Was Muhammad Ibn Zakariya Razi, A Well-Known Muslim Scientist, An Atheist?
By
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi, New Age Islam
17 May 2022
Examining
The Charges Of Atheism Levelled Against Ibn Zakariya Al-Razi
Main
Points:
1. How do
Atheists and Orientalists view Al-Razi?
2. Analysing
the view of Atheists and Orientalists on Al-Razi
3. Is the
notion that Al-Razi wrote the books critical of religions, God, and Prophets a
slander?
4. Except for
Abu Hatim, none of the Mu'tazilites, Ismailis, physicians, or orthodox
theologians who debated Al-Razi accused him of being an atheist or an enemy of
Islam.
5. It is
debatable if Al-Razi wrote anti-religious books, yet he did write books in
favour of the religion, God and Prophets.
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Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi/
Science Photo Library
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There is no
reliable evidence from the works of ancient contemporaries relating to ‘the
sciences of men [Ilm al-Rijal]’ that Abu Bakr Al-Razi was an atheist or a
heretic. However, various claims that Al-Razi was an atheist have surfaced in
the modern era, based on some books criticising faiths and prophets. The books
Fī Ḥiyal
al-Mutanabbīn (On the Tricks of False Prophets) ’, ‘Makharīq al-Anbiyāʾ (The Prophets’ Fraudulent Tricks) and ‘Naqdh al-Adyaan [Refutation of
Religions] are claimed to have been written by Al-Razi against religions and
prophets. Modern Orientalists and atheists wrongly ascribe these books to
Al-Razi. Even if we assume these books to be written by Al-Razi, how can we declare
him to be an atheist because his most famous books, such as ‘Inna Lil Abd
Khaliq (Undoubtedly the humans have a creator), ‘Tabaqat al-Absaar (the layers
of visions)’ and ‘Al-Tibb al-Ruhani (Spiritual medicine) reflect his strong
belief in Islam?
According
to the Islamic principle of belief and disbelief [Iman and Kufr], one cannot be
termed a Kaafir or an atheist unless one's denial of any of the religious needs
[Zaruriyaat al-deen] is absolutely obvious. Islam forbids anyone from declaring
a Muslim an atheist on account of some doubts and especially if there is no
definitive proof of his denial of beliefs.
So, despite certain doubts and charges that Al-Razi wrote books against
God, religions and Prophets, he cannot be classified as an atheist because his
other works demonstrate that he was a firm believer in Islam.
There is an
authentic hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2442), Ahmad (1630) and Ibn Hibbaan
(722) from al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I
memorized from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him): “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt,
for the truth leads to reassurance and lies lead to uncertainty.” [1]
This hadith
supports us in making a decision about Al-Razi’s beliefs. There is some debate
and doubt about whether Al-Razi wrote anti-religious writings, but there is no
doubt that he wrote books supporting Islamic beliefs. In this scenario, the
dubious texts must be set aside in favour of the books written by Al-Razi in
support of the Islamic faith and beliefs. The maxim of Islamic jurisprudence
that ‘Certainty is not overruled by doubt’ can also be considered in this
regard.
We will
briefly introduce Al-Razi and explain why the anti-religious books attributed
to him were fabricated, and why he wasn't an atheist.
Muhammad
ibn Zakariya Razi (born 854 AH - died 925 AH) sometimes known as Rhazes or
Rasis by mediaeval Latinists was a Persian polymath, chemist, physician,
alchemist, philosopher, and scholar who lived during the Islamic Golden Age. He
is credited with multiple "firsts" in medical research, clinical
care, and chemistry, including being the first to distinguish smallpox from
measles and discovering numerous compounds and chemicals, including kerosene.
"Probably the greatest and most original of all the surgeons, and one of
the most prolific as an author," says Edward Granville Browne. Razi made
substantial and lasting contributions to medicine, alchemy, music, and
philosophy, as evidenced by more than 200 publications and articles in a
variety of fields. He was well-versed in medical knowledge from Ancient Persia,
Greece, and India, and he used his own observations and findings to make great
medical advancements. He studied music, mathematics, philosophy, and
metaphysics before deciding to pursue medicine as a career. He is known as the
"Father of Pediatrics" for his early support of experimental medicine
as a physician. He was also an ophthalmology pioneer. He was one of the first
to utilise humoralism to discriminate between contagious diseases. Through his
clinical characterization of the two diseases, Razi was the first physician to
distinguish between smallpox and measles. He was named chief physician of the
hospitals in Rey and Baghdad. [2]
Al-Razi is
claimed to have written anti-religious and anti-prophetic books as well as the
books in favour of Prophets and Islam. This implies that he held contradicting
viewpoints on faiths and Prophets, but the reality is quite different. We'll
start with perspectives of atheists and orientalists on Al-Razi, and then move
over to research of academics and historians.
