169:
with death it is unethical to support capital punishment for non-religious individuals. And although the Quran does not state exactly how apostasy should be punished, it has historically been debated among the
Islamic communities. Scholars Rudolph Peters and Gret J.J. De Vries document that some, like the Hanafite lawyers, did argue that under the penal law an Imam should execute the apostate by a sword; meanwhile women and children have been seen as uniformly by the community as the exceptions to execution.
141:, from Egypt, is a new atheist who utilizes social media platforms to vocalize atheism. An Egyptian newspaper Al-Sabah claimed 3 million of Egypt's 84 million population have no religion, citing an unnamed US survey but no such survey exists. However, the exact number of apostates or atheists in Egypt has not been accurately measured, and the validity of this estimate has not been proven.
115:, or of other form of irreligious identity have been challenging for researchers to discover. In one report by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, atheists residing in Kurdish region of Iraq also have difficulties expressing their disbelief publicly—despite the Kurdish government generally considered to be secular.
224:
In 2010, a Pew
Research study found that in Jordan and Egypt, where 58 percent and 74 percent respectively believe that Sharia law should be imposed on both Muslim and non-Muslim citizens of their nation, had a high number of people who believe in the death penalty for those who abandon their Islamic
168:
Meanwhile, some scholars have been opposing the death penalty for apostasy in the
Islamic realm. Writers Abdullah Saeed and Hassan Saeed published a book claiming the history and fundamentals of Islam support freedom of religion, and that since the Quran does not explicitly state to punish apostasy
213:
In another aspect of BBC News' survey conducted by Arab
Barometer in 2013, which was shortly after the Arab Spring, Lebanese citizens have significantly declined in religious beliefs. According to a summary by Arab Weekly, the survey indicates that less than 25 percent of Lebanese identify as
209:
showed the percentage of people who identify as religious, with the highest being 96, Iraq came in at 88 and Saudi Arabia at 75. Meanwhile, the Global
Atheism Index for the same year shows the percent of self-identified atheist in Iraq at 0 and in Saudi Arabia at 5. In comparison, the Global
104:
and irreligious citizens. In a BBC News article that highlights a recent Arab
Barometer survey on Middle East and North African citizens, Egypt was shown to have a comparatively significant increase in the proportion of people who say they are not actively religious from 2013 to 2019.
225:
faith. The study found 86 percent of
Egyptians, 82 percent Jordanians, as well as 66 percent from Palestinian Territory surveyed citizens support capital punishment for apostates; also 46 percent Lebanese and 42 percent Iraqis agreed to the capital punishment.
53:
dominates public and private life in most Middle East countries. Nonetheless, there reside small numbers of irreligious individuals within those countries who often face serious formal and, in some cases, informal legal and social consequences.
127:. This organization essentially retaliates against religious institutions by claiming they are violent and unnecessary, though some argue that they are mostly criticizing the Islamic faith and community. The new atheism popularly rose from the
164:
Though persecution of blasphemous atheists are often carried out by law in the Middle East, some states like Turkey and
Lebanon do allow atheists to live rather safely though withstanding any promise of legal form of safety.
161:. In one report by the International Humanists, in Article 121 of Iranian law, homosexuality is punishable up to death for a non-Muslim subject, while the Muslim active party is punished through 100 lashes.
438:
100:, at 0.8%. Despite the relatively low number of publicly atheist individuals in the Middle East, some media platforms have claimed that the Middle East is witnessing a new rise of outspoken
177:
Though still uncommon, public acknowledgement of atheism is widely considered to be growing in the Middle East. Though data on how prevalent atheism is can be difficult to measure where
659:
787:
327:
Iraqi architect, photographer, author and activist. He is admired as the greatest modern architect of Iraq, and taught at the
Baghdad School of Architecture for many years.
