How do you go about engaging with someone you might know who says that they are an atheist?
Whenever you deal with people who have serious contentions and confusion about the concept of God, and therefore they're entertaining, the idea there, they're discussing the idea. They're engaging with the idea of atheism, completely refusing belief in God altogether. Once again, more often than not, my experience has proven that intellectually and academically, it really becomes a circular argument. That's a conversation that really doesn't lead anywhere. People just make up their minds. And then they basically continue to argue with one another. What my experience has been is that a lot of times there's something there's been some type of inconsistency that that person has observed
in people claiming to follow religion that has led that person to the conclusion that I'd rather no longer engage with these particular types of content, these concepts, so what I advise to folks who might have friends, even family members, community, people who are either embracing the idea of atheism, or they're at least entertaining, the idea is that be very exemplary in your character with them, portray the best of character. Remember the people that would curse the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, the people that would attack the prophets, a lot of time he would forgive them, he would be kind to them, you'd be generous to them, he would be merciful to them. I was just reading a
Hadith, just actually today, where the Prophet salallahu alaihe salam says that there is nobody who is more patient in hearing something bad about themselves than God is. Why? Because there are human beings who actually claim terrible things about God, they claim he as a son, they deny, you know, believing in him, but he still feeds them and he still protects them. And so we have to channel some of that benevolence in our own character and just be on your best an exemplary character with them. So that inshallah, when they are open to the concept of believing again, they have a good person and a good frame of reference that they can always return back to
We may have friends, community members or even family members who do not believe in God. When the subject matter comes up discussing religion, it seems to always be a never-ending circle. We may not like or appreciate what they say and it can be hard to sit through without our emotions getting the best of us.
So what is the best way to engage with them?
Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda answers.