Existential Philosophy between Martin Heidegger and Abdel-Rahman Badawi: A Comparative Study in Light of Islamic Creed 10.35781/1637-000-146-007

Abstract

Abstract This study examines existential philosophy and the doctrines it promotes, such as disbelief, atheism, and absolute freedom, going beyond the so-called believing (Christian) existentialism that emerged with its founder Søren Kierkegaard. Instead, it focuses on atheistic existentialism in light of its dangerous Arab extension represented by the existential philosopher Abdulrahman Badawi, who was influenced by the atheistic philosophy of his mentor Martin Heidegger. Although Badawi later embraced Islam and renounced existentialism approximately one month before his death, atheistic existentialism is fundamentally regarded as a human-centered doctrine and a philosophical trend that exaggerates the value of the human being. It denies belief in God, His Books, and His Messengers; rejects faith in the unseen; and refuses to acknowledge any divine or earthly religion. Moreover, it considers religion to be the primary obstacle hindering human self-assertion, along with other constraints such as customs, traditions, and social norms. The study pursues several objectives, including, for example, presenting and critically examining the major themes of existential philosophy as articulated by Martin Heidegger and Abdulrahman Badawi, such as the concept of nothingness, the theory of death, and the existentialist stance on ethics, religion, and freedom. Methodologically, the research adopts a combination of the comparative, descriptive, analytical, and partial inductive approaches. Structurally, the study consists of an introduction, a preliminary section, three main chapters—each comprising two sections—and concludes with a conclusion and indexes. Among the key findings highlighted in the conclusion is that Abdulrahman Badawi, despite his attempts at philosophical grounding, remained captive to Heideggerian terminology such as existential temporality and anxiety. He thus transferred the Western atheistic model into the Arab intellectual environment, which led to a disturbance in intellectual identity prior to his final transformation in the later stages of his life. Among the study’s recommendations is the organization of specialized academic conferences in the field of Islamic creed, with the aim of refuting existentialist misconceptions, exposing their flaws, and restoring reassurance to the hearts of Muslims who have been influenced by Western philosophies that call for atheism and absolute freedom in thought and behavior, and for the rejection of the constraints established by the two infallible sources of revelation: the Noble Qur’an and the purified Sunnah. Keywords: Existential philosophy; Martin Heidegger; Abdulrahman Badawi; Nothingness; Freedom; Religion