How Do
Atheists And Orientalists View Al-Razi?
Al-Razi,
according to freethinkers and atheists, was a critic of prophethood and a
freethinker or atheist. His quotations on religion and prophethood, according
to them, are as follows:[3]
“On what
ground do you deem it necessary that God should single out certain individuals
[by giving them prophecy], that he should set them up above other people, that
he should appoint them to be the people's guides, and make people dependent
upon them?"
“Concerning
the link between violence and religion, Al-Razi expressed that God must have
known, considering the many disagreements between different religions, that
"there would be a universal disaster and they would perish in the mutual
hostilities and fighting. Indeed, many people have perished in this way, as we
can see.”
“He was
also critical of the lack of interest among religious adherents in the rational
analysis of their beliefs, and the violent reaction which takes its place:
“If the
people of this religion are asked about the proof for the soundness of their
religion, they flare up, get angry and spill the blood of whoever confronts
them with this question. They forbid rational speculation and strive to kill
their adversaries. This is why truth became thoroughly silenced and concealed.”
“Al-Razi
believed that common people had originally been duped into belief by religious
authority figures and by the status quo. He believed that these authority
figures were able to continually deceive the common people "as a result of
[religious people] being long accustomed to their religious denomination, as
days passed and it became a habit. Because they were deluded by the beards of
the goats, who sit in ranks in their councils, straining their throats in
recounting lies, senseless myths and "so-and-so told us in the name of
so-and-so...”
According
to them, Al-Razi said:
“You claim that the evidentiary miracle is
present and available, namely, the Quran. You say: "Whoever denies it let
him produce a similar one." Indeed, we shall produce a thousand similar,
from the works of rhetoricians, eloquent speakers and valiant poets, which are
more appropriately phrased and state the issues more succinctly. They convey
the meaning better and their rhymed prose is in better meter. ... By God what
you say astonishes us! You are talking about a work which recounts ancient
myths, and which at the same time is full of contradictions and does not
contain any useful information or explanation. Then you say: "Produce
something like it?”[4]
These are
some of the statements that opponents believe Al-Razi made in which he spoke
against God, religion, the Qur'an, and prophetic teachings. Al-Razi, according
to atheists and freethinkers, wrote three anti-religious books: 1) Makhraiqul
Anbiya (The Prophets' Fraudulent Tricks), 2) Fī Ḥiyal al-Mutanabbīn (The Stratagems
of Those Who Claim to Be Prophets), and 3) "On the Refutation of Revealed
Religions." They claim that these books clearly prove that Al-Razi had
anti-religious beliefs.
Analysing
the view of Atheists and Orientalists on Al-Razi
The eminent
Muslim scholar al-Biruni of his day was the first person in history to compile
a list of Al-Razi’s books and research. According to al-Biruni's Bibliography
of al-Razi (Risāla fī Fihrist Kutub al-Rāzī), al-Razi wrote two books: "Fī
al-Nubuwwāt (On Prophecies) and "Fī Ḥiyal al-Mutanabbīn (On the Tricks of
False Prophets). According to Biruni, the first "was claimed to be against
religions" and the second "was claimed as attacking the necessity of
the prophets." Al-Biruni was unsure of the anti-religious views of Al-Razi
and therefore he used the word ‘claimed’. [5]
In his
Risala, Biruni also highlighted some religious works of Al-Razi on the ‘divine
sciences’, such as ‘Fi Wujub Da‘wat al-Nabi ‘Ala Man Nakara bi al-Nubuwwat
(Obligation to Propagate the Teachings of the Prophet Against Those who Denied
Prophecies)’ and ‘Fi anna li al-Insan Khaliqan Mutqinan Hakiman (That Man has a
Wise and Perfect Creator)’. These works of Al-Razi give arguments in favour of
religion and the necessity of Prophets. [6] When these two writings of Razi are
considered, he cannot be described as an atheist or someone who opposes Prophetic
teachings and religions.
