DHD 502

Veronika Matulova
DHD 502 :: MAIS
Islamic Online University
Spring 2017
 Islamic Online University
Master of Arts in Islamic Studies

Secularization: The New

Religion

Research Question: Discuss the major concern behind the rise of

Secularism in West. Further, discuss its status in Islam. (1800-2000
words)

Veronika Matulova

Orientalism (DHD 502)

IOU MAIS
Spring 2017
Attempt Count: 1
 DHD 502 | Veronika Matulova

Islamic Online University

Master of Arts in Islamic Studies

Secularization: The New

Religion

Table of Contents
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 2
History of Secularism in the West................................................................................................... 2
Secularism of West: The Natural Choice......................................................................................... 3
Global Spread of Secularism: Era of Colonisation........................................................................... 3
Islam and Secularism: Major Concerns............................................................................................4
How many truths?........................................................................................................................4
What law?.................................................................................................................................... 4
Freedom of expression?...............................................................................................................5
Removal of religion from education?.......................................................................................... 5
Secular Thought in Muslim World: The Impact and Consequences................................................6
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................7
Bibliography............................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

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p p
Alhamdulillahirabbil-'alamin was salatu was salamu 'ala ashrifil anbiya wal-mursaleen nabiyina
Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in. Ammaba'ad:

Secularization: The Rise of a New Religion

Introduction
Secularism is defined as any movement in society directed away from otherworldliness to life
on earth. In the European Middle Ages, there was a strong tendency for religious persons to
despise human affairs and to meditate on God and the afterlife. As a reaction to this medieval
tendency, secularism, at the time of the Renaissance, exhibited itself in the development of
humanism, when people began to show more interest in human cultural achievement and the
possibilities of their fulfillment in this word (Britannica, 2008) . In other simple words,
secularism separates worldly affairs from the religion. It is a reaction against the notion of a
religious state, particularly a Christian one (Baker, 2009, p. 25).

History of Secularism in the West

Once Christianity climbed the leadership ladder with kings accepting Christianity (approximately
from the time of its establishment as the official faith of the Roman Empire), the competition
over the power began. Over the course of history, we have seen various events where kings
tried to take control over the church while church seeking control over the kings (Baker, pp. 33-
34) . As consequences of the constant struggle, deism emerged with its idea of removing God
from human affairs. This idea gave the rise to the true secularism with more peaceful and
rational approach to the theo-political problem (Baker, pp. 68-69).

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The period 1848-1948 was the peak of secularism and of belief in progress in the West. In all
Western countries, public secular education of children and young adults was increasing as well
as the popular belief and state control over education and welfare. In addition, secularism was
often a component of nationalism (Horowitz, 2005).

Secularism of West: The Natural Choice

The secularism of Europe was inevitable, as people were not able to challenge the religious
policies, flowing from the non-existent original religious texts, imposed on them unjustly over
an extended period. Eventually, people got tired of oppression and atrocities committed in the
name of religion. Therefore, since they were not able to correct the situation using original
Christian scriptures and teachings, getting rid of the clergy on the state level was the next best
thing; hence the idea of deism eventually giving birth to secularism.

Christianity was never meant to be a state-governing power. Principles of Christianity could

have been derived in order to lay the foundation of good citizenship and moral accountability;
however, it does not possess the comprehensivity, capability, and accountability of being a
governing policy.

Global Spread of Secularism: Era of Colonisation

Secularism began in Western Europe and quickly spread to the remaining world under the
banner of modernization through colonization. The Colonialists saw the Muslim world as the
backward, inferior, and inefficient society. Unfortunately, Muslim societies exposed to the
Western politics, thought, and culture for decades, assumed that European culture had always
been more progressive and modern. Hence, they have willingly allowed the secular thought to
shape their minds and governing systems (Armstrong, 2000, pp. 145-146). Consequentially, the
vast majority of the Muslim countries today are governed by a mixture of European-style
common and civil law, and Sharia law (BBC).

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Islam and Secularism: Major Concerns

How many truths?
Lorenzo Zucca in Chapter 6 of his book A Secular Europe: Law and Religion in the European
Constitutional Landscape states, Secular teaching include a diversity of religious and non-
religious teachings. The truth about is that it cannot be reduced to one single form of allegiance,
but it has to be pluralistic and composite (Zucca, 2012) . In a practical example, one plus one
can equal one, two, three, four, five, etc.

