SECULAR VS ISLAMWhich is the best way of life ?

What do you understand about secular

Latin words:

saeculum

“Of this thing”• Temporal and related to

worldly things

Lexicon webster dictionary

System of beliefs which reject all forms or religious faith

Encyclopaedia America

Principle of natural morality that independent of revealed religion

Postulate freedom of thought

The right of every man to think for himself

Chamber Twentieth’s Dictionary

Emphasize on worldly affairs regardless of what happen in the hereafter

RISES OFSECULARIST’S STATEMENTS ON THE SOCIETY

SECULARISMEmphasize of the replacement of religion with scientific and rational thoughts• G.A Almond and G.A Powellsecularization men become increasingly rational, analytical and empirical in their action• Arnold Toynbee replacement of religion with technology• Wilbert G.Moore substitution solution of human situations with rational ones.• Harvey Cox Loosing of the world from religious understanding itself. Breaking of all supernatural myths.symbolie liberation of human minds.

He mention : • man may no longer

regard nature as divine entity which allow them to act freely , according to their needs and plans.

• Power of authority• Religious value in

cultures and systems are relative and not fixed

What Syed naquib al attas (Islam and Secularism) mention about secularism?

So , here is the question.

Does being secular is the best way in our life ?

Yes or No ?

NO !ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE :This is wrong because Islam has already fixed its value system or morality, which

will not change throughout ages. i.e : Adultery Forbidden 1400 years ago and will always be forbidden.

Secularism implies , that divine guidance , workship of God, and obedience to Him should be confined to a personal life of man and all other affairs in this world should be determined by his own wishes and convenience.

Dissociates the influence of God and religion in all aspects of human of man’s life : education , politics and economy.

The acceptance of a system formulated by man means a preference of the human’s limited knowledge and experience over Divine Guidance .

For muslim society , the acceptance of secularism means the rejection of Islam as a way of life and the abandonment of shari’ah.

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Social and cultural aspectWith the ideas of separating religion with worldly activities , secularism gives a very bad impact on the morality of people and turns them to the state of jahiliyah (ignorance).

Homo-sexuality

Abortion

USA- legalized the practice of homosexual marriage in the name of freedom of expression and choice.

Focus on the happiness that can be achieve in the world.

Avoid responsibility Denies the role of family institution

Solving solutions scientifically and by technology

The act of abortion is strictly prohibited in Islam• murder• Cruel act that destroy

feelings of humanity

Education Aspect(serious and dangerous since it directly responsible for the intellectual quality of

human beings )

Knowledge is gain through certain methods.

Rise of scientific positivism: Ideology by Auguste Comte

Scientific materialism : way person shape his life

Scientism- most valuable parts in human learning , only reliable and valid way to acquire knowledge. Assume that scientific knowledge provide accurate description of reality and the truth.

Scientific method are worthy of replacing the theological and metaphysical approaches. Try to eliminate reality from human consciousness in declaration of questions that cannot be answered by sciences is illegimate.

Believer act only in which it is line with scientific conclusions. Consequently , man’s life will accordingly be guided by such limited knowledges as acquired by his intellectual faculties.

Statement : The objective of seeking knowledge in secular education is simply to cultivate certain abilities of men, which

will enable them to develop their country as well as to improve standard of living.

A world purpose only , devoid any spiritual element.

As such, one can achieve success in his life and at the same time , be an alcoholic , adulterer and atheist may commit any immoral act without consequences.

Meanwhile , religious education gives emphasis on the teaching of adab or virtue because human action is countable on the Day of judgement.

Education in IslamKnowledge should be gained and be used for better life in this world as well as here after.• Secular only concentrate on acquired knowledge and world alone.• The result is that man is no longer concerned about who is he , where he

comes from , what is his purpose of existence , who is his God and so on.• Consequently , produces doctors engineers architects who lack of

religious foundation.

Acquired knowledge includes all natural and social sciences

such as physics , chemistry , biology

astronomi and more.

God-given knowledge and religious sciences, about belief , divinity

proper conduct .• Should be the

utmost priority• Foundation for one’s

thoughts or worldview.

Political aspects Separation of religion and state (X)• Politics make decisions based on secular reasons.• Deceive people with democratic slogans like “personal freedom”,

“people governing people”, “no religion in politic , no politic in religion” , “ religion is for God and state is for people”.

• Secularist view Islam as a religion to be practised in ritual worships only and deny it as code of life.

• Argued that prophet has not establish the formal system of government and no such defines in Quran or sunnah.

• Challenge the source of authority• Problems occurs nowadays are vary and secular are parallel with

modernization . Hence , it support the modern elements in land refoms , legal code and courts to adjudicate civil and commercial.

Moral aspects.

Secular system of morality :

Religion should have no control over the code of behaviour. There

is no need to refer to any guidance in the circle of social

morality.

In religious point of view , morality system

can never be formulated by man due to his

limitations and weaknesess, like

prejudice, greed and selfish desires.

Man’s knowledge and experience are limited.

The code of conduct which is provided by God through his Divine guidance will always be perfect as Allah knows and provided the best way for his mankind.

A very important universal concept in Islam is “Ummah” (Nation). Ummah transcends all limitations implied by the term ‘nation’ by encompassing all people regardless of race, color, or sex. Allah emphasized this great Islamic principle in

the verse (which means);

"Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over it [i.e. Scripture] except those who were given it-after the clear proofs came to them-out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allah guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission.And Allah guides whom He wills to a straight path." [Quran 2:2 13]

CONCLUSION• There is no other way or system that urges the active

worship of Allah in its general and most comprehensive sense other than Islam.

• Fox example, Islam teaches that Muslims should fast for a month every year (i.e. Ramadan) in order to acquire piety and self-discipline and to develop awareness of the needs and problems of others who are starving or are in desperate need of food.

• Such an awareness of the needs of others is not enough on its own. Therefore, Zakaah (obligatory charity) is prescribed to be distributed among the segments of society that are in need of individual and communal assistance.