Al-Ma'arri was an Arab philosopher who lived in the 11th century. He went blind at a young age due to smallpox, and was mostly known for his anti-religious views, rationalism, and pessimism, as well as writing poetry. He criticized all the major religions for not supporting themselves with evidence, and for adhering to dogmatism. He thought we could only come to conclusions from reason, and that no authority, tradition, or superstition could overrule reason. He believed that there was no afterlife, and that life itself wasn't really worth living, so he was an early antinatalist, thinking that we should not have children. He also supported a kind of secular ethics, being a vegan and pacifist.