نشریه مطالعات شبهه پژوهی
سال دوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 4، پاییز و زمستان 1403)

Religious doubts are one of the fundamental challenges in religious understanding, religious studies, and even religiosity that have prompted humans to think and reflect throughout history and, in their place, will have damaging effects and impacts on individuals mind and faith and also on society. Religious doubts can arise from various epistemic and meta-epistemic factors. This article attempts to examine the factors and grounds effective in forming religious doubts with a comprehensive view, using a meta-analytical approach and documentary method. Findings show that factors effective in forming religious doubts can be divided into two categories: epistemic and meta-epistemic factors. Epistemic factors include undesirable epistemic paradigms, disruptive and destructive foundations, application of a wrong approach, improper application of an approach, etc. These factors serve as primary and genuine causes. Non-epistemic (meta-epistemic) factors comprise a set of internal and external factors that, as preparatory causes in the religious research process, become the source of many doubts. Internal factors include psychological, moral, personal, and personality characteristics referred to as psychological factors. External factors include customs and habits, cultures, governments, patterns, social atmosphere, and similar factors, referred to as social factors.

"New Atheism" is an anti-God social movement that was first founded in America, England and Australia by some scientists and writers and then spread to other parts of the world. In addition to denying the validity of religious beliefs, this current considers them as the source of evil and violence among humans. New atheism, which started at the beginning of the 21st century, reached its peak after a decade and began to decline from 2015. By examining the factors of the rise, expansion and decline of new atheism in the western society, this article creates a proper insight into the growth process of religious doubts in the heart of social actions. In total, five factors for the emergence and expansion and five factors for the decline of this trend have been identified. The current research shows that the social, political and cultural factors governing America and the Western society have played a major role in the growth of this trend and in its decline.

Baha ism is a doctrine promoted by colonial powers against the Holy Qur an, Islamic beliefs, and Muslim nations that has continuously sought to undermine Muslims fundamental beliefs. Realizing Muslims deep-rooted belief in the Qur an, they have attempted to exploit this belief and, by appealing to the Holy Qur an, fabricate arguments against the Qur an and Islamic teachings. They claim that from the Qur an s own perspective, the religion of Islam had a limited lifespan, not exceeding a thousand years, and is now considered an abrogated religion, not the final religion, and that Baha ism is the abrogating religion. Therefore, they inappropriately and arbitrarily interpret certain verses to suggest to their audience that the abrogation of Islam can be inferred from the Holy Qur an and that God Himself has stated this in the Qur an. Given the deviation of some movements and individuals in this area, it is necessary to identify this sect s deviant methodology. Upon investigating some of the Baha i interpretations, it becomes clear that methodologically, this group s interpretations have serious flaws, to the extent that they sometimes fail to observe even basic methodological principles in interpreting the Holy Qur an. This paper, using analytical and library-based methods, examines and critiques eight major titles related to their methodological deficiencies. The findings reveal that Baha i interpretations fail to adhere to the Qur anic rules of exegesis

Wahhabism is a Salafi intellectual school derived from Ibn Taymiyyah s thoughts that has been one of the important doubt-generating centers in confronting Islamic schools of thought in the recent century. Alongside efforts to respond to Wahhabi Salafi doubts, one can design an offensive arrangement through scientific movement aimed at challenging the opponent, so that in this active approach, the opponent is placed in a reactive position and must focus their efforts on responding. Obviously, beyond the Shia-Wahhabi confrontation, the method of internalizing confrontation among claimants of centrality in the Sunni world creates a deeper challenge among Wahhabi Salafis. This article seeks to answer what method can be used to utilize the capacities of Sunni theological schools for internalizing confrontation with Wahhabism and what points can be focused on. This study attempts to explain the method of internal confrontation with Wahhabism as one of the doubt-generating centers by reflecting on the distinguished position and capacity of two theological schools Ash ari and Maturidi in the Sunni world, the latter of which is intertwined with Sufi tendencies. In this regard, and as an example, four challenging subject areas are highlighted: rational knowledge, unity in divinity and lordship, narration-based attributes, and ziyarah and intercession.

In certain psychological conditions, people s minds become more susceptible to producing or being influenced by doubts; among these conditions are depression and obsessive disorders. This research attempts to examine and explain the role of these two disorders in creating grounds for the emergence and influence of doubt using a descriptive-analytical method. According to research findings, depression, due to having three mental components, can both create grounds for doubt and facilitate susceptibility to it. These components are negative cognitive triangle, maladaptive schemas, and logical errors. In obsessive disorder, two factors play important roles: 1. Suffering from obsessive doubts: this disorder is one type of thought obsession and can be a source of generating doubt in various religious teachings. 2. Strong desire to escape from worry and helplessness: if someone suffers from severe practical obsession in religious laws, they will experience significant anxiety and have a strong desire to escape this state. This condition can provide suitable ground for the emergence or influence of doubts.