SECULARISM & ISLAM

Destructive Effects of Secularism and Measures to Avoid It:     ~ Maulana Huzaifa Vastānvi Db

Secularism is essentially a Latin term, which is translated as "علمانیة" in Arabic and "لادینیت" in Urdu. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was blessed by Allah with such astonishing and miraculous knowledge of revelation, through which he informed the ummah (community) about all the trials that would occur from his blessed mission until the Day of Judgment, so that the ummah could completely avoid misguidance and deviation. The atheism and godlessness that have emerged in the world under the name of secularism at this time are in line with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), in which he said, "There will come a time upon the people when groups of evildoers will stand at the gates of Hell, and they will invite them to it. Whoever accepts their invitation, they will throw him into it." Let us be sacrificed for Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), how great is the news in brief words! The word "دعاة" (inviters) indicates towards the abundance of atheists, infidels, and secular enemies of religion, which the world has been witnessing for some time now. It is largely assumed that this hadith refers to the proponents of secularism itself. Therefore, we are presenting brief information about secularism earnestly. It is hoped that by studying it with an open heart, we will consider saving ourselves and the entire society from the trials of secularism. O Allah, grant us success in what You love and are pleased with, and make our end better than our beginning.

What is secularism?

Secularism is essentially a Masonic Jewish movement, whose purpose is to remove religion from all aspects of life under the guise of human rights, equality, freedom, research, international law, and education, and to degrade spirituality by prioritizing materialism. It claims that following religion is against human freedom, so politics and religion, economy and religion, and society and religion are all separate. Religion is against nature and instinct, so following any religion is incorrect. Their situation is as the Quran instructs: "And when it is said to them, 'Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion." (Surah An-Nisa: verse 61) Here, the present tense of the verb "يصدون" (turning away) indicates that this is not specific to the time of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) but will continue in every era, and then by saying "صدودا" (aversion), it is indicated that they will be stubborn about it.

Where and how did secularism originate?

Secularism originated in Europe. It is claimed that when Islam opened the doors of knowledge and its influence spread from the East to the West, reaching as far as Granada and Bosnia, the eyes of the people of the West opened. This is because until the 16th century, Christianity had a complete influence and penetration into Europe. When the people of Europe saw the intellectual freedom and progress of the Muslims and witnessed the narrow-mindedness and bigotry of Christian priests and kings, and as a result, saw restrictions on scientific research and oppression of dissenters, they felt that Christianity was actually hindering their progress. Therefore, in the 17th century, the people of the West declared war on religion, and this hidden agenda was the result of the most secretive destructive movement of Freemasonry's conspiracies. Thus, when the proponents of secularism succeeded in Europe, they proclaimed, "Now reason will be free, and humanity will be liberated from the shackles of religion, and nature and naturalism will prevail."

When secularism prevailed in Europe, they began to dream of ruling the world. In this way, they turned their attention to the East and invaded Egypt in 1789, and until the 19th century, they engulfed the entire East in their embrace, even capturing some shortsighted, materialistic Muslims in their trap.

Supporters of secularism in the East and the West:

In spreading secularism, those with wicked and crooked thoughts played important roles and characters. Among them, in the West, Darwin laid the foundation of the theory of evolution in the name of research, which is considered the biggest deception in the world. Similarly, Freud presented the theory of sexuality, and Darkheim presented the theory of rationality. Jean-Paul Sartre limited the theory of existentialism, then Adam Smith laid the foundation of capitalism with "The Wealth of Nations," and Karl Marx laid the foundation of communism, which was the culmination and summary of all previous materialistic ideas. In the East, figures like Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Taaha Hussain, Jamal Abdul Nasir, Anwar Sadat, Ali Pasha, Sir Syed, Chiragh Ali, Enayatullah Mashriqi, Ghulam Parvez, and Ghulam Qadiani took up the challenge of popularizing these ideas in the East. And now it is called globalization, meaning "worldliness." Let's see what happens next. May Allah protect us. Amen, the Lord of the worlds!

The objective of secularism:

The primary objective of secularism is to detach the Muslim ummah from Islam in the present era and associate it with materialism so that the dominance of the West remains unchallenged. This is because Islamic thought, Islamic spirituality, and adherence to Islam are the keys to success and dominance for Muslims. Therefore, Muslims should focus their complete attention, faith, and adherence on Islam's teachings, not to fall into the trap of materialistic deceptions. O Allah, we seek Your forgiveness, health, and well-being in this world and the Hereafter.

اللہم انانسئلک العفو والعافیة فی الدین و الدنیا و الاخرة۔

Types and categories of secular thinkers:

1. First Category: These are the disbelievers and atheists who openly deny any religion, including Islam. If they are Muslims and express such views, they are considered apostates.

2. Second Category: These are hypocrites who outwardly appear to be Muslims but harbor disbelief in their hearts. Their entire agenda is against Islam, and they often can be found in Muslim societies. They can be identified by several signs:

   - They claim to be reformers, Islamic scholars, or revivalists while actively working against Islamic teachings and principles. Their actions contradict Islamic teachings and are most detrimental to Islam and Muslims.

   - They assert that Islamic teachings are outdated and irrelevant in the modern era, thus advocating for Muslims to accept worldly laws instead of Shariah, claiming it to be more beneficial for Muslims.

   - They indulge in hedonism, attempting to justify the prohibition as permissible and the permissible as prohibited, without feeling any guilt for their sins.

   - They look down upon those who practice religion and mock religious symbols such as beards, turbans, prayer caps, etc., considering religious observance as a sign of lesser intellect.

