In Islam, the Day of Judgment will not come but on a certain type of mankind.  During this time, and amongst such people, the word "God" will not so much as be uttered.  The prophecy, based on a number of hadiths, is more detailed than that, of course.  But knowing this much ought to inspire Muslims to understand a segment of the World population outside of the typically encountered faiths of Christianity, Judaism, etc.  And I don't mean just atheists, but agnostics as well.

As a side note & observation, many agnostics seem to be the precursor to atheists.  Both groups, however, have similar outlooks on life and morality outside of "organized religion."  This very outlook is what many have steered away from within Islam (and other religions) despite much of it being the core of the religion.

To simplify the writing of this article, and at the risk of introducing an acronym, let's refer to both groups (atheists and agnostics) as non-religion followers (NRFs).  NRFs by practice may surprise many who follow religions.  It may even surprise many that NRFs come across as God-fearing individuals.  They opt out of lying, cheating, dishonest transactions, etc.  The difference is that NRFs do so out of choice, and not because of religion doctrine.  They do so because they simply want to be good people.

People of religion, especially in oppressing countries (the Middle East, some of eastern Europe, Russia, etc.), are unfortunately commonly found to do just the opposite.  It boils down to hypocrisy.  For many, lying, cheating, etc. is about gaining whatever one can in an environment of scarcity and frustration.  But the end (the need or want) should not justify the means.

In the case of Muslims, it is unfortunate how business is transacted in many cases.  Granted, it's usually in those corrupt countries, but again, that should not justify anything.  It basically all boils down to choice.  In a corrupt country, if you don't commit some sins like bribery, you are likely to live a poor life.  In this case, morality is defined by one's religious beliefs; and the choice is either to be moral or poor (poor for that day, that week, that month, etc.).  NRFs make the same choice, but they usually live in more advanced countries like here in the US, Australia, etc.

I guess one observation that can be stated is that where religion is prevalent (Islam in the Middle East, Christianity in South America, etc.) corruption is high.  But is that a fair statement to make?  Couldn't it be that with religion comes a life pursued for a higher calling / purpose, which drives simplicity, allowing those who are greedy & corrupt to build upon the shoulders of the masses?

When you think of devout Muslims, without the stereotypes, you think of semi-nomadic individuals.  But even urban ones live a simple life. They're  goal in life is not material.  They're seeking the hereafter.  When you think of devout Buddhists, you'll likely think of monks like the ones in Tibet.  The same applies within any religion or philosophy.  It usually means a life of simplicity.  Now you have those that don't want that.  Those that care about the material things.  And many will do anything to get what they want.  And with that pursuit comes power.  And where there is power and greed (not matter how small) comes corruption.  And to continue having power, control and the material things, those with it will step on those without it.  Ultimately, this causes a cycle that's hard to break.

All this brings up the question:  How would NRFs behave in such an environment?  Would they still take the morally higher ground?  Being morally conscious in lieu of religion when you have much of everything (by comparison) is not a true test of one's character.

The problem is that Muslims, in the wake of their corrupted countries, have failed such a test.  Was this failure temporary, it would be different.  Unfortunately, it's been decades with little or nothing done.  This, combined with foreign-placed/imposed borders, among other factors makes it hard for Muslims to represent Islam.  Right now, in the World arena, the lines of culture, corruption, extremism, etc. is very blurry.  This makes having a conversation with NRFs semi-impossible.  It's simply not the same playing plain.  Worse, this self-indulgent bubble that Muslims have allowed themselves to sink into makes for a culture naivety that renders most (especially in the Middle East) incapable of the line of thinking of NRFs.  Should a conversation ever take place, this presents challenges made by NRFs to come across as hostile attacks.  When in reality, they are fundamentals that need to be ironed out and agreed upon.  After all, the same fundamentals that drive NRFs to make the morally higher choice should be the same as the ones that come out of Islam itself.  Fundamentals like respecting humans & human rights, identifying what's wrong and standing up for what's right, etc.

If you are a Muslim, then the prophecy is fact  —NRFs are what will be the way of life sooner or later.  Of course, that's over simplifying it a little since no Muslims will be alive at the time, but that's not the point.  Instead, it's imperative that Muslims (and this probably applies to others, especially Abrahamic religions) realize that conversations within the Abrahamic faiths is not going to suffice.  We need to be able to talk without judgment with a growing segment of the World  —Atheists & Agnostics.  And Muslims, are currently not in a position to do that.

Muslims simply need to break the cycle.  And the only way to do so is to clean house from within.  We need to rid ourselves of the corruption from within.  Going back to Islamic prophecy, that's exactly what Al-Mahdi (The Guided One) is going to do once he arrives.  He's not a Prophet or anything.  He's simply a man that is God-fearing, standing for what's right and forbidding evil.  And the first order of business, according to Islamic prophecy, is what?  That's right, it's the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi & the Persian Gulf).  That, in itself, ought to send a slap of reality across the faces of many Muslims.  Radicals, fundamentalists, extremists, or whatever is the flavor of the month need to focus their energy on the monster within.