What is Atheism

The antithesis ( direct opposite) of Tauhid is atheism and polytheism. Atheism is a belief that God does not exist.

There are many people in the world who believe without any solid knowledge that sun, stars, planets, earth, humans, animals, plants and billions and trillions of other marvelous things, have come into existence by accident i.e. by themselves and without any creator. All such people are called Kafirs (atheists).

Anyone whether a top scientist, a great scholar or a highly learned person who does not believe in the existence of God is not a wise man. Quran calls such educated people who refuse to accept the clear signs of God as the donkey laden with books (62:5).

The Holy Quran also confirms that such people, even if they have made great contributions in science and technology, are the great losers.

“The works of those who reject their Lord may be compared to ashes which the wind whips around on a stormy day. They can not do a thing with anything they have earned. That is the extreme failure.” (14:18)

Quran further evaluates the worth of their works.

“Those who disbelieve will find their deeds (scientific achievements) will disappear like a mirage in a desert, the thirsty traveler thinks it as water, but when he comes near, he finds that it is nothing. Yet he finds Allah there, who pays him back in full. Allah is prompt in accounting” (24:39)

“Or like darkness on a deep sea: one wave cover up another wave, above which are clouds, layers of darkness, one above the other: when he holds his hands, he can hardly see it. If Allah refuses light to anyone, there is no way he can find light. (24:40)

“But those who are disbelievers, Allah will render their deeds astray”. (47:8)

Atheists, or Kafirs (unbelievers) are of two kinds.

• Those who know the fact or can easily ascertain it from their acquired knowledge, but deliberately refuse to accept. They understand the truth but determinedly reject it because of their personal reasons. In other words, they know the truth but they hide it to an extent as if they don’t know. A large number of people such as Firaun (Pharoh), Namrud, Abu Jahal, Abu sufian, Abu Lahab, and many world top scientists and educated people are atheists of this kind. To all these people, truth was revealed to them, but they rejected it out of their arrogance and hatred. Such people are real Kafirs and are the permanent residents of Jahannum.

• The second kind of atheists (Kafirs) are those who are ignorant people. The cause of their ignorance is either their too much involvement in the worldly things or their extremely inattentive nature. Such heedless people view everything with blind eyes and never conclude the truth. A large number of learned non-Muslims and many illiterate Muslims fall in this category of Kafirs.

Atheism conflicts with many of the world’s major religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism etc. Confucianism, and Buddhism are atheistic religions.