Some people hate religion. They think they’re all the same. They think it’s barbaric. Backwards. Unnecessary and so on. But have they considered that religion is an ideology, and everyone has an ideology?
The definition of ideology: the ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a group, social class, or individual.
Really the only difference between an ideology and religion is that one has a belief in God(s) in it, while the other may not. But in both cases you live your life based on the ideology you live by. For some it’s a political ideology such as conservatism or liberalism. For others its a social ideology like feminism, racism, or individualism. In these examples the supreme Lord or basis for your belief, is really your own wants and desires. A person becomes a feminist because they want to be. Their feminist beliefs are derived from their own beliefs, which may be based on limited logic, limited experience, and limited information. Their beliefs may change, and the branches of their ideology are many. There isn’t only one form of feminism there are dozens. There isn’t a feminist bible which all feminists use to understand their world from the lens of feminism.
So the question I’m really raising is, why do people devalue religion but are totally fine with ideologies in general? It’s simply because God is in the equation, and most people either are atheist or agnostic. But keep in mind these same people (atheists and agnostics) will worship money, personalities, drugs, alcohol, games, political parties etc. It’s fine to worship money, but it’s a problem to worship the Creator of everything?
أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ
[Quran: 45:23]
Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire
People then want proof of Allah’s existence. Literally everything is screaming His existence, if only they could see or hear.
وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَّا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ
And even if We had sent down to them the angels [with the message] and the dead spoke to them [of it] and We gathered together every [created] thing in front of them, they would not believe unless Allah should will. But most of them, [of that], are ignorant.
Quran 6:111
The answer to why people hate religion but are fine with ideologies, has a simple answer. Shaitan’s influence on the world. He wants to distract people from the truth. Anything that would come even close to belief in Allah, becomes his enemy.
Instead a life of frivolousness decadence and corruption becomes people’s pursuit. And in the end they are left with nothing, but dirt in their mouths. May Allah guide us and our children from that horrible evil end.
Help me to make more Islamic material for our ummah. Check out my books for Muslim children! Jazaka Allahu khayran!