In contrast, Islam preaches that there is only one truth: Gods. Did I not enjoin upon you, O
children of Adam, that you not worship Satan - [for] indeed, he is to you a clear enemy - And
that you worship [only] Me? This is a straight path (Qur'an, 36:60-61). In a practical example,
one plus one can never be anything else than two. While Islam tolerates other persons beliefs
on a private level, it does not allow the preaching of an ideology, which is in opposition to the
Islamic teachings (Q&A, 2017, f. no: 26721).

What law?
Secularism denies the existence of God and consequently, it denies the existence of an absolute
moral code that must be obeyed (Jeff Myers, David A. Noebel, 2015, p. 91). Understanding the
Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews quotes Fred Edwords, President of the United
Coalition of Reason, It should be obvious from the most casual observation that human beings
are quite capable of setting up systems and then operating within them. In addition, Julian
Wadleigh adds, It is not a set of precise rules but a guide that must be followed using plain
common sense. Furthermore, V. M. Tarkunde, the father of Indias civil rights movement,
stated, Moral behavior of a rudimentary type is found in the highest animals and can be traced
even to lower forms of life. This fact is enough to establish that the source of morality is
biological and not theological (Jeff Myers, David A. Noebel) . Consequentially, moral code and
law of the state are subject to reason and change. This means that what was only a few years
ago illegal and immoral, may become legally and morally acceptable. In recent history, we can
see such examples in the legalization of marijuana, same-sex marriages, adoption by same-sex

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couplesall of which was prohibited by law in countries like USA or Canada only as a recently
as last year (Rau, 2015).

On the other hand, the moral code in Islam is part of the Revealed Law and it will never change.
Whatever was immoral thousand years ago will stay immoral thousand years later. Above all,
there is no law that can surpass the Revealed Law. And whoever does not judge by what Allah
has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers (Qur'an, 5:44).

Freedom of expression?

National Secular Society described the freedom of expression as freedom from discrimination
or censorship and freedom to communicate is vital in a democracy in the debate, reportage,
creative media and any public arena. They further add that beliefs and organizations do not
and should not automatically command respect in a democracy. And, Importantly, claiming
offense and demanding respect cannot be acceptable when claims are made by cultures that
violate basic human rights (Society, 2012) . The European Court of Human Rights, Article 10,
further states that societies must tolerate and accept the denial of their beliefs and allow
propagation of other beliefs even if they are hostile to their faith (Society).

In Islam, freedom of expression is not absolute. Propagation of evil, defamation of people or

organizations, use of abusive or offensive languageall of these are not viewed as a persons
right to exercise freedom of expression. In Islam, the right to freedom of expression ends when
the rights of others begin. O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate
justice (Qur'an, 33:70). Furthermore, the Prophet ( ) commanded to the believers to either
speak what is good or be silent (al-Bukhari, 8:73:158).

Removal of religion from education?

Since education is viewed as a state affair and the goal of secularism is to separate church and
state, the religion is to be removed from education. While in its essence, it is beneficial for the
pluralistic society, it is not compatible with societies that view religious teachings to be a
necessary element of childs education (Q&A, 2017, f. no: 20064).

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Secular Thought in Muslim World: The Impact and

Consequences

We may see two different opinions expressed in the Muslim world: the general masses who do
not even know that secularism has affected their worldview and those, who understand
secularism and yet find it to be absolutely compatible with the Islamic teachings.

A general Muslim public nowadays is exposed to an obscure yet powerful form of secularism
through various media. Movies, the internet, songs, talk shows all of this has had a great
impact on the thoughts of Muslims. While secularism in its definition is not promoted, its
elements are seen everywhere. We are now in times, where the public proclamation of sin and
transgression is simply a manifest of bravery, and freedom of thought and beliefs. Many
Muslims now feel that religion and government have no right to tell them how to earn, invest,
and spend their money; who to marry; who to love; what to watch; how to dress, etc. There has
been the rise of immorality among the Muslim society over the recent years especially since the
media make the sharing of the evil so easy.