478:
Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, Edited and
Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller (p. 595) and Ahmad ibn Naqib al-Misri, Edited and Translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller (p. 508, o1.1-2)
531:
96:, fewer than 0.5% of those surveyed self-defined themselves as atheists; meanwhile, the highest percentage of self-defined atheists within the Middle East was in
397:
932:
474:
The Risala of 'Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd al-Qayrawani A Treatise on Maliki Fiqh (Including commentary from ath-Thamr ad-Dani by al-Azhari)(310/922 - 386/996)
267:
Argentine lawyer and academic. Emeritus Professor at the University of Buenos Aires and Minister of the Supreme Court (of Syrian and Lebanese descent)
462:
Mayer, Ann Elizabeth. "Law and Religion in the Muslim Middle East." The American Journal of Comparative Law, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Winter, 1987), pp. 127-184
76:
in court punish non-believers in varying ways, however, many non-Muslims and even some Muslims argue that these punishments are barbaric and inhumane.
69:
on the matter but many scholars today argue that this punishment should not be implemented as it related to treason in the past and does not anymore.
766:
261:
Iranian-Dutch professor of law, philosopher, poet, and critic of political Islam. He is an expert in international public law and philosophy of law
801:
65:(a specific criminal punishment) for apostasy. Muslim scholars have traditionally believed that it should be penalized with execution as per the
987:
402:
189:
in recent years, despite residing in heavily religious societies. The Web and the Internet have been a popular tool where more than 50 atheist
880:
849:
108:
Some of these citizens who come from a state with severe punishments for atheists, like the death penalty, have reported to living in fear.
279:
Contemporary Iranian poet and satirist. Since 1979, he has been the editor and writer of the Persian-language satirical journal Asghar Agha
546:"IRQ105624.E Iraq: Information on the treatment of atheists and apostates by society and authorities in Erbil; state protection available"
957:
734:
997:
992:
182:
333:
Iraqi-Israeli author, first in Israel to call for the creation of an independent Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel.
606:
221:(8%), a large fraction (22.2%) identifying as not following an organized religion and only 40% self-identifying as Muslims.
724:
Peters, Rudolph and Gret J.J. De Vries. "Apostasy in Islam."Die Welt des Islams, Vol. 17, Issue 1/4 (1976-1977), pp. 1-25.
417:
412:
357:
Writer, novelist and sociologist with Swiss and Iraqi nationalities, was born in Baghdad and resides currently in Geneva.
572:
41:
are rarely public about their lack of belief, as they are persecuted in many countries where they are classified as
135:
attacks and widespread coverage on Islamic extremists, and it found a number of followers within the Middle East.
315:
Iraqi-born satirist, human-rights activist and writer who was admitted to the United States as a refugee in 2013.
138:
942:
905:
825:
178:
595:
KHALIL, MOHAMMAD HASSAN. "Jihad, Radicalism, and the New Atheism." New York: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
150:
243:
Ex-Muslim atheist and secular activist, author, podcaster and vlogger including founder of Atheist Republic
273:
Belgian-born Iranian-American author, teacher, transhumanist philosopher, futurist, consultant and athlete
17:
683:
217:
A 2020 Online Survey by Gamaan found a much larger percentage of Iranians identifying as atheist (8.8%),
342:
312:
715:
Saeed, Abdullah and Hassan Saeed. Freedom of Religion,"Apostasy and Islam." New York: Routledge, 2004.
802:"Win-Gallup International Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism-2012 | PDF | Irreligion | Atheism"
439:"Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents"
407:
857:
249:
Iranian female communist revolutionaries, and is a member of the Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas
525:
360:
372:
123:
One of the rising form of non-religious sectors within the Middle East have been labeled as the
781:
630:
318:
181:
may obscure survey answers, there have been attempts to record potential trends. Youth in the
158:
378:
375:
Lebanese-American professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus.
336:
206:
154:
706:"No God, Not Even Allah; Atheists and Islam." The Economist Nov 24 2012: 67, n/a. ProQuest.
505:
Becky Dale, Irene de la Torre Arenas, Clara Guibourg, and Tom de Castella (23 June 2019).
