Secularism. An idealised political ideology for its believers. Adherents to secularism argue that their belief system provides a neutral platform for the management of various competing religious interests. They claim that secularism is the most just system for societies that are made up of various beliefs. Secularists tend to reject the claim that secularism itself is a belief. They argue that secularism is devoid of belief. It is exactly the lack of belief that characterise its neutrality. Their discomfort is understandable. How can a belief system be expected to be neutral when dealing with other beliefs? But that is exactly what secularism is. It is an ideology that is not based on observable knowledge. It requires acceptance of its value and virtue. And most times, adherents to secularism are not fully aware of what they really believe in. Secularism is the national belief system of most countries in the world. And just like other belief systems, it seeks to survive and perpetuate itself. It is cautious when dealing with rival systems. It feels threaten and seek to remove rivals less its position is threatened. Hence, we see secularists argue that the state should remain secular. Any attempt to change the secular nature of the state should be challenged to its fullest extent. The defence of secularism rivals any in the religious world. Secularists further claim that the virtue of secularism lies in its neutrality. Every religion is allowed to be practiced within its benign governance. No group is privileged. And neither are they oppressed. In this Xanadu of religious practice, everyone is allowed to live their lives and practice their religion under the neutral and kind gaze of the secular system. This simplistic claim of course neglects a simple question: when there is a conflict between the secular state interests and religious interests, which one would prevail? When the religion prescribe a public character and it conflicts with the secular system, which one will be followed? But here lies the lie of secularism. It is not the simple and neutral separation of religion from the state. It is the subservience of religion to the secular state interests. The claim that secularism represents an equal treatment of all and equal separation between the physical and spiritual is the biggest deception of the modern political system. There is no equal separation when one has authority over the other. The secular believers with their state and enforcement authorities are able to compel compliance by the religious. The separation is not equal. Which of course, begs a simple question: why are some Muslim secularists? The belief in a system that demands the subservience of Allah and His commands to the will of men is not Islam. The belief in such a system cannot be a part of Islam. So why are there Muslim secularists?
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 07:27:49 +0000
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