Boycott the Quranic Term 'Mulhid' and Use 'Atheist' Instead

Introduction

Would you introduce yourself by saying, "I am someone who has deviated from the right path"?

Surely not.

However, when we call ourselves 'Mulhid', we are essentially introducing ourselves as someone who has deviated from the right path.

The meaning of 'Ilhaad' is to deviate from the right path.

What Does "Ilhaad" Actually Mean in the Quran?

The Quran uses the term "Ilhaad" to describe deviation from truth, and it carries strongly negative connotations.

Quran 41:40

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَٰتِنَا لَا يَخْفَوْنَ عَلَيْنَآ

Translation: "Indeed, those who inject deviation into Our verses are not concealed from Us."

Context: Here, "Ilhaad" is used to describe those who corrupt or deviate from Quranic teachings. It implies moral corruption and deliberate distortion of truth.

Quran 7:180

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا ۖ وَذَرُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِىٓ أَسْمَٰٓئِهِۦ ۚ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

Translation: "And for Allah are the names most beautiful, so invoke Him by them. And leave those who deviate concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing."

Context: Again, "Ilhaad" is portrayed as a punishable offense. It means a deliberate deviation that will result in divine retribution.

In both verses, the term carries clear negative judgment. It speaks of deviation, corruption, and punishment.

Does the Term 'Ilhaad' Truly Represent Our Ideology or Identity?

Let's clarify the fundamental difference.

Atheism means not believing in the existence of any god.

Ilhaad means deviation from the right path.

Atheism is a clear philosophical position about the existence of deities. It makes no moral judgment. It simply describes a lack of belief.

Ilhaad, however, is a loaded term that assumes several things:

• First, it assumes there is a "right path" which is Islam.

• Second, it assumes we have "deviated" from it.

• Third, it assumes this deviation is morally wrong.

• Fourth, it assumes we deserve punishment for it.

The term 'Atheism' is neutral and accurately describes our position. The term 'Ilhaad' is an Islamic insult disguised as a descriptor.

Historical Context: Why Muslims Chose This Term

Muslims deliberately chose the term 'Mulhid' because it carries negative connotations in the Quran itself. This was not an accident. It was a calculated strategy to frame disbelief as moral deviation rather than intellectual disagreement.

Historically, the term 'Ilhaad' was never exclusively linked to atheism. Instead, anyone who deviated from the beliefs of orthodox Muslims, even if they were Muslim and believed in Allah, was declared a 'Mulhid' (source).

This included:

• Muslim philosophers who questioned certain doctrines.
• It included Sufi mystics whose interpretations differed from orthodoxy.
• It included scholars who used reason and logic in theology.

The term was weaponized to silence dissent and maintain ideological control.

By accepting this terminology, we allow Islam to control the narrative even after we've left it. We unconsciously validate their framing. We accept that leaving Islam is deviation rather than enlightenment. We accept that it is corruption rather than clarity. We accept that it is moral failure rather than intellectual honesty.

The Psychological Impact of Internalized Terminology

Language is not neutral. Words carry emotional weight, especially words we use to define ourselves.

When ex-Muslims continue to call themselves 'Mulhid', they unconsciously carry the shame and guilt that Islam programmed into that word. Every time you say "I am a Mulhid," you're subconsciously accepting several things.

You're accepting that you have deviated. This implies you were once on the right path and left it.

You're accepting that you are morally corrupt. This is the Quranic framing of deviation.

You're accepting that you deserve divine punishment. This is the consequence promised in the Quran.

This linguistic baggage can seriously hinder psychological recovery and self-acceptance after leaving Islam. Many ex-Muslims struggle with residual guilt, and using Islamic terminology to describe themselves only reinforces that guilt.

Choosing neutral terminology like 'Atheist' is not just semantic. It's therapeutic.

When you say "I am an Atheist," you're making a neutral philosophical statement. There's no built-in assumption of moral failure. You're simply describing your position on the existence of deities.

This shift in language helps break the psychological chains that Islam placed on your mind.

Why We Should Choose Our Own Terms

It is simple logic that we should prefer terminology that best represents our ideology. We should avoid terminology that insults or demeans us. We should avoid terminology that has no connection to our actual ideology. We should avoid terminology that was chosen by our opponents specifically to humiliate us. We should avoid terminology that carries religious baggage and negative connotations.

It is our right, not our opponents', to decide the terminology that represents us best.

Think about it. No other marginalized group accepts terminology imposed by those who oppress them. Why should we?

The Complete Terminology Problem in Islam

The issue extends beyond just "Mulhid." Islam has systematically created derogatory terminology for everyone outside its fold:

Each of these terms is designed to:

1. Frame the other as morally inferior
2. Justify discrimination or violence against them
3. Maintain Muslim superiority and orthodoxy

A more respectful and accurate approach is to use neutral, descriptive terms that don't carry religious judgment.

The Best Alternative Terminology

The best approach is adopting universal, neutral terminology that accurately describes our philosophical position.

Primary terms

Atheism or Atheist for those who do not believe in any god.

Agnosticism or Agnostic for those who consider god's existence unknowable.

Deism or Deist for those who believe in a creator but reject organized religion.

Why universal terms work better

Just as Islam is recognized globally as "Islam" without translation, it would be more effective if "Atheism" and "Atheist" were universally used across different languages and regions without fragmentation.

