Interview with an Arab atheist, Part II
October 6th, 2007Our previous interview with an Arab atheist from the UAE sparked a lot of great discussions, so I decided to do it again. This time I’m interviewing an Arab atheist from Kuwait: Sara Sultan.
I will first make it clear that I’m happily a Muslim, and am in no way promoting atheism by conducting these interviews. Young atheists in the Arab world are extremely frowned upon and thus hardly ever given a voice, and if we really want to represent all kinds of people then we should include the voices of those we disagree with as well.
Q: Firstly, why did you agree to do this interview? Aren’t you scared of voicing such controversial opinions?
A: I agreed to do this interview because I have the interest in sharing my thoughts and beliefs with you. Why should I be scared? I have a right to express my opinions and I have no fear from doing so. People try to bully us into believing things… into being part of a “larger mass.” They kick us into buying anything from political opinions to religious beliefs. I refuse to be a product of such attempts at misleading us. They can call me what they want, at the end of the day I’m just an independent woman with a firm opinion.
Q: When did you become an atheist?
A: After I took history and theology courses in university, I opened my eyes to the way that religion is a product of man, simply a form of control. To make a very long story short… few people came up with it, took advantage of the people they brainwashed, misled them into numerous wars for a reason that I consider very unworthy: God. In reality these were territorial and political disputes disguised as religious ones. And to put it simply I just don’t buy that there is some creator chilling in the skies above us claiming to have created the earth and the universe. I’m a big fan of science. No evidence, no argument.
Q: Was it because of the dominant religion in Kuwait (Islam) that made you move away from religion?
A: There is a common misconception with ex-Muslim Arabs. Those who dislike Islam are often agnostic, not atheist. Few convert to other religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and the Baha’i Faith. Arab atheists should not be lumped with other ex-Muslim Arabs who embrace other religions. We do not have anything in common, especially not contempt for Islam. I turned my back on religion because the lengthy study of religions and their respective histories is what made me realize that atheism is the only right path for me. It has nothing to do with Islam itself or me being a former Muslim Kuwaiti. I would have arrived to the same conclusion if I was a former member of any other faith.
Q: What about Muslims who disrespect your views? Do you think their reactions to you is representative of the faith?
A: No. I blame them as people, I don’t necessarily blame their religion. I try my best not to generalise when it comes to religious groups. All religions are diverse and have worldwide followers that interpret religious texts in very different ways. People are responsible for their own behavior. I know many Muslims who are extremely religious and yet they are very open minded and understanding as to why some of us reject religion in and of itself. Why should I disrespect these good people by ignoring they exist and complaining that only mullah extremists are the appropriate representatives of Islam? Where I live, many young Muslims are actively rising against religious extremism and are trying to represent what is good about their faith. I appreciate their struggles, I don’t ever discourage them by claiming that they’d only be right or successful if they reject Islam altogether and embrace a new philosophy. It’s not in my place to do that.
Q: Do you face threats for believing in what you do? If so, from whom?
A: I do face threats when I publicly express my views and contrary to what some people would like to believe, it’s not just from Muslims. Probably the most annoying experience was when I was being repeatedly harassed from a nun and her missionary cult who basically kept saying that I will burn in hell if I don’t accept Jesus as my Savior and that the Lord will punish me in life and in death… & a bunch of other bullshit. Religion has made us completely out of touch with reality, but the most dangerous aspect of it is how people put it above humanity, morals, human rights, tolerance, things like that. It gives certain authorities or social elites the power to justify all kinds of horrible abuses because some God said this is how we have to live and people blindly believe it.
Q: You think religious people are wrong, so do you try to “enlighten” them?
A: In my world they are completely misled and wrong but in their world they couldn’t be more right. I do not impose or preach my views to anybody. I do not try to teach it to others or to say that this is how you should be thinking. That would be a very hypocritical thing for me to do since I’m the way I am mostly because I am anti-collectivism and I hate people who bully others into believing certain things or forcing them to live life a certain way. Like I said earlier, people are responsible for their own behavior and how they choose to live their life is none of my business just like my personal beliefs is none of theirs. The only thing I would encourage others to do is to think for themselves, to be free thinkers no matter how strict their societies are, to have educated and well-thought out opinions. It’s okay if that means you have to stand out from the crowd. And if some people independently chose their faith and strongly believe in it, all power to them. It’s still admirable and respectful as long as they don’t shove their beliefs in our faces and make us suffer the unnecessary consequences when we refuse to buy into their myths.
Q: Some people think atheism is a form of “Westernization.” What do you think?
A: Some people are stupid.
Q: Do you think there are many Arab atheists?
A: I think there are many Arab agnostics or Muslims who are quite careless about religion. Many young people here are doubtful of the existence of God, but very few of them actually become active atheists. A lot of them aren’t even interested in religious debate and consider it too personal for public discussion. The atheists I know in the Arab world are pretty outspoken though not many are given the platform to speak in. We face a lot of censorship, atheism is a taboo topic.
