Islam, Science & Atheism

In this lecture Dr. Shoaib will introduce us to the movement known as New Atheism. This talk will include a look at the main and secondary figures of the movement, their criticisms levied at religion and, when possible, at Islam, and the various ways New Atheists have tried to encroach on the wider society from an ideological and sociopolitical perspective. Furthermore, this talk will involve a critical dissection of how and where their criticisms remain unwarranted. Some points mentioned in this lecture will be picked from Dr. Shoaib's recent monograph entitled *Atheism and Islam: A Contemporary Discourse* and from his wider research on New Atheism and Islam.

Dr Shoaib is formally trained as a chemical engineer (BEng from the University of Bath and PhD from University of Nottingham) and is an Assistant Professor at Zayed University in Dubai where he teaches the natural sciences. He also has had some alimiyya training and is currently doing an MSc in Philosophy of Science and Religion at the University of Edinburgh. He is also a Fellow of Science and Religion at Cambridge Muslim College. His research is on the broad contours of Islam and Science, New Atheism, and Islamic Theology.