Mohamed Ghilan "It’s clear from the political discourse in post-revolution Muslim countries today that Islam is used as a ploy for political gain. This is evident by the false dichotomy the populace is offered between Islam and any other political system. Karl Marx had some truth in his observation when he said, ”Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of the soulless condition. It is the opium of the people.” As Albert Memmi pointed out in his book The Colonizer and the Colonized, the first thing a colonized people will always flee to is religion because it’s the most effective uniting force for them and the source of solace in their oppression. What religion offers for a colonized people is a place of security in something greater than the colonizing force that has overwhelmed them. It’s a form of resistance and a way out of their condition. Unfortunately, most of them are not going to their religion in a rational way. It’s an emotional escape similar to a child who gets bullied and seeks refuge in his father. It’s obvious in the current black and white discourse on this issue that negates all nuance. Such an approach to Islam is dangerous and undermines it as a religion. Emotions will eventually wear off, and any Islamopolitical party that makes it into office must fulfill what they were put there to do. At some point the beards, prayer beads, and empty slogans will be recognized for their hollowness if these parties didn’t have effective political programs. As the Islamopolitical parties get disposed of, many of the people will also dispose of Islam along with them. This will be the inevitable consequence of their audacity to campaign as representatives of Islam rather than representatives of themselves and their political proposals to move their countries forward. Muslims really need to be aware of these issues and get over the emotional manipulation Islamopolitical parties employ against them. What Muslims need is not a separation between religion and politics – Muslims need a separation between religiosity and politics." Read the full article "On Sharia Governance" at mohamedghilan/2013/06/15/on-sharia-governance/
Posted on: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 17:43:55 +0000
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