Q: Thanks a lot for taking the time to do this interview. Do you have any final words?
A: Thank you for letting me share my views and the only thing I would encourage people to do is again… think for yourself, don’t let people think for you or bully you into believing things you have no evidence for. Be yourself.
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Great interview! It’s nice to see atheists who aren’t so bitter about life, and it’s nice to see her respectful of people who believe in different things than her. Sadly, many of the atheists I know are not like that.
I really admire her for refusing to be a product of political opinions and religious beliefs, and pretty much understand where she’s coming from when she says that she doesn’t buy that there is a creator out there claiming to have done all this (life, world, planets, etc). Although I’m a muslim, I must say that I question that a lot sometimes. Where did he (or she for that matter) come from? Did anyone make him/her? Maybe someone made him/her, and he/she doesn’t want us to find out. Those are just many of the questions I ask. Maybe he’s the one who’s tricking us. I don’t know, I mean a lot of things are controversial. I bet I could get killed in some country if I voiced these questions out loud. But that doesn’t really keep me from asking them, does it.
All in all, excellent interview! Her answers were put to thought, I think. She seems very smart.
I applaud her for being an outspoken atheist, and having the courage to let it out in public. Now that’s brave.
I share Sara’s views and I appreciate the respect you have given her here. Thanks.
I am very glad to read about other arab atheists like me… Thank you very much for this interview.
Thanks for your comment Michelle.
Laith whenever you feel the need to express your views you may feel free to do so in this shared platform. I do not think anyone here would mind you being an author with us either.
I carpool with an atheist everyday. Hes my friend and we work in the same office. We often make fun of each others belief and its always in good fun because what else is there to do? Life is too short, whether you believe in an afterlife or not to be so sour about things.
One thing I find consistant among atheists though is that science seems to be the big reason why they think religion can’t be true. My friend rejects God in the Judeo/Christian sense. Im sure many ex-Muslims reject it along those same terms as well.
As a Baha’i though I believe that without science there would be no religion and without religion or faith, their would be no science. Chew on that.
In any case, with the way religious leaders are representing religion today, no wonder there is a surge in leaving ones birth Faith.
[...] Interview with an Arab atheist, Part II Our previous interview with an Arab atheist from the UAE sparked a lot of great discussions, so I decided to do it again. This time I m interviewing an Arab atheist from Kuwait: Sara Sultan. I will first make it clear that I m happily a Muslim, and am in no way promoting atheism by conducting these interviews. Young atheists in the Arab world are extremely frowned upon and thus hardly ever… in Kuwait (Islam) that made you move away from religion? A: There is a common misconception with ex [...]
I have to say that i do agree with much of what Sara has said. As an Agnostic, i cannot matter of factually disprove Gods existence, but sway in the favor of him being man made. I do think that many people are raised in an environment whereby religion is a natural element of there life, and it is generally regarded as the biggest taboo to question it..I think this is fundamental in the success of religion, the fear of genuinely questioning it, its ability to be anything and everything, the unknown..I have respect for its teaching, and my nearest and dearest are Muslim, so in other words, if it makes u happy, then all power to u.. but let us question, debate and make this a topic that isn’t none negotiable..
[...] with a Kuwaiti atheist Jump to Comments Mideast Youth has an interview with a Kuwaiti atheist, Sara [...]
though going with the flow might be the easiest thing one chooses to do, I cant do it right now:
minorities always claim the same: putting “humanity, morals, human rights, tolerance, things like that” above all other things. but when they assume power, the hypocrisy shows up; or it is better said that the inherent unsolved questions of a democracy gain focus.
how do they ban islamic hijab while claiming to be sincere advocates of freedom? this atheist might say that she is against that, but that wont solve anything.
Firstly, who is “they”? It’s a huge generalization. Not all minorities are the same, especially if the minority in question is not competing for any form of power.
Secondly, I don’t see how your argument is at all relevant. Sara did not personally ban the Islamic hijab and I’m pretty sure she does not support it. That’s something that happened in Turkey and to an extent in France, she lives in Kuwait. Why is this relevant? If you read her entire interview, you’ll see that she supports whatever personal decision a person makes as long as they were not bullied or pressured into believing it.
All she is doing is not submitting to the pressure of the majority. I do not see anything hypocritical at all in her responses, or in her view. She is not even trying to claim any form of power, otherwise she would be actively promoting and preaching her views which she clearly does not.
that is not very hard to understand, Esra’a. the ban on Islamic Hijab is precisely consistent with and conforming to the principles of a secular regime, and any one who claims otherwise either doesnt know what a secular regime is or cant reason. same applies to the publishing of danish cartoons humiliating prophet muhammad: anybody who is to support freedom of speech in its original meaning, should support that act.
now, ask so-called Atheists of their favorite government, and that would be a secular-liberal one for sure. then, opposing such acts (french ban on hijab, publishing danish cartoons, etc.) would be the most insincere thing they can do: they inherently support such acts… and you can find very easily what would happen if they assume the power: hypocrisy will be uncovered.
