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Atheistic Movement in Bangladesh: Its Causes and Methods of Eradication, a Study from Islamic Perspective

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Atheistic Movement in Bangladesh: Its Causes and Methods of Eradication, a Study from Islamic Perspective ATHEISTIC MOVEMENT IN BANGLADESH: ITS CAUSES AND METHODS OF ERADICATION, A STUDY FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE Mohammad Abul Kalam Asst. Prof. & Head, Dept. of Da'wah & Islamic Studies International Islamic University Chittagong, Bangladesh. Abstract Atheism, as the concept goes, has a long history in the perspective of Bangladesh. Through historic struggle for independence for nine months Bangladesh become independent on 16 December1971.Though the spread of atheism was not so frequent during the Pakistani regime; it started gaining ground with the independence of Bangladesh under the shadow of secularism. Eventually different organizations under the connivance of the party in power ventured to spread the concept of atheism in the name of freedom of expression. It is a matter of frustration that atheism in the name of freedom of expression has gained momentum during the current regime. This demoralizes the very concept of freedom of expression thereby stigmatizing the purity and sanctity of Islam in the world in general and in Bangladesh in particular. However there exists scanty of research on the issue of reasons behind the growth and spread of atheism in Bangladesh. It is the objective of this paper to strike at the fundamental reasons for the spread of the concept of atheism in Bangladesh, its impact on the society at large from socio-religious and religious- economic point of view. It also examines the role of the government in power in the spread of atheism in Bangladesh. Finally this research attempts to render some suggestions to combat the spread of atheism in Bangladesh. Keywords: Atheism, Spread, Cause, Organization, combat. have dared to violate the basic spirit of freedom of 1. Introduction expression. A good number of people have The history of atheism dates back to many centuries. audaciously misused the sanctity of the right to More precisely, it can be said that atheism starts its freedom of expression and have tried to stigmatize journey with the very concept of oneness and the purity of Islam. Contemporary dailies publishes existence of Allah (swt) on this earth by the prophets articles, features and the like that contain elements of Islam in different ages. It fundamentally goes which constitute the offence of atheism. Particularly, against the very spirit of oneness and existence of the current regime has become the safe haven for the Allah (swt) (Tawheed). So the prophets and their atheists to carry out with their atheistic movement followers from time immemorial tried their best to dauntlessly. Through this efforts the atheists are eradicate the vicious root of atheism as it confronts enjoying blank cheque to endorse against Islam and the basics of Islam. This struggle and effort to wipe consequently the common people, people having out the venom of atheism by the scholars of Islam shallow knowledge in Islamic norms and principles still continue but it requires to be intensified. are getting ridiculed and perplexed with it. There Bangladesh is a Muslim majority country. Here, exits scanty of books and other scholarly publications atheistic movement started to go on with the in this field so as to make people understand about guarantee of the right of freedom of expression of the motto of the atheists and the atheistic movement. every citizen of Bangladesh under Article 39 of the As atheism diametrically stands against the basics of Constitution of it though its seed was sown long Islam, it is severely punishable though the followers before its independence. Be due to the connivance of of atheistic movements are rampantly doing this with or spare by the government of Bangladesh, many impunity in Bangladesh. In Islam, there is no way 147 open for an atheist to escape punishment. It is the Hadith for the purpose of atheism. In one occasion, in august objective this paper the strike at the causes of the Quran, Allah (swt) advises mankind to address atheism, its origin and gradual development in with any of the names which have been prescribed by Bangladesh, its multifarious forms and dimensions, Him. The Holy Quran reads: and the ways forward to combat this challenge to make pure and appropriate spread of Islam to every "For Allah, there are the most beautiful names. So, nook and corner of the world in general and in call Him by them, and leave those who deviate in (the Bangladesh in particular. matter of) His names". (Surah Al-A’raf: 180). (Usmani, P- 270). 