Mark Twain once said:
“Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.”
Most atheists I know are intelligent, fun to be with type of people. They are highly educated, culturally rich, and come from good family backgrounds; a blend that makes it really fun to hang out with them.
So if all the atheists I know are like that, then that leaves their opposites; the poor, the stupid and the boring. Are they the ones who are religious? Would Allah (sub-hanahu wata’ala) create a religion that segregates people like that? Stupid, boring people go to heaven and the smart, fun ones go to hell? Would that be fair? Allah says in the Quran that He is fair.
ذِكْرَىٰ وَمَا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ ﴿ الشعراء: ٢٠٩﴾
By way of reminder, and We have never been unjust.
[Ash-Shu'ara 26:209]
Although the majority of atheists are highly educated, culturally rich, and come from good family backgrounds, there are some religious people who are highly educated, culturally rich, and come from good family backgrounds too. It could be that in the religious people’s case they are seen as a minority and that the majority of them are boring old sods. Nonetheless there are exceptions, and there is no segregation on who sees the light and who doesn’t. It’s purely a matter of choice, made by that particular human being. To believe or not to believe.
Prophet Mohammed
This could also be applied to the level of intelligence in people. “Stupid” people have no choice in being born with a low IQ. Intelligent people were also born that way, however they have a choice in using that intelligence in whatever way they deem right.
Many atheists haughtily call religious people: “stupid people who can’t think for themselves.”
It needs a certain amount of humbleness for an intelligent person to have, in order to follow thoughts other than his/her own and that’s a tough choice to make, especially when it’s related to faith, a concept that does not require scientific evidence or common sense.
قَالَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا إِنَّا بِالَّذِي آمَنتُم بِهِ كَافِرُونَ [الأعراف:٧٦]
Those who were arrogant said: "Verily, we disbelieve in that which you believe in." (Al-A'raf 7:76)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسْجُدُونَ ۩ [الأعراف:٢٠٦]
Surely, those who are with your Lord (angels) are never too proud to perform acts of worship to Him, but they glorify His Praise and prostrate before Him. (Al-A'raf 7:206)
إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۚ فَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ قُلُوبُهُم مُّنكِرَةٌ وَهُم مُّسْتَكْبِرُونَ [النحل:٢٢]
Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the Hereafter - their hearts are disapproving, and they are arrogant. (An-Nahl 16:22)
لَا جَرَمَ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْتَكْبِرِينَ [النحل:٢٣]
Assuredly, Allah knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant. (An-Nahl 16:23)
وَإِذَا أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ أَعْرَضَ وَنَأَىٰ بِجَانِبِهِ ۖ وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ كَانَ يَئُوسًا [الإسراء:٨٣]
And when We bestow Our Grace on man (the disbeliever), he turns away and becomes arrogant, far away from the Right Path. And when evil touches him he is in great despair. (Al-Isra 17:83)
الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّـهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ ۖ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّـهِ وَعِندَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يَطْبَعُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ قَلْبِ مُتَكَبِّرٍ جَبَّار[غافر:٣٥]
Those who dispute about the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, without any authority that has come to them, it is greatly hateful and disgusting to Allâh and to those who believe. Thus does Allâh seal up the heart of every arrogant, tyrant. (So they cannot guide themselves to the Right Path). (Ghafir 40:35)
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُوا إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ [هود:٢٣]
Verily, those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and humble themselves (in repentance and obedience) before their Lord, - they will be dwellers of Paradise to dwell therein forever. (Hud 11:23)
إِنَّ السَّاعَةَ لَآتِيَةٌ لَّا رَيْبَ فِيهَا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ [غافر: ٥٩]
Indeed, the Hour is coming - no doubt about it - but most of the people do not believe. (Ghafir 40:59)