Mohammad Memarian,
I think your theory is hugely flawed. It is not part of secular ideology to supress anyone, from any religion. It is simply a seperation of ‘Church and State’, where religion no longer plays a role in politics. Something I think that can be very beneficial. A secular society is meant to protect and give freedom to people of any or no religion. Therefore your reasoning which leads you think that the banning of the hijab is automatically accepted by any supporter of a secular government is completely wrong and rather a strange conclusion to reach.
I also disagree that all ’so-called’ Atheists would choose a ’secular-liberal’ government, whatever you may mean by that. Again, I dont think you can reason the way you do. Just because you support a secular system does not inherently mean you must agree with everything that a given govenrment does or a certain people/person may do within that society.
Finally, I dont think anywhere in the interview was there a mention of wanting power.
No, the banning of the Hijab is a violation of human rights. Separation of church and state does not mean denying others the rights to practice their religions freely, it just means that the laws given will not be inspired by or based on strict faith.
I am republishing this very important point in her interview which contradicts what you accuse her of:
In other words, just because she doesn’t believe in any religions, does not mean that is against them. It is a matter of independent thought. She is not in favor of banning religion, disrespecting religious principles, or denying others the right to practice their belief systems freely as long as they do not inflict harm upon others. What she is against is not religious people but rather the form of society that leaves you no choice but to accept a certain religion, with dire consequences if you don’t.
Secondly, she is aware of the hypocrisies you seem to be highlighting, and she spoke against it quite eloquently here:
This means she is in favor of people making independent choices, and if this choice was wearing the Hijab then it should be respected. As long as it’s not imposed, many atheists actually have no problem with religion if kept between a person and a certain God (the previous Arab atheist I interviewed said the same thing.) They are not in favor of religious oppression or of restricting people from the right to choose from and practice their faith. In Arab societies, just like in Iran, faith is imposed. It does not leave any room for independent thought, in many instances children get punished, traumatized or kicked out of school for speaking out against religion and that is what drives many young people in our region to the world of atheism, agnosticism or outright rejection in all its forms. But neither of the atheists I interviewed have any contempt for religious people and none of them want to control others as you claim, in this recent interview she already expressed her opinion concerning that in the light of independence choices. If you choose your faith and to put a Hijab on your head it’s a matter of practicing your rights to independent thought, which she says is “admirable” and “respectful.” But if faith is imposed or you’re forced to place the Hijab on your head no matter what your personal beliefs are, that is not a healthy society, and quite frankly I agree with that even as a Muslim.
Becoming a atheist can be a life threatening proposition. I feel bad that they are persecuted even in this day and age, by inquistors of all stripes.
Even still, I recently discovered the truth of Gnostic christianity, which means I’m really in the threaten minority, as well as being rather vocal in my belief that christians, muslims and jews are essentially evil because they worship the Jehova-Allah-Saklas, Demiurge Abomination. The fruit of Abrahamic faith is war and economic oppression, ie caste systems.
I’m sorry, but that is just ridiculous.
Ya dude. Take that non-sense somewhere else. Please!
in usa hijab is allowed in schools, but not niqab ( which is a security risk- different story) i believe the hijab should be allowed, but france , i guess, couldnt deal with it .
Few Arabs will indeed convert to Zoroastriaism – it’s an Iranian religion and it doesn’t accept converts!
Wow, it’s so nice to know I’m not alone. Thanks so much for conducting this interview, especially in such a respectful manner. All I ever got was contempt should I dare express my beliefs. People find it so hard to believe one can have a moral compass without the guidance of a specific religion.
Thanks TL, but I am not the one being respectful here: the people I interview are the ones who showed me nothing but respect and all I did was return the treatment. They face threats, abuse (both emotional and sometimes physical) and extreme censorship. Yet they are still open, understanding and generally respectful… without generalizing or hating their societies. It’s inspirational to meet these great young minds; “free thinkers” as Sara puts it, despite disagreeing with their theories completely I do admire their strength and tolerance.
What a nice interview! She’s a well-informed atheist and is an atheist as one should be!
I think (of reading comments), many enjoyed of her speech and found some great headlines to use in an utopia society!
Yeah, the atheism dream: To live and let live! To think about some fundamentals, and to find out if our way of understanding the universe is right or not. To see if religion is useful for our life or not! and at the end: does any god exist or not!