Most of the
anti-religious views and quotes that are often attributed to Al-Razi can be
found in a book written by Abu Hatim Al-Razi, called Aʿlām Al-Nubuwwa (Signs of Prophecy), which
chronicles a debate between Abu Hatim and Al-Razi. Abu Hatim was an Isma'ili
missionary who argued Al-Razi, but it is debatable if he faithfully recorded
the opinions of Al-Razi. [7]
According
to some historians, Abu Hatim's book should be taken with caution because he is
a hostile source of Al-Razi's beliefs and must have depicted him as a heretic
in order to reject his critique of the Ismailis. [8]
Abdul Latif
al-Abd, an Islamic philosophy professor at Cairo University states that Abu
Hatim and his student, Hamid al-Din Karmani were Ismaili extremists who
frequently misrepresented the opinions of al-Razi in their writings. [9]
Early
historians such as al-Shahrastani also supported this view, writing, that “such
allegations should be doubted since they were made by Ismailis, who had been
severely attacked by Muhammad ibn Zakariyya Razi”. [10]
The views
that are falsely attributed to al-Razi contradict what is found in Al-Razi’s
own writings, such as Spiritual Medicine (Fi al-Tibb al-Ruhani), ‘Inna Lil Abd
Khaliq (Undoubtedly the humans have a creator), and ‘Tabaqat al-Absaar (the
layers of visions)’.
The most
important point to remember is that Al-Razi engaged in debates with
Mu'tazilites, Ismailis, physicians, and theologians from many schools of
thought, most of whom were orthodox Muslims. Except for the extremist Ismaili
preacher Abu Hatim, none of them accused him of being an atheist or an enemy of
religion. If Al-Razi had been an atheist, the Sunni academics in Iraq and
Baghdad, the centres of jurisprudence, theology and hadith at the time, would
not have stayed silent regarding Al-Razi, but would have challenged or
addressed him somewhere in their writings. [11]
To
summarise, the notion that Al-Razi wrote the books critical of religions, God,
and Prophets is a slander, and there is no authoritative evidence that Al-Razi
truly penned these books. Al-Razi, on the other hand, penned numerous works
defending Islam, God, and the Prophets. Among these books are ‘Inna Lil Abd
Khaliq (Undoubtedly the humans have a creator), ‘Tabaqat al-Absaar (the
layers of visions)’ and ‘Al-Tibb al-Ruhani (Spiritual medicine) which
reflect his strong faith and belief in Islam.
[1] https://sunnah.com/nasai:5711
[2]
https://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Zakariya_al-Razi
[3] https://www.celebatheists.com/wiki/Muhammad_ibn_Zakariya_al-Razi
[4]
https://ilhaad.com/2019/04/abubakar-raazi-and-atheist-lies/
[5]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Bakr_al-Razi
[6] [Deuraseh, Nurdeng (2008).
"Risalat Al-Biruni Fi Fihrist Kutub Al-Razi: A Comprehensive Bibliography
of the Works of Abu Bakr Al-Rāzī (d. 313 A.h/925) and Al-Birūni (d.
443/1051)". Journal of Aqidah and Islamic Thought. 9: 51–100.]
[7] [Marenbon, John (14 June 2012). The
Oxford Handbook of Medieval Philosophy. Oxford University Press. pp. 69–70.
ISBN 9780195379488]
[8] [Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Mehdi Amin
Razavi, An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, vol. 1, (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1999), p. 353]
[9] [Abdul Latif Muhammad al-Abd (1978),
Al-Tibb al-Ruhani li Abu Bakr al-Razi, Cairo: Maktabat al-Nahda al-Misriyya,
pp. 4, 13, 18]
[10] [Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and Mehdi
Amin Razavi, An Anthology of Philosophy in Persia, vol. 1, (New York: Oxford
University Press, 1999), p. 353]
[11]
https://ilhaad.com/2019/04/abubakar-raazi-and-atheist-lies/
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A
regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com, Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim
and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar) with a Sufi background and
English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/zakariya-razi-muslim-scientist-atheist/d/127024
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