[nithhysfusy]

Islamabad: A handful of Pakistani Muslim youths is beginning to question the existence of God and, in the process, giving up Islam to become atheists.

Still a small number, the trend seems to be telling of pressures that the image of militant Islam has had on them. A Facebook group has been floated for Pakistan's agnostics and atheists by Hazrat NaKhuda, a former Pakistani Muslim.

At last count, the group had over a 100 members. In a thread started on the discussion board on "How did you become an atheist", Hazrat writes, "I used to be a practising Muslim. I used to live in Saudi Arabia. I have done two Hajs and countless Umrahs. Used to pray five times a day. When I turned 17-18, I realised that the only reason I was a Muslim was because my parents were Muslims".

Hazrat is a young computer programmer from Lahore.

Ahmed Zaidi (name changed), another member, posted on the discussion board: "I'm an agnostic simply because I see little or no evidence for the existence of God.

Some time ago I decided that I'd never believe anything unless it has a firm basis in reason and as far as I know (and I admit I know very little and that there's much to be learnt), there's little or no evidence for the existence of God."

The group, which is open strictly to members, has young Pakistani students studying in New York University to Oxford University to the prestigious Lahore University of Management Sciences as members.

Saeed Ahmad (name changed), who used to be a "practicing Ahmedi Muslim", started questioning his beliefs at the age of 17.

"I don't think there is any more detail to be added," he posted on the Facebook community for Pakistan's atheists and agnostics.

Nawab Zia (name changed) wrote that the moot question is not "how did you become an atheist" but "how did you become a believer".

He wrote: "I was a born atheist like every human being until my parents corrupted me with faith. Every child is born free and pure," Ali Rana (name changed), who loved Islamic preacher Zakir Nair and hated author Salman Rushdie, has had a change of heart too.

He now thinks Naik is an "idiot" and Rushdie a genius.

There are other threads on how the members "wasted" their years as theists.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pakistani.../130348-2.html

May Allah (S.W.T) guide them to the right path.

[Madjostok]

i don't believe it has anything to do with extremism, pakistani youth just want to be more western and are into the whole rock gothic emo culture and islam doesn't fit with that attitude

[JOR4qxYH]

i don't believe it has anything to do with extremism, pakistani youth just want to be more western and are into the whole rock gothic emo culture and islam doesn't fit with that attitude

yes its just a phase

[Madjostok]

yes its just a phase

hopefully it is inshaAllah, but the whole trying to be more western seems to have creeped into the adults too, i mean a lot of people now try to speak in English with one another rather than their own language

its a competition to see who can be the most modern and the whole culture comes along with moving away from Islam

[JOR4qxYH]

hopefully it is inshaAllah, but the whole trying to be more western seems to have creeped into the adults too, i mean a lot of people now try to speak in English with one another rather than their own language

its a competition to see who can be the most modern and the whole culture comes along with moving away from Islam

Yes, its all MTV generation lol

I think though, there needs to be a system in place in Pakistan, an infrastructure, and from what I have seen the only person who can bring about that change is Imran Khan and his tehreek i insaaf party.

[Madjostok]

Yes, its all MTV generation lol

I think though, there needs to be a system in place in Pakistan, an infrastructure, and from what I have seen the only person who can bring about that change is Imran Khan and his tehreek i insaaf party.

the peoples minds have become modern but that has done nothing for the modernisation of the living standards

I agree with you about Imran Khan or i think Dr Shahid Masood should run for president

[JOR4qxYH]

the peoples minds have become modern but that has done nothing for the modernisation of the living standards

I agree with you about Imran Khan or i think Dr Shahid Masood should run for president

Not too sure about Mr Masood, he does tend to speak up about certain issues, but with Imran Khan hes educated in the West and can perhaps look at it from both sides of the coin

[FallJimerks]

..., and from what I have seen the only person who can bring about that change is Imran Khan and his tehreek i insaaf party.

What about him and his party make you believe this?

[tweriaroats]

That's nothing but very cheap kuffâr propaganda.

As usual the Western propaganda machine is making an elephant out of a fly, trying to discourage Muslims from Islâm and trying to encourage weak Muslims to become apostates (murtadûn).

What significance do a few hundred atheist apostates (murtadûn) have in a people totaling around 172.8 million individuals? No significance at all!

[anfuckinggs]

That's nothing but very cheap kuffâr propaganda.