Like Sara, I’ve invited everyone to think about fundamentals of his/her beliefs (check out my weblog for more) and Here again I just wanna say if Sara’s idealogy is interesting for you, then read about it; may be you find your way! (If atheism is fine then take it; if sucks, loose it; there’s no obligations dudes)
I’m not preacher of something; but I think I’m a “free thinker!!!”; and understood that its great to find your way on your own, not inheriting your parents gene of religion!
So move on men!
جهنم وبئس المصير
@Abdullah:
Int 7ashara, jahel, ew 3adoo nafsak.
Nice interview. Good to know the Middle-East isn’t only ‘Arabic’ or ‘Islamic’ and very diverse.
What a refreshing interview. You echo my thoughts and sentiments to a tee – Go girl! Fabulous site and great to learn about this forum. Free speech is essential to the development of liberty and to the prevalence of interfaith and zerofaith understanding and tolerance.
I am very impressed by Sara. I wish I had her courage to be vocal about my atheist views.
I have been an atheist for about 12 years (since I was 10), and never have I had the courage to tell any of my family or close friends.
I remember when I was younger and living with my parents, they would nag me to pray, and I would pretend to pray just to stop the nagging. I would go to the Mosque also to stop the nagging. She is exceptional, because she is an Arab atheist in the open, “in-the-closet” is the norm for atheist Arabs, whether in the Arab world or in the west like me.
Just a final comment, I have studied Abrahamic religions in depth (went to catholic school and learned Islam at home), and I share Sara’s view that it isn’t religion that is bad, it is people who can be good or bad. The reason I am not a Muslim isn’t because I hold any grudge against Islam or its followers; it is simply because I do not find the existence of a deity to be consistent with my logic.
Its absurd to hear others claim that the only purpose we, as non-believers, have is to destroy religion and society in general. I’m Emirati and I love my country; even though most of them disapprove of me and my beliefs, I still love my country, it’s culture and Middle-Eastern culture in general.
I’ve went through people trying to force me into admitting that my choices are wrong and should be changed (and I’m not talking about Muslims only). Even when people see me as open, accepting and trustworthy, they turn the other way when they find out my personality; but if they love me (or as they claim) they try to change me.
Not only am I an Atheist, but I am also Homosexual. What I found shocking among people, especially among my “faithful” straight friends, is that they are more willing to talk about homosexuality than they are over Atheism or Agnosticism; whenever that subject opens, their reactions are always ambiguous.
I respect my friends and their opinions, but the subject should be discussed more openly so that all stereotypes that revolve around Atheists, Agnostics and non-believers in general are debunked.
Interesting, YKSBS. I sent you an e-mail and hope you receive it.
Peace!
from a peace craving Atheist jew (as in nation not faith).
may all humanity live in harmony regardless of faith.
Bravo. Thanks for being the highlight of my day.
Fantastic courage expressed by Sara Sultan. Expect more like this from Arabs.
I never actually thought there would be that many numbers of atheists here, in the Arab world.
I enjoyed how you, Sara, actually understand what you are talking about and rather than just follow other people’s opinions. I am definitely impressed.
I love this: “I’m a big fan of science. No evidence, no argument.”
And I do agree; some people really are stupid.
Good luck.
Great interview! And respect to you, Esra’a, for conducting it. One of the strongest arguments against the literal truth of religion is the historical context, in my mind. The universe is about 12 billion years old, it contains about 100 billion galaxies each containing about 100 billion suns with possibly a similar number of planets. How come the creator of all of this made a personal appearance on one of these planets about 1500 or 2000 years ago to reveal the truth to humans? It just does not scale! Even within the context of human history, all three Abrahamitic religions got started a few hundred thousand years after the evolution of homo sapiens, our species (and 4000 years after the first cities were built). It seems somewhat injust to leave all the previous generations in the dark.
These deliberations notwithstanding I agree with Sara, if religion and faith works for someone, that is perfectly ok, and nothing to frown upon. In any case, feelings of awe and reverence are part of the human psyche, quite independent from the targets organized religion gave them. When I marvel at the complexity and intricacy of life and evolution these feelings may be similar to those a religious person might have contemplating their god.
Hi
I would think that said that you do not generalise then afterward you said many youngesters do not believe that there is not creator. I would not think that Einstein is stupid and he died as jew. and he does not overgenerlise his view over the others as you did in indirect way.
I was raised Roman Catholic and taught to believe in God, Jesus, the Ten Commandments, an immortal soul, and heaven & hell. By the time I was 10 years old, something inside my mind lead me to feel that this stuff just didn’t make sense. People don’t need religion to live a moral and ethical lifestyle. Religions cause more harm than good. Here’s a thought. Divide the planet Earth in half. All religious people live in one half & all athiests live in the other half. After 100 years, guess which side lives more peacefully and has made more social & technological advances? ( hint: don’t bet your money on the religious side).