Siraa ma al-Mulahida hatta al-Azm
- Author died
- 1425 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Qalam
Siraa ma al-Mulahida hatta al-Azm (Conflict with Atheists to the Bone) is a polemical and theological book by the Syrian Islamic scholar Abd al-Rahman Habannakah al-Maydani (1345–1425 AH / 1927–2004 CE), written to refute modern atheism, dialectical materialism, and secularist critiques of Islamic doctrine . Published by Dar al-Qalam in Damascus in approximately five hundred pages, the work forms the second installment in the author's book series A‘da’ al-Islam ("Enemies of Islam"), following his Makayid Yahudiyyah abra al-Tarikh ("Jewish Plots Throughout History") .
Background and Purpose
The title of the book carries a double meaning: while literally signifying a confrontation with atheists "to the bone" (حتى العظم), it also directly targets the Syrian philosopher Sadiq Jalal al-Azm and his controversial work Naqd al-Fikr al-Dini (Critique of Religious Thought) .
In the opening chapters, Habannakah explains that he initially avoided entering into public dialectical disputes with contemporary atheists so as not to give their names or ideas undue publicity, believing that falsehood would naturally fade if ignored . However, after persistent requests from concerned scholars and educators who warned that young Muslims were being influenced by writings presented under the mantle of modern scientific inquiry and secular criticism, he reconsidered . Following a year of hesitation, he resolved in the summer of 1393 AH (1973 CE) to compose a systematic, rational refutation .
Structure and Contents
The book is arranged into sequential analytical chapters addressing core theological and philosophical disputes:
- Introductory Foundations and Dialectics (Chapters 1–4): Habannakah outlines the reasons for engaging in the debate, arguing that true science does not validate atheism and that Islamic scholars must dismantle modern materialist sophistry using sound logic and Quranic principles of reasoned debate .
- The Question of God's Existence (Chapter 5): Responding directly to al-Azm's chapter titled "Scientific Culture and the Wretchedness of Religious Thought," Habannakah argues that atheists throughout history have failed to produce any rational or empirical evidence disproving the existence of a Creator, and that limiting reality strictly to the observable material realm is an epistemological flaw .
- The Question of the Hereafter (Chapter 6): Habannakah examines the denial of bodily resurrection and the afterlife, scrutinizing al-Azm's reliance on arguments advanced by the British philosopher Bertrand Russell and demonstrating that Russell's assertions amount to unsupported negations rather than scientific proofs .
- Critique of Western Intellectual Influences (Chapter 7): The author critiques al-Azm's dependence on Western thinkers such as Bertrand Russell and the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, arguing that modern Arab materialists uncritically adopt Western secular and psychological theories that lack definitive scientific grounding .
- Rebuttal of the Science–Religion Conflict (Chapter 8): Habannakah refutes the assertion that religion and scientific progress are inherently opposed, contending that while European intellectual history witnessed a genuine clash between the ecclesiastical establishment and natural sciences, Islam's foundational principles do not conflict with established scientific realities .
Method and Reception
Habannakah's approach centers on direct quotation and point-by-point textual deconstruction, quoting passages and page numbers from his opponent's book before examining their logical coherence . He couples rational argumentation with Quranic proofs, seeking to demonstrate internal contradictions within dialectical materialism .
The work has been highlighted by contemporary Islamic scholars as one of the significant modern Arabic treatises defending the Islamic creed against atheistic thought, frequently cited alongside apologetic works such as Mawqif al-Aql wa-l-Ilm by Mustafa Sabri, Qissat al-Iman by Nadim al-Jisr, and Kubra al-Yaqiniyyat al-Kawniyyah by Muhammad Sa'id Ramadan al-Buti .
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