Al-Maʿarri

Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri (born 973, died 1058) is a blind Syrian philosopher, poet, and writer.

He is a controversial rationalist of his time, attacking the dogmas of religion, rejecting the claim that Islam or any other religion possesses the truths they claim, and considering the speech of prophets as a lie (literally, "forge") and "impossible" to be true.

He is equally sarcastic towards the religions of Muslims, Jews, and Christians.

He is also a vegan who argues for animal rights.

In 2013, almost a thousand years after his death, a Jihadist group beheads the statue of Al Ma'arri during the conflict in Syria.

Al Ma'arri remains widely cited among modern Arab atheists.

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