# "I Became An Atheist!" - What Should You Do If Your Child Says This? - 6 Methods To Prevent This

- Language: en
- Published: 2026-08-26
- Canonical: https://blog.towardseternity.com/en/blog/i-became-an-atheist-what-should-you-do-if-your-child-says-this-6-methods-to-prevent-this
- Source video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hDpijECrY0
- Channel: Towards Eternity

This is the cleaned transcript of the source video. The speech is unaltered.

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Imagine, one day, you receive news that someone in your family has become an atheist. I think you'd be very upset to hear that. So, the question is: What can you do to make sure that doesn't happen? In other words, why do people become atheists, after they have found the truth of Islam? We have to start questioning ourselves first, because sometimes we Muslims can turn people away from Islam by some of our actions. You know, there is a well-known saying: "I'd rather not be a Muslim than be a Muslim like this." We may be the cause for this saying sometimes. This is a false inference. I don't believe this is correct. We, as Muslims, make mistakes from time to time.

Since a Muslim is in a fight with his own satan, he can also make mistakes; but unfortunately, when people see a mistake by a Muslim, they blow it out of proportion. Instead of looking at the Holy Qur'an, they look at the conduct of Muslims and turn away from Islam. For instance, having anger towards other people, or the existence of frauds, deceptions, and lies in the trade, .... we can provide many such examples. When people see these things, they make them turn away from Islam. If we put a black dot on a black paper, it is barely noticeable; but if the paper is white, everybody is going to notice it. Such is the case of Muslims. The solution is simple, and we all know it.

If we stick to the Qur'an's teachings and practice them in our lives, and if we reflect those teachings in our behaviour, the problem will be solved; and people will become Muslim, let alone turn away from it. We should stick to what the Qur'an teaches us; but at that point, another mistake is made unconsciously. Trying to learn the Qur'an and Islam through its translation. It can be called a mistake because it leads to a unique understanding of Islam. Everyone begins to interpret the Qur'an individually without considering the tafsir and the reason for the descent of verses. I mean, think about it, there are two billion Muslims. That's two billion individual interpretations.

For example, in the verse "Kill the infidels wherever you find them" (Surah At-Tawbah, Verse 5), if someone reads this verse without reading its tafsir (interpretation of the Qur'an) or without realising that this is a verse related to war, what a misinterpretation he would make?! If we look at the interpretation of the verse with the reason for its descent, we would understand that it is a verse related to war. If someone doesn't know this, he could misinterpret the verse as "Kill the infidel you find on the street." and he would misunderstand and misrepresent Islam. Many of the verses of the Qur'an descended due to a particular event, didn't they?

Then without inquiring, "Why did that verse descend?", "Who is it about?", and "How did our Prophet (pbuh) explain that verse?" etc. Without asking any questions, how can we say "I've got the right information"? Think about a well-known idiom: "The cure is worse than the ailment." Now, if we translate this sentence word for word into a different language, will it make any sense? Of course, it won't. I mean, even in our own language, to understand a phrase or a proverb, we make an effort; we look at its explanations. We do not translate it word for word. Let's think of English exams.

There are paragraphs given in them, and then asked: "What is the general idea of this paragraph?" So, for the verses of the Qur'an, are we not going to ask, "What does God mean here? What deep meanings are there in it?" Aren't we going to look at its tafsir? When you don't look for its tafsir, people may go towards atheism step by step. There was even an interview about it. I don't know if you remember. There was an agnostic fellow. When I said, "How did you become agnostic?" Do you know how he started? He started reading the verses only through the translation. He said, "I was calling myself a Qur'anic Muslim." But his start led him to agnosticism, to denial. He confessed this to us.

One of the most common reasons is the belief that science proves the non-existence of God. On the contrary, every branch of science shows us the existence of God. What happens with every discovery? Our admiration for God increases. So when you look at the same thing, and you see that one side's faith is increasing, how can the other side be an atheist? So, there's a problem here, and they miss the point. Actually the problem is: People think the philosophy of science, in other words, the personal interpretations, is science. There's a discovery and with every discovery, there is a new interpretation. For example, we discovered the atom and started to investigate it rigorously.

