Is Islam the 'Stupidest Religion'?

Beautiful islamic mosque

Back in 2001, French author Michel Houellebecq was accused of inciting racial hatred for calling Islam "the stupidest religion." This claim, echoed by others, suggests that Islam inherently makes its adherents less intelligent. Edward Dutton, in his book "Islam: An Evolutionary Perspective," argues that Muslims, compared to those from genetically similar countries dominated by other religions, have lower intelligence. Dutton claims that the Five Pillars of Islam—Faith, Prayer, Charity, Fasting, and Pilgrimage—negatively impact intelligence. He argues that "Faith" reduces analytical thinking, "Prayer" leads to economic inefficiency and tiredness, and "Pilgrimage" and "Charity" have, at best, neutral impacts on intelligence.

The issue with Dutton’s argument is that it essentializes and homogenizes diverse groups. Khaled Diab, in his critique of Islam, argues that such essentialization ignores the complex social, economic, political, cultural, geographical, and historical contexts in which Islam exists. Islam is not a monolithic, unchanging entity but a religion with many interpretations and practices varying across time and place.

Interestingly, Dutton himself acknowledges the diversity within Islam by referencing Clifford Geertz’s study, "Islam Observed," which highlights the differences between Islam in Morocco and Indonesia. However, Dutton contradicts this by essentializing Islam as a singular entity in other parts of his argument.

Dutton also dismisses the significance of the Islamic Golden Age (8th to 13th century), a period marked by substantial intellectual achievements. As Benson Bobrick writes in "The Caliph’s Splendor," this era saw remarkable advancements in various fields such as botany, chemistry, mathematics, architecture, navigation, geography, astronomy, and literature. The caliphates facilitated the exchange of ideas among Jews, Manichaeans, Christians, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and Hindus, leading to the translation and preservation of much of Greek scientific knowledge.

Dutton’s main contention is that the style of learning in Islam, particularly rote memorization of the Quran (hifidh), stifles intellectual development. He contrasts this with Western education, which, he claims, teaches critical thinking rather than rote memorization. However, this view is overly simplistic and historically inaccurate. For example, the French lycee system also relied heavily on rote learning until recently. Philosopher George Steiner, in "Grammars of Creation," argues that memory and rote learning are essential to higher literacy and intellectual development.

In conclusion, Islam does not make people less intelligent. Dogma and close-mindedness can hinder intellectual growth, but these are not exclusive to Islam. The Prophet Muhammad himself emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge, calling it a "duty upon every Muslim" (Sunan of Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 224). Thus, it is not the religion but the attitudes and practices within any belief system that influence intellectual development.