As usual the Western propaganda machine is making an elephant out of a fly, trying to discourage Muslims from Islâm and trying to encourage weak Muslims to become apostates (murtadûn).

What significance do a few hundred atheist apostates (murtadûn) have in a people totaling around 172.8 million individuals? No significance at all!

Very Right brother, it is the habit of western news agencies to propagate against Islam. I am used to this type of news.

[lapInsalm]

That's nothing but very cheap kuffâr propaganda.

As usual the Western propaganda machine is making an elephant out of a fly, trying to discourage Muslims from Islâm and trying to encourage weak Muslims to become apostates (murtadûn).

What significance do a few hundred atheist apostates (murtadûn) have in a people totaling around 172.8 million individuals? No significance at all!

yeah you're right it is the habit of the western media to make a mountain out of a mole hill but there is an issue here.

firstly what some of the brothers said about the MTV generation, people speaking english not urdu, wanting to become westernised and seeing this as development is all true.

i think alot of muslims are simply muslims because their parents are muslims, often their parents are simple folk who have either never made the effort to learn their deen or have not had the opportunity. in the end their children turn around and say why are we carrying out these ritualistic practices on every 27th night, on the odd juma etc and they leave the deen.

alot of us are raised in islamic cultures and environments but we have very little knowledge of tawhid, fiqh, purification, quran, good ikhlaaq, etc instead we are taken to the latest mehfil-e-naat and aone who speaks out is instantly branded a wahabi.

[JOR4qxYH]

What about him and his party make you believe this?

Brother the way you asked this its almost like you already made takfir on him!!

But for your information only, I will link you to there homepage they are actually doing a good job compared to other parties but havent go the power yet.


http://www.insaf.pk/

[FallJimerks]

Brother the way you asked this its almost like you already made takfir on him!!

...
http://www.insaf.pk/

huh?

[KojlinMakolvin]

i dont think the county needs a specific leader, i think the attitude of the citizens should change..instead of giving their kids only western education...teach them about islam,dont just force the religion down their throat

a few yrs bak my mom went for jamat to pak & she was stayn in this ladies house..and during salah time this women would not read her salah, nt for any other reason bt because she was lazy..
so when friday came, my mom gt happy thinkin that atleast today she wud read...

the lady didnt, so then my mom askd her y..she replyd tht she had not read salah in over 3 years!! bcoz she did not c the point n she cud not even remem how to make wudu!

now if the mother r like this, how r the children suposd t b better?

[Daleman1984]

i think their needs to be a change in the media

[Dreaming]

I remember reading some articles on this issue but not about Pakistani youths, but about this same thing happening in Algeria (had a discussion with an algerian friend about his friend), Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and of course in the West where I'm well placed to witness it for what is happening in France. And I'm feeling, and I can be wrong of course, that it is going worse !

Of course, Allah is the One who Guides who He wants, but we must really ponder about this issue.

[Hsmrcahr]

GogMagog globalisation.

[Axxflcaj]

In a few years time a Tsunami is coming to the blessed country of Pakistan, we make dua that it comes sooner, then all of it's corrupt politicians will be washed away, they will not have a speck to grab hold of.

as of these atheists, I don't think there's any media reporting on this, if there is lets have the sources.

Allah and his prophet(pbuh) know better

[gogona]

pak or non-pak muslim youths turning into atheists or what ever...

who is responsible?

their parents...NO
their culture..NO
media..NO
country..NO

then who?

the whole muslim coummnity/ummah responsible for this...why?

because we muslim community/ummah are not helping these innocent knowledge seekers...we are just keeping the knowledge of deen with ourselves without spreading it..


very sad!

[shanice]

pakistani or non-pak muslim youths turning into atheists or what ever...

who is responsible?

their parents...NO
their culture..NO
media..NO
country..NO

then who?

the whole muslim coummnity/ummah responsible for this...why?

because we muslim community/ummah are not helping these innocent knowledge seekers...we are just keeping the knowledge of deen with ourselves without spreading it..


very sad!

I am confused, how can those who have knowledge help them?

Pakistan and other Muslim countries have highest porn viewership compared to any other part of the world. The onus lies on them, their parents and the society they live in, where they should be encouraged to do good, appropriately supervised by their parents and elders, and comprihensive deeniyat course be made part of the curriculum.