2. Historical Background of Atheism The historians differ as to the origin of atheism In the opinion of Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaleqe, the particularly the time exactly when atheism came into expression Al-ilhad implies disbelief in the very play. They also could not reach in a consensus as to existence of Allah (swt), showing back to the right who are the real protagonists (Winfried Schroeder, way of Muslim community, clear denial to the 1998, Page: 15). Winfried Schroeder points out that existence of Resurrection, Heaven and Hell. It is history of atheism is tantamount to the history of synonymous with hedonism which is to enjoy the various religious departure from orthodoxy. earthly allurements. (Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaleqe Referring to the Hunter and Wootton, Winfried 1404H, P: 5). In the Arabic terminology, a person Schroeder says: who believes in Al-ilhad as opposed to theism is defined as Al-Mulhid synonymous with atheist. In The church critic Paolo Sarpi, the deist Jean Bodin, ordinary meaning an atheist is one who denies the the Jewish questioner of the authority of the Torah existence of God or Allah (swt). To Imam Al-Khidir and the immortality of the soul Uriel da Costa and the Hossain and Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaleqe an Al- strictly atheistic clandestine text Theophrastus Mulhid or an atheist is a person who is does injustice redivivus are all lumped together under the broad to his goal and is a distraught from the right path. In catch-all term 'atheism'. (Ibid. 22). the observation of Edward L. Queen, atheism is negates the existence of God (Edward L. Queen, However Hunter and Wootton's fusion of history of 1978, P: 167). Edwin R. A. Seligman very atheism with the history of some specific form sophistically points out the meaning of atheist in heterodoxy reveal the impression of ceaseless saying: continuity of atheism from the Reformation to the Enlightenment. On the otherhand, Lucien Febvre's Le In its narrowest sense the term atheist applies to one probleme de l'incroyance au XVIe siecle (1942), and who categorically denies the existence of any gods. Paul Oskar Kristeller's The Myth of Renaissance But in its wider sense it properly applies also to Atheism and the French Tradition of Free-Thought skeptics, materialists, positivists and all other who do (1968) represents a narrower concept of atheism. not accept the claims of theism — that the world was They distinguish direct questioning of the existence created or is governed by a person or persons having of God from blasphemy, heresy and anticlericalism the human traits of intelligence and will in more or and this considered to imply a more modern view less magnified form. Moreover, as people generally (Ibid.16). To them there was no existence of atheism do not discriminate between belief and conduct, the before the seventeenth century and during the term atheist has also been applied to those who refuse sixteenth century atheism was comprehended as a to participate in the customary forms of public personal accusation rather than a religious one. worship. Thus the Romans called the Jews and early Christians atheists because they did not pay the 3. Atheism Defined: customary honors to the sacra of the established The word ‘atheism’ corresponds to the Arabic imperial cult. ( Edwin R. A. Seligman, 1930, P: 292). expression ‘al-ilhad’ which means unbelief, godlessness. The very Arabic expression ‘al-ilhad’ It’s a denial to the metaphysical beliefs in God or has been frequently used in the Holy Quran and Holy spiritual beings. In the perspective of Islam, an al- 148 ilhad is one who is a disclaimer from the straight way basic objective of atheism is to convince people that (Ibn al Zaowzi, 1992, P: 145) and is also one distracts believing in God is nothing but remaining from something to something untruthful (Ibn Taymia, indifference from the worldly manner and it is P: 123). In the language of Imam Al-Khidir Hossain, nothing but to assume the life of a hermit. To an atheist is one who is disclaimer from (right) goal abnegate the existence of Allah (swt) and religion for (Md. Khidir Hossain, 1406H, P: 5). In its simplest disturbing human being from straight way to destroy form, atheism is a belief which strives to disbelieve there here and hereafter life is the objective of in the existence and oneness of Allah (swt) or of His atheism (Ibn Katheer, P: 95). Almightiness or of His Omnipotence. 5. Classification of Atheism 4. Objectives of Atheism Atheism has its different types and forms. It has The atheistic movement and thereby spread of taken various forms and shapes with the passage of atheism have some specific objectives though the time and following the geographical and political objectives are not fixed and listed. In the view of the variations. A humble effort to sum up the University of Cambridge, the objectives may be classification of atheism can be made as under: summed up as belief in God is not compatible with evolution, morality does not presuppose the existence of God, life is not meaningless without the existence of God, religion tends to subvert science etc. The (i). Intellectual Atheist/Agonist contemporary atheist backlash can be understood as Those who are interested in collecting information an attempt to achieve at least two social goals namely and intellectual stimulation about atheism fall under to guarantee the integrity and safety of science in this head.
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