Benefits of universal terminology include international solidarity. Ex-Muslims worldwide can identify with each other using common language.

It brings clarity. There's no confusion about what the term means.

It ensures neutrality. There's no religious baggage or negative connotations.

It maintains professionalism. These terms are recognized in academic and philosophical discourse.

It supports psychological health. There's no internalized shame or guilt.

When you introduce yourself as an "Atheist" in Arabic, English, Urdu, or any other language, people understand your position without any implicit moral judgment.

A Call to Linguistic Liberation

Every time you introduce yourself as "Mulhid," you're unconsciously validating Islam's claim that leaving it is deviation rather than enlightenment.

Every time you accept "Kafir," you're agreeing that non-belief is ingratitude rather than honest skepticism.

Every time you call yourself "Murtad," you're accepting that your intellectual journey was a betrayal rather than growth.

Language shapes thought. Thought shapes identity. Identity shapes destiny.

The words you use to describe yourself are not trivial. They program your subconscious mind. They influence how you see yourself and how others perceive you.

You are not what they called you

You are not a "deviant." You are a free thinker.

You are not an "apostate." You are a truth-seeker.

You are not "covering the truth." You are uncovering it.

You are not morally corrupt. You are intellectually honest.

You didn't deviate from the path. You found your own path.

Reclaim your identity

Call yourself what you truly are.

Call yourself Atheist if you don't believe in any god.

Call yourself Agnostic if you consider existence of god unknowable.

Call yourself Humanist if you focus on human values and dignity.

Call yourself Freethinker if you value reason and evidence over dogma.

Call yourself Rationalist if you prioritize logical thinking.

Call yourself Secularist if you advocate separation of religion and state.

Call yourself anything that accurately describes your position.

Just don't call yourself by the insults your former captors chose for you.

The Problem with "Dahriyyah" (دهرية)

There is another problematic term that deserves special attention: Dahriyyah (دہریت), which some people use to describe atheism in Urdu and Arabic.

The Quranic Origins of "Dahr"

The word "dahr" (دہر) appears in the Quran, but it has nothing to do with atheism.

Surah Al-Insan (76:1)  هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ‌ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْئًا مَّذْكُورً‌ا   

Translation: "Has there come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing mentioned?"

Here, "dahr" simply means "time" or "era." It has no connection to atheism whatsoever.

Surah Al-Jathiyah (45:24)   قَالُوا مَا هِيَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا الدُّنْيَا نَمُوتُ وَنَحْيَا وَمَا يُهْلِكُنَا إِلَّا الدَّهْرُ 

Translation: "And they say, 'There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time (dahr).'"

Even here, "dahr" means "time" or "natural passage of time." The Quran is describing people who believed that time itself, not a deity, brings death. But again, this is not a term for atheism.

In the very next verses (45:25-27), the Quran doesn't call these people "Dahriyyah." Instead, it calls them "Ahl al-Batil" (اہل باطل), meaning "people of falsehood."

The Quran proceeds to hurl insults at them, calling them liars, arrogant, ungrateful, misguided, and having sealed hearts and veiled eyes.

Later, Muslim philosophers decided to manufacture a connection between "dahr" and atheism.

First came Al-Baghdadi, a Muslim scholar of philosophy, who stretched the meaning of "dahr" to include concepts of space and time in a philosophical sense.

Then came Al-Jahiz, another Muslim scholar, who forcibly inserted the meaning of "denial of God" into the word "Dahriyyah."

This was not based on Quranic usage. This was a deliberate construction by Muslim scholars to create yet another derogatory label for non-believers.

Why "Dahriyyah" Is Problematic

The term "Dahriyyah" suffers from multiple problems.

First, it is obscure and confusing. Most people have no idea what it means without a long explanation.

Second, it requires tracing its origins back to the Quran, where it is surrounded by insults and condemnation.

Third, it forces us to cite medieval Muslim philosophers and explain their convoluted logic.

Fourth, like "Mulhid," it is loaded with negative religious baggage.

Do we really want to use a term that is so ambiguous, so unclear, and so contaminated with religious insults? Do we want to constantly explain to people that they need to read the Quran, study medieval Muslim philosophers, and then understand their twisted logic, just to comprehend what we call ourselves?

The answer should be no.

Conclusion

The fight for ex-Muslim rights begins with language. Before we can demand respect from society, we must respect ourselves. Before we can control our narrative, we must control our terminology.

Rejecting "Mulhid" is not just about words. It's about psychological liberation. It's about breaking free from internalized shame. It's about intellectual honesty and using accurate, neutral terms. It's about strategic communication and framing our position without accepting their negative framing. It's about community building and using universal terms that unite ex-Muslims globally. It's about self-respect and refusing to define ourselves by our opponents' insults.

This is linguistic liberation. This is the first step toward true freedom.

The next time someone asks you to identify yourself, don't say "Ana Mulhid" (أنا ملحد).

Say "Ana La Dini" (أنا لا ديني), which means I am non-religious.

Or say "Ana La Adri" (أنا لا أدري), which means I am agnostic.

Or simply use the universal term and say "Ana Atheist" (أنا أثيست).

Better yet, say "I am a human being who values reason, evidence, and human dignity above ancient superstitions."

Choose your words. Reclaim your identity. Free your mind.

Note: This article is written to empower ex-Muslims to reject terminology designed to shame and control them. Share it with anyone still struggling with internalized religious guilt. Language is power. Use it wisely.