Irreligion in the Middle East

Irreligion in the Middle East is the lack of religion in the Middle East. Though atheists in the Middle East are rarely public about their lack of belief, as they are persecuted in many countries where they are classified as terrorists,[1] there are some atheist organizations in the Middle East. Islam 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.

In terms of atheism and apostasy, while the Quran condemns the practice, it does not explicitly criminalize or pronounce a hadd (a specific criminal punishment) for apostasy. Muslim scholars have traditionally believed that it should be penalized with execution as per the hadiths 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.[2][3]

Middle Eastern nations with some form of Sharia law in court punish non-believers in varying ways, however, many non-Muslims and even some Muslims argue that these punishments are barbaric and inhumane.

  1. ^ Withnall, Adam (1 April 2014). "Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents". The Independent. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ Maliki Fiqh: 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) Shafi Fiqh: 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) Hanafi Fiqh: Shaybani's Siyar (The Islamic law of nations) Hanbali Fiqh: By Imam Muwaffaq Ibn Qudama (A.H. 541-620), page 309