KARL MARX OPIUM OF THE MASSES AND CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUSITY: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL

                                                                   ABSTRACT

Religion is a contested notion because different persons have different view of what it is. Religion is fundamental because no society can exist without it as part of their culture, it is also part of human nature. This research attempted to analyze the meaning of religion, its positive and negative aspects in a society and also an attempt was made to analyze its importance in an ideal society. This research was carried out by first, looking at the background, purpose, significant, purpose of religion. The methods used were historical, expository and critical methods, and analysis. We examined the various concepts of religion by different scholars, especially Karl Marx’s concept of religion which is the main purpose for this research. We also discussed how a true nature of religion ought to be and finally, a conclusion was drawn. This study discusses about the uniqueness of religion among other academic disciplines. Religion is almost exclusively approached as an object of study. This study presents a descriptive criticism of Islam in Marx's critique of religion. The study then found that Islam and Marxism is essentially a contradiction particularly striking in view of the unity-an. Marx, based on the philosophy of Marxism; man- made religion and religion does not make the man. However, Muslims believe in the spiritual concept of the infinite in which Islam describes the man as the ground; land; ground, or it can be said that religion, in this case, God created man, not vice versa.