Islam and Humanism: A Critical Evaluation❖ A General Question
The central question raised in this article is: How long will people continue to be seen through the lens of "believer" and "disbeliever"? Why not regard them solely as human beings and base distinctions on human values instead of religion?
This mindset has been termed "Humanism", which is now being presented to the modern world as an alternative religion.
❖ Core Principles of "Humanism"
✿ The Concept of Human-Centric Ideology:
① All human beings are to be considered equal, regardless of their religious beliefs.
② The standards of good and evil are based on "universal human values" rather than religious principles.
✿ Reinterpretation of Religion:
③ Religion is proposed to be reshaped within the framework of Humanism.
④ The idea is to extract the "good" elements from all religions and merge them into a shared framework where human welfare takes precedence over religious beliefs.
✿ Criticism of Muslims:
⑤ Muslims are accused of clinging to outdated views and dividing people based on belief and disbelief.
⑥ Islamic rulings such as the prohibition of marriage between a "believing woman" and a "disbelieving man" are viewed as being against personal freedom.
❖ Comparison Between Islam and Humanism
✿ Arguments Presented Against Islam:
⑦ Islamic rulings (e.g., disassociation from disbelief, prohibition of sacrifice in the name of anyone besides Allah) are labeled as inhumane or biased.
⑧ Conditions set for Islamic charity and almsgiving—that they be based on faith and belief—are considered unfair.
✿ Islamic Response:
✔ Division Between Believer and Disbeliever:
According to the Qur'an and Sunnah, distinguishing people on the basis of faith is a fundamental Islamic belief, as it defines success in both this world and the Hereafter
(سورۃ البقرۃ: 2).
✔ Offerings in the Name of Other than Allah:
Shariah strictly prohibits dedicating any act of worship or sacrifice to anyone besides Allah
(سورۃ الانعام: 162).
❖ Modern Intellectual Challenges and Implementation of "Humanism"
✿ Mockery and Merging of Religions:
⑨ Humanism claims to be a distilled version of the virtues of all religions, while in reality, it seeks to erase the distinctions among them.
✿ Urging Muslims to Abandon Their Identity:
⑩ Muslims are being advised to dissolve their Islamic identity into the "universal humanism" of the modern world, as has been done with Christianity and other religions.
✿ Firmness of Islamic Teachings:
⑪ The objective of Islamic teachings is to clearly separate truth from falsehood.
In every prayer, Muslims recite Surah Al-Fatiha and ask Allah to guide them away from the paths of those who incurred His wrath (Jews) and those who went astray (Christians)
(تفسیر طبری، اثر 190-217).
❖ Concise Responses to Objections
✿ Why is the Distinction of Religions Necessary?
The foundational concept of Islam is that true success lies in faith.
The division between belief and disbelief is based on truth and falsehood, not on bias or narrow-mindedness.
✿ The Deception of Humanism:
Though Humanism appears to promote the welfare of humanity, its true intent is to eliminate religions and establish a belief-less society.
It is essentially a new religion that aims to absorb all other religions into itself—an approach incompatible with Islam.
✿ The Islamic Definition of Goodness:
True virtue is what is in accordance with the commandments of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
Worldly charity or human service cannot be deemed righteous unless it is done for the sake of Allah’s pleasure
(صحیح بخاری، حدیث: 1).
❖ Conclusion
This article presents Humanism as an alternative religion, but it is unacceptable within Islamic beliefs.
Islam is not just a religion—it is a complete way of life, encompassing belief, worship, morality, and social dealings.
Muslims must uphold their Islamic identity and reject all attempts to dissolve Islam into any other ideology.