A translation of an article Why Secularism Is Compatible with the Quran and Sunnah And an
Islamic State Is Not1 written by Akbar Ganji, an Iranian journalist, published by the
HuffingtonPost.com, demonstrates the claim that Islam and secularism are completely
compatible. Ganji analyzes three versions of secularism and concludes that the one, which is in
accordance with Islam is a separation of church and state or religion from the government. He
further states that Islam does not have any model for an Islamic State. His definition of a
secular Muslims is someone who not only believes in the separation of religion from the state
but also believes that such a separation is compatible with Islam (Ganji, n.d.).

1
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/akbar-ganji/secularism-islam-islamic-state_b_6426300.html

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The question that arises is how can Islam be able separable from the government and its law if
to govern by other than the Law of God is not permissible (Qur'an, 5:44)? His claim that Islam
has no model for an Islamic State is further puzzling. While early Muslims in Makkah were in
minority; in Madinah, they were the majority that was in need of a Code. There was no other
law available to them than the Islamic law, which has governed all aspects of the society:
criminal, financial, marital, family, educational, warfare, etc. How then an intelligent person
claim that Islam has no model for an Islamic state?

The separation of the public and private affairsworldly affairs and the afterlife affairsgoes
completely against the notion of Islam. The Islamic faith is not merely a religion of heart; it is a
comprehensive set of codes, rules, and regulations that govern the public and the private
affairs of the Muslims as individuals and a society. No other religion can claim that it is as
complex and all-inclusive as Islam. This is what makes Islam so special

Conclusion
We need to remember that secularism did not emerge in order to modernize society. Rather, it
was a consequence of the abuse of religion by the governing clergy in Western Europe.
Nowadays, the abuse of original teachings, twisting of religious text in order to achieve power
or personal gain, committing atrocities in the name of religion, all this is defined as religious
extremism. Thus, secularism has not been a response to technological advancement and
maturing society. It was a reaction to Christian religious extremism in Europe. It is an expression
of public frustration with the abuse of religious text on the governing level.

While it has benefited to the Western societies to some level, it cannot be taken as the
universal model of just law that needs to be adopted by every society. In theory, if secularism is
really about the freedom of expression and though, it would see no need to interfere and
impose its ideology on those, who do not agree with it especially through the means of warfare
or creating chaos in order to liberate and modernize foreign countries that rule by their
beliefs.

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And Allah knows best.

Bibliography

al-Bukhari, M. i. (n.d.). Sahih Bukhari. USC-MSA web (English). Retrieved from www.sunnah.com
Armstrong, K. (2000). Islam: A Short History. New York: The Modern Library.
Baker, H. (2009). The End of Secularism. Wheaton: Crossway Books.
BBC. (n.d.). Article 7: Right to equal protection by the law. Retrieved June 29, 2017, from BBC World
Service:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/ihavearightto/four_b/casestudy_art07.sht
ml
Britannica, E. (2008, October 14). Encyclopaedia Britannica. (T. E. Britannica, Editor) Retrieved June 29,
2017, from Secularism: http://www.britannica.com/topic/secularism
Ganji, A. (n.d.). Why Secularism Is Compatible with the Quran and Sunnah And an Islamic State Is Not.
Retrieved June 25, 2017, from HuffPost: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/akbar-
ganji/secularism-islam-islamic-state_b_6426300.html
Horowitz, M. C. (2005). New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Retrieved June 29, 2017, from New Dictionary Of The History Of Ideas:
https://archive.org/stream/NewDictionaryOfTheHistoryOfIdeas/New%20Dictionary%20of%20th
e%20History%20of%20Ideas%202005_djvu.txt
Jeff Myers, David A. Noebel. (2015). Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews.
Manitou Springs: Summit Ministries.
Q&A, I. (2017). IslamQ&A. Retrieved June 1, 2017, from Islam Questions and Answers:
www.islamqa.com
Qur'an. (n.d.). Qur'an. (S. International, Trans.)
Rau, K. (2015, July 17). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Canada. Retrieved July 3, 2017,
from Historica Canada: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lesbian-gay-
bisexual-and-transgender-rights-in-canada/
Society, N. S. (2012, January). NSS Briefing Freedom of Expression. Retrieved June 30, 2017, from
National Secular Society: http://www.secularism.org.uk/uploads/freedom-of-expression-
briefing-10.pdf

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Zucca, L. (2012). A Secular Europe: Law and Religion in the European Constitutional Landscape. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.

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