We discovered its systematic movements and so on. At this point, interpretation plays its part. Science's philosophy of atheism claims: "I don't accept anything non-physical outside matter. Anything I can't perceive with my five senses is not real." This claim is an interpretation. We ask, "Why limit ourselves just to matter?" If there is an order, there is someone who governs it." And by looking at the movement and the system of an atom, we find the creator, namely God. So, there are two different interpretations here and according to the interpretation an inference is made. When new galaxies are discovered, then people interpret again.

Science's philosophy of atheism claims: "This somehow happened by itself." We look at the same thing and say "This shows God's greatness, power, and willpower." We say, "This is how he creates the universe." Our faith strengthens by looking at the universe. Science and philosophy of science are two different things. The one who doesn't know the difference between these two, and who doesn't realise that there are interpretations involved, unfortunately, he becomes an atheist, thinking, "Oh, science says, 'There is no creator.' He doesn't exist." However, science and the interpretations of people known as the philosophy of science are two different things. Think about the stages of pregnancy.

We can observe these. There's observation and there are certain stages. That's where the interpretations come in. Someone says... he dives into philosophy right here. He says, "Wait a minute." What's his philosophy? "Since I don't accept anything outside material ..." It starts with a thought like that. Then you are never able to find the creator; You will never accept God. You'll just have the following option: You'll say, "Matter is created on its own", and start interpreting. But, what do we say? "Wait a minute; this action requires knowledge. So, there is a construction activity; It requires willpower. For example, the eyes are constructed at a particular stage in the womb, right?

They're constructed. So there's a symmetry here. The eyes come here, the nose comes there. It is done with specific knowledge, willpower, and compassion. We say, "There is a creator behind the matter." I mean, look, the interpretations differ here immediately. There's observation, and there's interpretation. Some person looking at science says, "Okay. So that's how it is. It happens on its own. Science has found this." No, brother, science hasn't found this. The science has interpreted it. The interpretation is that person's.

Perhaps the most common mistake is this, without acquiring any knowledge, and without improving ourselves, we engage in discussions with atheists or start researching on their websites.. If a person does this without certain knowledge, suddenly, he finds himself in doubt. Maybe you have friends who do that because this is very common. But this is a serious mistake. Why? Since the person hasn't acquired enough knowledge, hasn't learned Islam properly, but still enters the atheists' websites and engages in discussions with them. Think about it.

For questions that will take a learned Muslim only a minute to answer, since the person doesn't have the knowledge to answer, he starts to doubt for no reason at all. I'm not saying, "Don't research." Of course, Islam has the right answer to every question. But when a person engages in discussions before he masters the knowledge of Islam, he gets confused for no reason at all. Just as it doesn't make any sense to go to war without knowing how to use a gun properly; it also doesn't make any sense to engage in discussions with non-muslims without having sound knowledge of the basics of Islam.

If you ask, "How will we acquire that knowledge?" You can start by reading tafsir Risale-i Nur which puts an end to the arguments of the atheists. Another reason is that some consider Islam an impracticable religion at this time. God forbid! It is thought as if there are continuous restrictions and prohibitions in it. Such an illusion has been created. On the contrary, Islam is a practical religion for everyone. If we take a look at what Islam forbids, those things are just a few. For instance, while there are hundreds of permissible beverages, only alcoholic beverages which numb the mind and intoxicate humans, are forbidden. In other words, the forbidden part is not even one percent.

Also we see that the reason is to protect people, to protect the society. Imagine being invited to a big and magnificent sightseeing area. In that place, if you only see safety lines near the edge of the cliff, and say, "Wait a minute. There are a lot of things forbidden on this trip, so many restrictions." Would you criticise the trip by making such comments? Would you say, "This trip is full of restrictions"? Of course, you won't. God has sent mankind to the universe as an observer. He created us in this sightseeing area as an intelligent and capable being. He has drawn some boundaries in this area to protect us. Would that make this a restricted and uninhabitable place? Of course not.

Now we come to the last part. Maybe this is one of the most important reasons. The sins of a person darken his heart step by step and the person heads towards atheism. You might be thinking, "What's the connection between sin and atheism?" Let's put it this way: Someone commits a sin. when that sin continues endlessly, one becomes addicted to it. When he doesn't stop committing that sin, he tries to stop the remorse. "I wish this wasn't a sin, I wish someone wasn't keeping an eye on me, I wish my sins were not being recorded..." etc. He thinks like this, and these thoughts lead him to atheism step by step.

