How can you be Atheist and Muslim?

Well - you can't of course

My old perceptions were strong, and completely in opposition to religion. But at the same time - in hindsight - a lot of how I was, became and translated to some of the better aspects of my attempts at being a 'good Muslim'

But that doesn't mean I didn't try...

When I was younger I learnt about Church of England Christianity as a small part of young age schooling. To the detriment of itself, and probably sadly for Christianity - it was taught alongside and likened to Father Christmas and such. I completely understood that those telling me wanted me to accept it as true, but I also kind of felt like we were all playing a game, pretending that we believed in stories, which ever ones those were that day.

Later schooling this left - and was not really replaced by any form of education that addressed this area of existence. We did have Religious Education as a topic, but it was mostly watching films, tv shows and the like that made reference or were really loosely related to something the teacher could spin as 'religious'. I watched the first half of the film Twister many many times...

In it's place was lots of learning about science as the default of all things relating to reality and truth. I agree that in principle science seeks truth and I think that conducted by un-bias beings is completely compatible with religion. Though - in my case, and the case of many I would imagine, science is pitted in opposition to everything that isn't science.

As a teenager and a young adult, I was clearly 'very' atheist. I was never anything even close to Richard Dawkins, even in my most angry teenage moments, I still thought that he was a pretty horrible person. But even so I was of the belief that to be religious was either wilful ignorance - or just meant you were not that clever.

In hindsight, I actually appreciated and respected many of the same values and have always considered myself to wish for an importance of a strong moral code, hoping that this would filter into a good character. Everyone is flawed and unable to meet perfection, but I always wanted to try to be as 'good' as I could.

My old perceptions were strong, and completely in opposition to religion. But at the same time - in hindsight a lot of how I was became and translated to some of the better aspects of my attempts at being a 'good Muslim'. My sense of character and of seeking what was right, was the same then as it was now - in a way.

Everyone I knew was not outwardly religious. If there were people who were then maybe I am sorry for not being able to recall now - but I don't remember anyone being a practicing individual - friends, family or acquaintances. As far as my perception went - I was surrounded with only people who agreed with my mindset.