9
Assignment
SECULARISM
Abstract
The premise of this chapter is that Islam is consistent with the secular state,
defined as neutral regarding all religious doctrine, because the neutrality of
the state is more likely to facilitate the authenticity of the religious
experience of believers by conviction and free choice. In my view, the notion
of an Islamic state is conceptually incoherent, historically unprecedented,
and practically unviable. I am not suggesting that Muslim ruling elites never
claimed that their state was or is Islamic, or that the general Muslim public
has always been clear on the true nature of the state. If this was the case
there would be no need for me to make this argument. What I am suggesting
is that claims that the state is or can be Islamic are false, and that upon
reflection Muslims in general would accept the point I am making. Instead of
trying to summarize in this brief chapter the whole theory, as presented
elsewhere,1 my purpose here is to argue that the sort of secular state that is
compatible with Islam and therefore more likely to be accepted by Muslims is
, 9
one that is characterized by what I call “weak” secularism. This version of
secularism is more characteristic of India and the United States than of
France and Turkey. Its defining feature is a willingness to acknowledge and
mediate a positive role for religion in public life, instead of attempting to
suppress or control religion. This is not easy to do in practice, but should at
least be the objective. However, as states are deeply historical and
contextual, with each being specific to its own society, I am not calling for
the Indian or American models to be copied by other countries.
According to Oxford dictionary Secularism is
defined as:
The belief that religion should not be involved in the
organization of society, education, etc.
Similarly, Wikipedia stated it as: -
“Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of
religion from civic affairs and the state, and may be broadened to
a similar position seeking to remove or to minimize the role of
religion in any public sphere”.
Various stances
Secularism takes different forms with various stances on where and how
religion should be separate from other aspects of society. people of any
religious denomination can support a secular society, however the adoption
of secularism as an identity is generally related to non-religious individuals,
including atheists. Political secularism encompasses the schools of thought in
secularism that consider the regulation of religion by a secular state.
religious minorities and non-religious citizens in a country tend to support
Assignment
SECULARISM
Abstract
The premise of this chapter is that Islam is consistent with the secular state,
defined as neutral regarding all religious doctrine, because the neutrality of
the state is more likely to facilitate the authenticity of the religious
experience of believers by conviction and free choice. In my view, the notion
of an Islamic state is conceptually incoherent, historically unprecedented,
and practically unviable. I am not suggesting that Muslim ruling elites never
claimed that their state was or is Islamic, or that the general Muslim public
has always been clear on the true nature of the state. If this was the case
there would be no need for me to make this argument. What I am suggesting
is that claims that the state is or can be Islamic are false, and that upon
reflection Muslims in general would accept the point I am making. Instead of
trying to summarize in this brief chapter the whole theory, as presented
elsewhere,1 my purpose here is to argue that the sort of secular state that is
compatible with Islam and therefore more likely to be accepted by Muslims is
, 9
one that is characterized by what I call “weak” secularism. This version of
secularism is more characteristic of India and the United States than of
France and Turkey. Its defining feature is a willingness to acknowledge and
mediate a positive role for religion in public life, instead of attempting to
suppress or control religion. This is not easy to do in practice, but should at
least be the objective. However, as states are deeply historical and
contextual, with each being specific to its own society, I am not calling for
the Indian or American models to be copied by other countries.
According to Oxford dictionary Secularism is
defined as:
The belief that religion should not be involved in the
organization of society, education, etc.
Similarly, Wikipedia stated it as: -
“Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of
religion from civic affairs and the state, and may be broadened to
a similar position seeking to remove or to minimize the role of
religion in any public sphere”.
Various stances
Secularism takes different forms with various stances on where and how
religion should be separate from other aspects of society. people of any
religious denomination can support a secular society, however the adoption
of secularism as an identity is generally related to non-religious individuals,
including atheists. Political secularism encompasses the schools of thought in
secularism that consider the regulation of religion by a secular state.
religious minorities and non-religious citizens in a country tend to support
