Religion, in principle, came to alleviate many of the restrictions that people impose on themselves. In the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, for instance, abominable practices became widespread like burying girls alive, permitting certain types of food only for men and making them prohibited for women, depriving women of inheritance, eating carrion, committing adultery, consuming intoxicants, devouring the orphan's property, consuming usury among other evil acts.
One of the things that cause people to have an aversion to religion and resort to material science is the existence of contradictions in some religious concepts among some people. Hence, moderation and balance are among the major characteristics and main causes that make people interested in the right religion, and this is clearly manifest in the Islamic religion.
The problem with other religions, which emerged from the distorted sound religion, is represented in
either being too spiritual, thus encouraging their followers to adopt monasticism and isolation,
or purely materialistic.
This has caused many people to turn away from religion in general among many peoples and followers of the previous religions.
Moreover, we find among some other peoples that many legislations, rulings, and errant practices were falsely attributed to religion as a pretext for forcing people to apply them, the thing that caused them to deviate from the right course and from the sound Fitrah-based concept of religion. Consequently many people lost the ability of distinguishing between the true concept of religion, which fulfills man's natural and unquestionable needs, and man-made laws, customs, traditions, and inherited practices, and this has led them later to seek the replacement of religion with modern science.
As a matter of fact, the right religion is the one that aims at making things easy for people and at alleviating their suffering, introducing rulings and legislations that aim primarily at bringing along facilitation.
Allah Almighty said:
{...And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.} [199] Surat an-Nisā’: 29.
{...And do not throw yourselves into destruction, and do good, for Allah loves those who do good.} [200] Surat al-Baqarah: 195.
{...He makes lawful for them what is pure and makes unlawful for them what is impure; he relieves them of their burden and the shackles that were on them. So those who believe in him, they honor and support him, and follow the light which is sent down with him – it is they who will be successful.} [201] Surat al-A‘rāf: 157.
Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Make matters easy (for people) and do not make them difficult, and give people glad tidings and do not repulse them." [202] "Sahīh al-Bukhāri".
I recall here the story of the three men who were talking together, and one of them said that he would pray all night long, while the other said that he would observe fast continuously without ever breaking it, whereas the third said that he would abstain from women and never get married. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then came and said to them:
"Are you the ones who said such-and-such? By Allah, I fear Allah more than you do, and I am the most obedient and dutiful among you to Him, but still I observe fast and break it; perform prayer and sleep (at night), and I take wives. So, whoever turns away from my Sunnah does not belong to me." [203] "Sahīh al-Bukhāri".
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, on knowing that he used to pray all night long, observe fast continuously, and recite the whole Qur’an every single night, saying:
"Do not do that; rather pray (at night) and sleep, fast and break your fast for your body has a right over you, your eye has a right over you, your guest has a right over you, and your wife has a right over you." [204] "Sahīh al-Bukhāri".