their oppression, and pushing some affiliated with the official religious institution to support and justify this tyranny and call for acceptance of it. This results in two hostile groups towards religion: secularists who call for excluding religion from public life and confining it to the mosque and worship practices, and a more extreme group that rejects religion entirely as a reaction.
There is also a type of regime that combines both practices, on one hand exercising tyranny and politically utilizing the religious institution to achieve its goals, and on the other hand adopting secularism as a method of governance, thus opening the door wide for negative stances towards religion.
The corruption of religious scholars and members of religious institutions, especially those aligned with the ruling regime and protected by the state, serves as another political motive for atheism. People with shallow religious culture fail to distinguish between the personal behavior of individuals, even if they are religious figures or hold scholarly degrees, and the religion itself. They confuse personal misconduct with religious teachings, resulting in a rejection and disdain for religion.
Moreover, some religious organizations and groups that have adopted armed violence as a method to achieve their goals, justifying their actions through any means and interpretations, also contribute to this trend. Some believe that the behavior of these groups represents the true religion and the teachings of God, which their minds refuse to accept. These organizations have thus opened the door for the deviation of some, who fail to see the broader community that rejects such extremist and deviant methods.
This examination of the political motives behind atheism identifies some roles for religious scholars in addressing this phenomenon:
- Efforts should be made to approach young people as much as possible, using all modern means to provide well-founded cultural and religious doses.
- It should be emphasized that divine promises are certain, but their fulfillment requires conditions, and the absence of some conditions implies the possibility of non-fulfillment. This can be illustrated with examples from the Prophet's time (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the battles of Uhud and Hunayn, or from history.
It is crucial to highlight the difference between personal behavior and religious values and that people are known by the truth, not the other way around. Hence, no individual is a proof against religion.
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