Kaafir Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri (Arabic أبو العلاء المعري

format_quote Originally Posted by CosmicPathos

This guy was born in 363 Hijri. He says, "Do not suppose the statements of the prophets to be true; they are all fabrications. Men lived comfortably till they came and spoiled life. The sacred books are only such a set of idle tales as any age could have and indeed did actually produce"

I've seen many ex-Muslims and atheists use this Al Maari guy as an inspiration as an example of how Islam was challenged by rationalists from very own.

The issue of that poet is controversal , there are narrations about him from his contemporaries that affirms his atheism and the opposite as well !!!

that is why some of his contemporaries accused him of atheism and others the opposet ,saying that he was not only a muslim but a faithful as well !!
there is even a book (in Arabic) defending him against the accusation of blasphemy called (defending Abul ʿAla Al-Maʿarri) written by Abdul moeen Almelohy ..

the writer in his book tried to read carefully the work of the man and found it is unfair to accuse him of blasphemy ....

me personally I think if we be assured that some of the poems he wrote showing skepticism in his beliefs ,offending the creator .... it could be understood in light of his conditions as being blind ,with deformed face (due to smallpox)..

some invalid people experience bitter moments when they lose faith turning to be pessimistic , pronouncing offensive words against the creator who made them different than others ,but sometimes they get calm praising God ,repenting etc.....
I would suggest that would explain the case of the contradictory opinions regarding that great poet...