   - Their ideological inclinations are not fixed; they sway with the prevailing winds. For example, while Russia was dominant, they supported communism, and now that America is dominant, they advocate for capitalism and democracy.

3. Third Category: These are Muslims influenced by secularism and Westernization, often termed as "Westernized Muslims." They do believe in Islam and acknowledge its truth, but their affinity for terms like secularism, democracy, human rights, women's freedom, freedom of speech, and the separation of religion and politics has led them astray from Islamic teachings.

   

   Methods of promoting secularism among Muslims:

1. Through electronic and print media, propagate the notion that Islam is a religion of backwardness and its teachings are outdated in the modern era, despite the fact that Islam advocates both spiritual and material progress. The real essence of progress lies in pleasing the Creator, Allah, and adhering to His teachings, not in blindly following materialistic pursuits.

2. Spread the false narrative that Islam is a violent religion filled with oppression and injustice, while history proves otherwise. The atrocities committed in the name of democracy and secularism in the past century far exceed any wrongdoing in Islamic history. Muslim rulers have shown compassion and justice, and any wrongdoing cannot be attributed to Islam as a whole.

3. Deny the divine origin of the Quran and Hadith, claiming them to be mere products of human imagination, despite clear statements in the Quran affirming its divine revelation.

4. Ridicule the concept of belief in the unseen, such as angels, jinn, heaven, hell, resurrection, and divine destiny, despite the Quran affirming the belief in the unseen as a characteristic of true believers.

5. Promote immoral behavior and debauchery in Muslim societies, normalize vices, and create an environment where indulgence in sin becomes commonplace.

6. Promote modernism as an alternative to the concept of Tawheed (monotheism) in Islam, encouraging Muslims to adopt Western ideologies contrary to Islamic teachings.

7. Discredit Islamic culture and heritage by promoting cultural exchange to dilute the cultural identity of Muslims and integrate them into Western culture.

8. Label Islam and Muslims as terrorists and extremists, tarnishing the image of Islam and its adherents in the eyes of others.

9. Normalize and promote activities prohibited in Islam, such as alcohol consumption, gambling, and usury, by giving them new names and making them socially acceptable among Muslims.

10. Mock Islamic teachings, personalities, and values to instill doubt and skepticism among Muslims and discourage them from following Islamic principles.

11. Popularize Western philosophical theories and elevate their proponents as champions of knowledge and enlightenment, despite the fact that many of these theories have led humanity astray from the path of truth and righteousness.

These methods aim to undermine the faith and values of Muslims and promote secularism as an alternative worldview. May Allah protect us from such misleading propaganda. 

 لعنة علیہم و الملائکة والناس اجمعین!

The Shar’ee Hukm on secularism:

Islamic scholars and jurists have declared secularism as a permanent ideology, termed as "dahriyat," hence it is deemed explicit disbelief, i.e. Kufr Sareeh and it is necessary for Muslims to counter it. Those who hold secularist views among Muslims are referred to as hypocrites, as they deny Islamic teachings, oppose the truth, and seek to legalize what is prohibited in Islam.

The Impact of Secularism on the World:

Secularism has inflicted the most damage on the Muslim world, as secularist thinkers, including prominent figures, contributed to the downfall of the Islamic Caliphate. The mighty Ottoman Islamic empire was divided and weakened by secularist ideologies, leading to its eventual collapse and fragmentation into fifty parts. The impure existence of Israel emerged amidst Islamic states. Secularism paved the way for the spread of immorality, vice, and every evil, turning the world into a hellish abode under the guise of democracy and globalization.

Ways to Achieve Victory for Islam:

1. Strengthening Faith: Our foremost priority should be to strengthen our faith, as the Quran declares, "And you will be superior if you are [true] believers" (Al-Imran: 139). True believers are those who accept Islam wholeheartedly, act upon it, and sacrifice everything for it.

2. Adherence to the Quran and Sunnah: We must firmly adhere to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in every situation, ensuring that our words and actions align with the sources of Islam.

3. Taqwa (God-consciousness): Develop a sense of God-consciousness in every aspect of life, abstaining completely from all forms of wrongdoing and forbidden acts, and making the obligatory duties and Sunnah practices an integral part of our lives.

4. Dissemination of Islamic Teachings: Spread Islamic teachings widely and understand that success lies in implementing these teachings, not in anything else.

5. Commitment to Prayer: Make a commitment to prayer, not just for ourselves but for the entire Muslim Ummah, earnestly supplicating to Allah for deliverance from the harm of hypocrites and steadfastness upon Islam.

6. Awareness and Vigilance: Be vigilant against negligence and be aware of the plots and schemes of enemies, taking measures to protect ourselves from them, and asking Allah to render their schemes futile.

7. Understanding Islamic Teachings: It is crucial to have a deep understanding of Islamic teachings, so pay attention to this aspect in order to differentiate between halal and haram, seek guidance from scholars regarding our issues, and focus on the Islamic upbringing of our children.

8. Guarding Against Negative Influences: Keep ourselves and our families away from the negative influences of television, movies, games, and frivolous activities, and instead, redirect our attention towards Allah.

May Allah protect us from all forms of evil and grant us success in obeying Him and keep the entire Ummah steadfast upon Islam. Ameen, Ya Rabb al-Alamin!

[Source: Dar al-Uloom Deoband Monthly Magazine, Issue 4, Volume 94, Rabi al-Thani - Jumada al-Awwal 1431 AH (April 2010 CE)]