Islam, not secularism is the cure!

On the 18th of December 2008 an article titled, “In defense of a secular state” appeared in the daily The News written by Dr. Rubina Saigol. The article can be accessed at http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=152438. The article gives a few examples of nation states which have adopted secularism and then strongly argues in favor of it, claiming that a secular state can solve the following five problems:

1) It may diminish the possibility of sectarian strife;
2) It is likely to engender equality among all citizens irrespective of religion;
3) It has the potential to reduce discrimination against women;
4) It may generate greater tolerance of difference and reduce religious extremism;
5) It has the potential to counter state and non-state terror.

As the author begins her article by explaining the meaning and context of secularism, I will do the same, before analyzing her arguments, refuting her claims and showing how Islam can actually solve those problems if implemented comprehensively.

Though Dr. Saigol gives five different definitions for secularism, they are all cosmetic differences, referring to differences in political structures that one may find in secular states. However, there is no ambiguity in the concept and definition of secularism, from political scholars of all spectrums i.e. as per the American Heritage Dictionary, ‘the view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education’. In simple terms, a secular state is when religion and God’s role is limited to the individual’s private domain whilst public life and affairs (social, economic and polticial) is legislated and organized by man. The famous phrase ‘render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s’ is apt in summing this meaning.

It should be clear that this separation between religion and state i.e. abandoning the role of God from public life does not mean that secularism is atheism, which is rejecting the existence of God altogether; rather it is even more dangerous due to its potential to deceive people into believing that they can be perfectly Muslim while being completely secular.

Concerning Islam, would any sane Muslim, appreciating what secularism is, suggest that Allah (swt) be put under house and/or mosque arrest so that He (swt) does not interfere in public life and law-making (nauzubillah)? Apparently this seems to be the case and it is important to first highlight the possible explanations why some of our educated elite are so adamant on curtailing the role of Islam in public and political life, whilst advocating secularism.

a. The first and foremost reason is that the educated elite have been smitten by western political thought and secular values – as they have become the standard and teacher for the educated elite, indeed the whole world. The brutal colonial history ensured this. As a result, they are only able to offer solutions within this framework, even though it contradicts their belief and that of their people. In reality, as they are distant from the Islamic political philosophy, they are unable to understand it, defend it and present it as the only viable solution for the problems that are manifest in the Muslim world – this is even though this is their prime responsibility in their quality as the educated elite.

b. In absence of the Islamic political thought being present in the thinking and life of the Muslims, there is no working Islamic model of government anywhere in the world, least of all in places that are often labeled as such e.g. Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan etc. This reinforces in the mind of the educated elite, particularly those who have experienced the oppressive, discriminatory and corrupt nature of these states, the entirely erroneous notion that Islam is unworkable – thus reinforcing the secular framework in their minds.

c. The colonial endeavor and prevalence of the secular thought has established the common myth that Islam, like all religions, is established upon irrationality, emotion and devoid of an intellectual foundation. This has moved the educated elite away from Islam, even though Islam is firmly established upon a profound intellectual basis and demands that rationality is the foundation of belief.

d. Another reason might be the false notion that Islam is against science. Again, one can see the connection this has to the absence of the Islamic thoughts and the Islamic government, which is obliged to advance the state in all scientific fields. We are all witness of the ‘brain drain’, where our educated elite and professionals leave the Muslim world for the ‘secular west’, since there is neither infrastructure nor support for them to advance in their respective fields at home. This is in sharp contrast to Islamic history, where it is clearly recorded that Islam pushed the Muslims towards scientific progress, such that the Muslims became the pioneers in many fields. Even non-Muslims testify to this fact. Robert Briffault in his book, ‘Making of Humanity’ wrote, “The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries or revolutionary theories, science owes a great deal more to Arab culture, it owes its existence.”

e. When combining all the elements above, there seems the simple lack of confidence which many Muslims today have in presenting Islam as a solution provider or complete system. When one is distant from the Islamic thought, dominated and educated by secular values, witness to the backwardness and corruption of governments in the Muslim world (that are propped-up by western governments) – combined with a well-oiled western propaganda machine – one could understand why Muslims, from all backgrounds, may have lost confidence in Islam as a solution to problems – or just as dangerous, believe the need to reform it, in order to make it ‘applicable and relevant’. This is even though Islam is the only competing system which has the ability to overshadow and expose the flaws of capitalism and offer mankind a just alternative.

