دراسة في نشأة الإلحاد وأسباب انتشاره: تحليل تاريخي وفكري مع التركيز على العالم الإسلامي

A Study on the Origins of Atheism and the Causes of Its Spread: A Historical and Intellectual Analysis with a Focus on the Islamic World

Abstract

This study addresses the phenomenon of atheism by examining its definition, historical development, and the major factors contributing to its spread, with particular focus on the Islamic world. The research is divided into two main sections. The first section discusses atheism from a linguistic and terminological perspective, showing that its general meaning revolves around deviation and departure from the straight path, while its specific meaning refers to the denial of the existence of Allah. This denial may appear in explicit forms or indirectly through beliefs such as the eternity of the universe, the rejection of divine governance, or the claim that existence arose by chance without a Creator. The second section explores the origins and evolution of atheism, noting that it was not widespread in earlier centuries and was limited to small groups such as certain philosophers and materialists. However, atheism expanded notably in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries due to intellectual and ideological movements in the West, including communism, secularism, and other materialistic philosophies, as well as the historical conflict between the Church and scientific thought. The study further identifies the main reasons for the spread of atheism in Muslim societies, including neglect of religious knowledge, weak intellectual insight, psychological defeat before Western civilization, moral and social decline, and the influential role of media, the internet, and modern communication technologies. The research concludes by emphasizing the seriousness of atheism as an intellectual and social challenge and calls for educational reform, intellectual awareness, and the establishment of institutions dedicated to addressing and countering atheistic thought