252:
246:
234:
660:"Majorities of Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan support the death penalty for leaving Islam"
193:
groups and pages, some with more than 8,000 followers, have formed especially since the
937:
366:
348:
324:
306:
294:
288:
276:
506:
981:
282:
258:
545:
384:
330:
309:
Iranian writer, translator and intellectual, Best known for his novel The Blind Owl
240:
124:
111:
Regardless, transparent data on how many citizens in the Middle East are atheists,
291:
British-Iranian secularist and human rights activist, commentator, and broadcaster
255:
Philosopher, writer, scholar and a former philosophy lecturer at Tehran University
354:
264:
218:
194:
46:
38:
754:
345:
prominent Iraqi poet and philosopher, known for his defence of women's rights.
300:
73:
84:
In the World Values Survey conducted from 2010 to 2014, results show that in
881:"Iran's secular shift: new survey reveals huge changes in religious beliefs"
507:"The Arab world in seven charts: Are Arabs turning their backs on religion?"
42:
190:
186:
112:
61:
condemns the practice, it does not explicitly criminalize or pronounce a
826:"Poll describes Arabs as moving away from religion, Islamism | AW staff"
369:
Lebanese author, public speaker, journalist and women's rights activist.
270:
101:
34:
97:
89:
66:
735:"Is Gulf youth increasingly drawn to atheism? | The National"
387:
Lebanese composer, pianist, playwright, and political commentator.
85:
58:
50:
132:
128:
93:
62:
769:. Huffingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-20
351:
Iraqi-British theoretical physicist, author and broadcaster.
850:"IRANIANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD RELIGION: A 2020 SURVEY REPORT"
210:
Distribution of self-identified atheist was at 13 percent.
297:
Early skeptic of Islam and a critic of religion in general
962:
Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project
185:
have increasingly been expressing their atheism on the
27:
Secularism and the Gradual Religious Disenfranchisement
214:
religious, but it is not clear how many are atheists.
958:"The World's Muslims: Religion, Politics and Society"
495:
Yearbook of International Religious Demography, 2015.
205:
In a 2012 Global Religious based survey conducted by
906:"Iranians have lost their faith according to survey"
767:"Arab Atheists, Though Few, Inch Out Of The Shadows"
486:
By Imam Muwaffaq Ibn Qudama (A.H. 541-620), page 309
339:
Iraqi scholar of religion and ancient civilisations.
321:
Poet of the late Umayyad and early Abbasid periods.
229:
List of notable non-religious Middle Eastern people
33:is the lack of religion in the Middle East. Though
653:
651:
631:"Egypt: Are there really three million atheists?"
933:"Middle East: Are people losing their religion?"
786:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
482:Shaybani's Siyar (The Islamic law of nations)
285:Iranian actor, musician, singer and songwriter
45:, there are some atheist organizations in the
8:
755:https://www.facebook.com/atheistsgotoheaven/
530:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
398:Persecution of atheists in Islamic countries
57:In terms of atheism and apostasy, while the
237:Yemeni politician, journalist, and writer.
18:Persecution of atheists in the Middle East
607:"Meet The Middle East's Atheist Preacher"
363:, a famous Wahhabi scholar who left Islam
72:Middle Eastern nations with some form of
856:(in Persian). 2020-09-11. Archived from
854:گَمان - گروه مطالعات افکارسنجی ایرانیان
573:"The irrational hatred of new atheists"
429:
159:death penalty for those who leave Islam
779:
523:
403:Freedom of religion in the Middle East
931:Holleis, Jennifer (4 February 2021).
381:Lebanese-American painter and writer.
7:
879:Maleki, Ammar; Arab, Pooyan Tamimi.
550:United States Department of Justice
303:Iranian-Austrian political activist
153:in the Middle East. 88 percent of
25:
956:Wormald, Benjamin (2013-04-30).
605:Youssef, Nancy A. (2015-06-28).
437:Withnall, Adam (1 April 2014).