Whereas, no matter how much sin we commit, there is such a great blessing as repentance. Repentance can cleanse one's heart and God continuously invites us to repent in His verses; He tells us about his forgiveness all the time. Instead of listening to the devil and giving way to despair, instead of saying, "God will not forgive me, I wish no one was keeping an eye on me..." and giving way to despair, if we repent knowing that God is all-forgiving and purify our hearts with meaningful repentance, wouldn't that make more sense? That way, we won't fall into the devil's trap. In fact, I have a memory of that. One day an atheist came to "Towards Eternity".

After talking for a long time, he got answers to all his questions. But, in the end, he made an extraordinary confession: "It all makes sense, but somehow I can't believe it. I can't find the willpower to accept it." In fact, I understood why he was an atheist; I understood that there are different things in the background; and when we talked a little bit more he said that he couldn't obey a given rule in Islam, that the rule shouldn't be there, sin he was addicted to shouldn't be forbidden. I mean, he was so addicted to that sin, his feelings struggled with it so much .... from there, I understood that there was something to it. He couldn't accept anymore that it was a sin.

We understand from this example that cleaning the heart continuously with repentance is really important. We have briefly discussed the basics. Let's talk about one more important detail and get it over with. Sometimes you may think about the idea of denial and you start to panic, "Have I abandoned the religion?" However, the religious questions that come to mind like, "What if it is like this? What if it is like that?" don't damage one's faith. These are misgivings. Unless you declare and accept intentionally and willfully that you don't believe in the religion, the whispers and misgivings of the devil, like "What if?", shouldn't be paid any attention.

These do not make a person unfaithful or a disbeliever. If you have any other reasons and solutions, you can write them in the comments section below. May our Lord grant everybody the ability to understand and live by Islam faithfully, and may He grant us the ability to represent it correctly. 0.06 Someone in your family became an atheist 0.12 How do people become atheists after they have found the truth?

0.20 1st reason leading to atheism: Muslims' inaccurate faith 0.30 "I'd rather not be a Muslim than be a Muslim like this." 1.23 2nd reason leading to atheism: Reading only the translation 1.31 Trying to learn Islam and the Qur'an by just reading its translation 1.37 A personal interpretation of religion 1.50 "Kill them wherever you find them" Surah al Baqarah - 191-192 If someone reads without considering the tafsir, he will misinterpret. 1.55 Tafsir: "The intention with 'them' is the ones who wage war against Muslims " 2.15 "Why it has descended?" "About who it has descended?

" 2.28 "Gauging someone's eye while trying to correct the eyebrow." 2.44 What did the author mean in this paragraph? 3.20 3rd reason leading to atheism: The science's philosophy of atheism 3.38 "He thinks philosophy of science (personal interpretations) is science." 3.58 Science's philosophy of atheism is "I do not accept anything other than matter." It's not real unless I sense it. 4.04 "If there is an order, there is someone who governs it." 4.11 2 different interpretations 4.22 Science's philosophy of atheism "This somehow happened in itself." We look at the same thing and say, "It shows God's greatness, power, and willpower.

4.34 Science and philosophy of science are two different things 4.41 "Science says there is no creator, so there is none." 5.47 4th reason leading to atheism: Engaging in discussions about atheism without knowing Islam 6.23 In Islam, there is a right answer to every question. 6.31 It doesn't make sense to go to war without knowing how to use a gun. It doesn't make sense to engage in discussions about Islam without knowing the basics. 6.46 5th reason leading to atheism: Finding Islam impracticable 7.00 Islam is a practical religion for everyone 7.12 Forbidden part is less than 1%. 7.31 What a restricted trip is this. There are so many restrictions.

7.53 6th reason leading to atheism: The effect of sins 8.02 How can atheism be linked to sin? 8.19 I wish this sin had not been a sin I wish someone hadn't been keeping an eye on me. I wish my sins had not been recorded. 8.23 These feelings lead him step by step to atheism. 8.30 Repentance cleanses one's heart. 9: 26 "He can no longer bear that it is a sin."