Muslims are far from athiests. They believe in God (I believe it is the same God we believe in, only by a different name). In talking with so many of them on this topic while in Iraq (though we were strongly cautioned never to discuss religion with them, most I found were very open to talking about God and Islam)I became convinced that contrary to the popular belief in this country that Muslims are Godless, murdering,evil terrorists, most Muslim people I came in contact with were as religious (and in many cases more so) than any American.
The media propaganda machine has spun Muslims into evil, Godless monsters that are all duty bound to destroy Americans and all that is not Islamic. This could not be farther from the truth.
Again, Muslims believe in the teachings of Mohammad, and he himself said he was possessed by Satan. If Satan is a God, then I guess they believe in a God, but not thee God. This is not a whack at them as people, its just that the religion they follow, like Hindu, Confucius's, Shinto, Druid or whatever. But no matter the following or how nice the people are, they can still be lost
http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/bios/b1muhammadca.htm
"Citing passages from the Hadith, the collected sayings of Mohammed, ... by his own account, the founder of Islam was often possessed by Satan. The phrase "Satanic Verses" refers to words that Mohammed first claimed had come from God, but which he later concluded were spoken by Satan. Mohammed married 11 women, kept two others as concubines and recommended wife-beating (but only as a last resort!). His third wife was 6 years old when he married her and 9 when he consummated the marriage. To say that Mohammed was a demon-possessed pedophile is not an attack. It's a fact." (quoted from Murder for Fun and Prophet)
contrary to the popular belief in this country that Muslims are Godless, murdering,evil terrorists, most Muslim people I came in contact with were as religious (and in many cases more so) than any American. I found the same thing during my stint in the Gulf. Of course, there's something weight the stats for this perception -- those who aren't extremely nice and hospitable are those shooting at us. There doesn't seem to be much of an in-between.