1:
988:Irreligion in the Middle East
418:Secularism in the Middle East
413:Middle East and globalization
31:Irreligion in the Middle East
737:. Thenational.ae. 2012-08-19
145:Persecution of non-believers
151:atheists suffer persecution
1014:
658:Fisher, Max (2013-05-01).
157:reportedly approve of the
119:Rise of the "New Atheists"
688:Freedom of Thought Report
179:social desirability bias
149:Like other non-Muslims,
998:Persecution of atheists
993:Persecution by Muslims
183:Persian Gulf countries
343:Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi
313:Faisal Saeed Al Mutar
945:on 27 February 2021.
664:The Washington Post
408:Islam and modernity
910:Iran International
552:. 2 September 2016
361:Abdullah al-Qasemi
577:www.aljazeera.com
319:Bashshar ibn Burd
16:(Redirected from
1005:
972:
971:
969:
968:
953:
947:
946:
941:. Archived from
928:
922:
921:
919:
917:
902:
896:
895:
893:
891:
885:The Conversation
876:
870:
869:
867:
865:
846:
840:
839:
837:
836:
822:
816:
815:
813:
812:
798:
792:
791:
785:
777:
775:
774:
763:
757:
752:
746:
745:
743:
742:
731:
725:
722:
716:
713:
707:
704:
698:
697:
695:
694:
680:
674:
673:
671:
670:
655:
646:
645:
643:
642:
627:
621:
620:
618:
617:
602:
596:
593:
587:
586:
584:
583:
568:
562:
561:
559:
557:
542:
536:
535:
529:
521:
519:
517:
502:
496:
493:
487:
469:
463:
460:
454:
453:
451:
449:
434:
379:Rabih Alameddine
337:Khazal Al Majidi
155:Muslims in Egypt
21:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1007:
1006:
1004:
1003:
1002:
978:
977:
976:
975:
966:
964:
955:
954:
950:
930:
929:
925:
915:
913:
904:
903:
899:
889:
887:
878:
877:
873:
863:
861:
848:
847:
843:
834:
832:
824:
823:
819:
810:
808:
800:
799:
795:
778:
772:
770:
765:
764:
760:
753:
749:
740:
738:
733:
732:
728:
723:
719:
714:
710:
705:
701:
692:
690:
682:
681:
677:
668:
666:
657:
656:
649:
640:
638:
629:
628:
624:
615:
613:
611:The Daily Beast
604:
603:
599:
594:
590:
581:
579:
571:Khader, Jamil.
570:
569:
565:
555:
553:
544:
543:
539:
522:
515:
513:
504:
503:
499:
494:
490:
470:
466:
461:
457:
447:
445:
443:The Independent
436:
435:
431:
426:
394:
373:As'ad AbuKhalil
253:Aramesh Dustdar
247:Ashraf Dehghani
235:Ali Al Bukhaiti
231:
203:
175:
147:
139:Ismail Mohammed
121:
82:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1011:
1009:
1001:
1000:
995:
990:
980:
979:
974:
973:
948:
938:Deutsche Welle
923:
897:
871:
841:
817:
793:
758:
747:
726:
717:
708:
699:
675:
647:
622:
597:
588:
563:
537:
497:
488:
464:
455:
428:
427:
425:
422:
421:
420:
415:
410:
405:
400:
393:
390:
389:
388:
382:
376:
370:
367:Joumana Haddad
364:
358:
352:
349:Jim Al-Khalili
346:
340:
334:
328:
325:Rifat Chadirji
322:
316:
310:
307:Sadegh Hedayat
304:
298:
295:Ibn al-Rawandi
292:
289:Maryam Namazie
286:
280:
277:Hadi Khorsandi
274:
268:
262:
256:
250:
244:
238:
230:
227:
202:
199:
174:
171:
146:
143:
131:following the
120:
117:
81:
78:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1010:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
985:
983:
963:
959:
952:
949:
944:
940:
939:
934:
927:
924:
911:
907:
901:
898:
886:
882:
875:
872:
860:on 2020-09-18
859:
855:
851:
845:
842:
831:
827:
821:
818:
807:
803:
797:
794:
789:
783:
768:
762:
759:
756:
751:
748:
736:
730:
727:
721:
718:
712:
709:
703:
700:
689:
685:
679:
676:
665:
661:
654:
652:
648:
636:
632:
626:
623:
612:
608:
601:
598:
592:
589:
578:
574:
567:
564:
551:
547:
541:
538:
533:
527:
512:
508:
501:
498:
492:
489:
485:
484:Hanbali Fiqh:
481:
477:
473:
468:
465:
459:
456:
444:
440:
433:
430:
423:
419:
416:
414:
411:
409:
406:
404:
401:
399:
396:
395:
391:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
371:
368:
365:
362:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
344:
341:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
320:
317:
314:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
283:Shahin Najafi
281:
278:
275:
272:
269:
266:
263:
260:
259:Afshin Ellian
257:
254:
251:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
232:
228:
226:
222:
220:
215:
211:
208:
201:Relevant data
200:
198:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
172:
170:
166:
162:
160:
156:
152:
144:
142:
140:
136:
134:
130:
126:
118:
116:
114:
109:
106:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
79:
77:
75:
70:
68:
64:
60:
55:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
19:
965:. Retrieved
961:
951:
943:the original
936:
926:
914:. Retrieved
912:. 2020-08-25
909:
900:
888:. Retrieved
884:
874:
862:. Retrieved
858:the original
853:
844:
833:. Retrieved
829:
820:
809:. Retrieved
805:
796:
771:. Retrieved
761:
750:
739:. Retrieved
729:
720:
711:
702:
691:. Retrieved
687:
678:
667:. Retrieved
663:
639:. Retrieved
637:. 2013-11-19
634:
625:
614:. Retrieved
610:
600:
591:
580:. Retrieved
576:
566:
554:. Retrieved
549:
540:
514:. Retrieved
510:
500:
491:
483:
480:Hanafi Fiqh:
479:
475:
472:Maliki Fiqh:
471:
467:
458:
446:. Retrieved
442:
432:
385:Ziad Rahbani
331:Sami Michael
241:Armin Navabi
223:
216:
212:
204:
176:
167:
163:
148:
137:
125:new atheists
122:
110:
107:
83:
71:
56:
30:
29:
556:22 February
516:23 February
476:Shafi Fiqh:
355:Selim Matar
265:Carlos Fayt
219:Zoroastrian
195:Arab spring
47:Middle East
39:Middle East
982:Categories
967:2023-02-23
916:23 October
890:23 October
864:23 October
835:2023-02-23
811:2023-02-23
773:2015-07-23
741:2015-07-23
693:2023-02-23
669:2015-07-23
641:2021-03-12
616:2023-02-23
582:2023-02-23
424:References
301:Mina Ahadi
173:Prevalence
80:Background
74:Sharia law
43:terrorists
526:cite news
113:apostates
782:cite web
635:BBC News
511:BBC News
392:See also
191:Facebook
187:Internet
35:atheists
448:23 July
271:FM-2030
102:secular
67:hadiths
37:in the
806:Scribd
684:"Iran"
207:Gallup
98:Kuwait
92:, and
90:Jordan
86:Yemen
59:Quran
51:Islam
918:2020
892:2020
866:2020
788:link
558:2023
532:link
518:2023
450:2015
133:9/11
129:U.S.
94:Iraq
63:hadd
984::
960:.
935:.
908:.
883:.
852:.
830:AW
828:.
804:.
784:}}
780:{{
686:.
662:.
650:^
633:.
609:.
575:.
548:.
528:}}
524:{{
509:.
441:.
197:.
88:,
49:.
970:.
920:.
894:.
868:.
838:.
814:.
790:)
776:.
744:.
696:.
672:.
644:.
619:.
585:.
560:.
534:)
520:.
452:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.