As to the problems which Dr. Saigol thinks secularism can cure, let us analyse them, one by one:

1. Sectarianism: Since secularism is established upon the sovereignty of man to legislate, secular societies are the most prone to sectarian division and friction – whether based on colour, religion, race and ethnicity. This has been the 300 year history of the western world with the treatment of blacks, jews, women, the colonized lands, native Indians, aborigines, Latin Americans etc. This has not changed, even with the appointment of a black US President, as racism is rife in the US and in Europe as Muslims are beginning to feel all too well. Likewise, it is important to note that under the recent regime of Musharraf, which was the most secular of all that the Muslims of Pakistan have seen so far, sectarian violence increased manifold. Since there is no existing Islamic governance by which to compare, one can only currently re-affirm that as the Law-Maker is Allah (swt), there is no scope for sectarian divisions – though differences (i.e. legitimate Islamic discourse) will naturally exist, but managed by the Islamic authority under the Islamic concept of ‘one ummah’ (nation).

2. Equality among citizens: This claim is ridiculous given the reality of Muslims in various Western countries today. The institutional discrimination has now surpassed personal discrimination in countries like US and UK which not so far ago used to boast themselves as champions of equality and human rights. Muslims are treated as guilty unless proven innocent after 9/11 and their civil rights have been curtailed to the level of Nazi Germany under the pretext of ‘war on terror’. Guantanamo Bay, Extra-ordinary flights of rendition, legality to torture suspects are sufficient examples of this. This should be enough to show the inherent inability of manmade laws to provide justice and equality. It was only under Islam that Muslims, Jews, Christians and Hindus lived side by side and even if living as minorities there was never any kind of discrimination or inequality based on religion, race or ethnicity. Islam is very clear on the status of non-Muslims living under the protection of Islam. These people, called as the ahle-Dhimma (people of the contract) are mentioned in one hadith by Muhammad (saw) saying, “Whoever hurts a dhimmi has hurt me and whoever hurts me annoys Allah (swt). [at-Tabbari]

3. Women rights: Again this assertion is also ridiculous given the status of women in secular societies, where they are misused, abused and discriminated against in every walk of life. Even Western societies have come to realize the fraud of emancipation which in reality has brought no freedom, but added misery to women’s life. Does Dr. Saigol want that our women also become bodies for sale which are used as an object of attraction for selling products ranging from candies to cars? If one would not mistake all the atrocities and ills which befall women in Muslim countries - due to backward tradition and non-functional police and legal system - for being the result of Islam, one would clearly see how Islam has honored women in all their roles – i.e. primarily as a mother, wife and daughter, in addition to being a businesswoman, lawyer, doctor, accountant, Islamic political activist etc…

4. Religious extremism: Religious extremism is a result of secularism. It manifested itself the most in times of more secular regimes and that is quite understandable because these are mostly reactionary elements which when they see the country going in the wrong direction, often don’t know how to stop this tide and resort to unacceptable methods. Thinking that by secularizing more and more is nothing but wishful because the people of Pakistan love Islam more than anything, thought they might not have deep knowledge in it. They have never come out on the streets in the last 60 years for democracy and secular values, which has been the song of all our leaders and media throughout. Similarly, the masses were also not moved on issues like poverty, rather whenever they came on the streets, it was for the sake of defending Islam, be it Nizam-e-Mustafa, Namoos-e-Risalat or other such mass movements. So how can someone expect that by shunning Islam altogether we would achieve harmony in society?

5. State and non-state terror: The most secularized countries on the face of this earth, the US, the UK and India, all three are involved in the worst form of state terrorism. The former two have waged two wars for achieving economic and geo-political hegemony whereas the latter is suppressing the basic rights of its own citizens and of the people whose land it occupies for over half a century now. It should be clear that the secularist creed is based on personal benefit and greed, which knows no bounds. Only the correct and comprehensive implementation of Islam can root out the menace of all kinds of terrorism.

In summary, we don’t need our educated elite to advance secularism to perpetuate colonial endeavors and maintain the misery that Pakistan faces. Secularism should be discarded in the bin of history and our educated elite should seek to present the Islamic ideology.