⚖ Analysis: Secular State and Its Bias Toward the Concept of Good ⚖
A secular state accepts only those concepts of good that do not conflict with its own idea of good—namely, Human Rights. Any concept of good that opposes the philosophy of human rights is suppressed through coercion, law, and power.
Example:
➊ If Hindus, based on their religious traditions, wish to implement practices such as Sati (self-immolation) or the caste system within society, will a secular state permit it?
The answer is clear: Absolutely not.
Why? Because these practices contradict the principles of human rights.
Result:
The secular state not only eradicates such practices but, in doing so, also destroys the Hindu concept of good and their identity. For Hindus, the caste system is inseparable from their communal identity.
Similarly, if a Muslim girl wishes to marry a non-Muslim, or a Muslim boy intends to marry another boy or engage in fornication, an Islamic state would not permit such actions.
However, in a secular state:
➊ Such actions are granted legal protection under the umbrella of human rights.
➋ If the Muslim community attempts to prevent such behavior, the secular state intervenes against them and tries to suppress their efforts.
This scenario clearly indicates that the secular state undermines the Islamic social order. Islamic society and identity face disintegration when laws contrary to their moral principles are enforced.
➊ Human rights only recognize the rights of the human individual—one who does not view themselves as subordinate to God.
➋ These rights do not acknowledge Muslim, Hindu, or Christian individuality.
Example:
A Muslim man marrying another man is considered a right under human rights, but it directly contradicts Islamic principles.
Question:
When the rights of human individuality and Muslim individuality clash, whom does the state favor?
Answer:
The secular state always prioritizes human individuality and rejects all other concepts of good.
➊ On this basis, the secular state adopts a dogmatic and intolerant attitude.
Philosopher John Rawls asserts that religious freedom must not be allowed to endanger liberal values.
Any ideology that rejects liberal freedoms should be eradicated—just as an epidemic must be eliminated.
➊ European nations, under the banner of human rights, massacred millions of Native Americans and other communities.
➋ Even today, military actions against Mujahideen are considered justified.
Relationship Between Collective and Individual Life:
➊ Only those values flourish which are esteemed in collective life and seen as measures of success or failure.
➋ Values considered meaningless in collective life gradually become irrelevant in individual life as well.
➊ The modern secular system does not compel individuals to acquire religious knowledge.
➋ As a result, religious sciences have become irrelevant in private life, while scientific disciplines are emphasized—since collective life revolves around them.
Secular discourse labels the concept of the afterlife as meaningless and absurd.
➊ Example:
The secular state considers questions like “Will people go to Paradise or Hell?” as irrelevant to state and social structure.
➋ From the Islamic perspective:
This question is of utmost importance.
➊ Islam:
Proposes that the purpose of collective life is to create opportunities that ensure success in the afterlife.
➋ Secularism:
Rejects this concept and excludes it from the social system.
➊ In secular societies that promote ideas of freedom, equality, and development, concern for the afterlife has diminished.
➋ As a result, people have prioritized hedonism, and religious values have deteriorated.
People inevitably adopt those values that the governing system holds in esteem.
➊ The secular state imposes a liberal capitalist system, which marginalizes and eliminates all other concepts of good and systems of life.
The secular state claims to provide equal opportunity for all concepts of good, but in reality, it gives preferential treatment to the ideology of human rights while suppressing all others.
This system particularly undermines religious values and leads to their eventual disappearance by declaring them insignificant.
❖ Limitations of the Secular State
A secular state accepts only those concepts of good that do not conflict with its own idea of good—namely, Human Rights. Any concept of good that opposes the philosophy of human rights is suppressed through coercion, law, and power.
Example:
➊ If Hindus, based on their religious traditions, wish to implement practices such as Sati (self-immolation) or the caste system within society, will a secular state permit it?
The answer is clear: Absolutely not.
Why? Because these practices contradict the principles of human rights.
Result:
The secular state not only eradicates such practices but, in doing so, also destroys the Hindu concept of good and their identity. For Hindus, the caste system is inseparable from their communal identity.
❖ Islamic Identity and the Secular State
Similarly, if a Muslim girl wishes to marry a non-Muslim, or a Muslim boy intends to marry another boy or engage in fornication, an Islamic state would not permit such actions.
However, in a secular state:
➊ Such actions are granted legal protection under the umbrella of human rights.
➋ If the Muslim community attempts to prevent such behavior, the secular state intervenes against them and tries to suppress their efforts.
This scenario clearly indicates that the secular state undermines the Islamic social order. Islamic society and identity face disintegration when laws contrary to their moral principles are enforced.
❖ The Scope of Human Rights
➊ Human rights only recognize the rights of the human individual—one who does not view themselves as subordinate to God.
➋ These rights do not acknowledge Muslim, Hindu, or Christian individuality.
Example:
A Muslim man marrying another man is considered a right under human rights, but it directly contradicts Islamic principles.
❖ The Bias of the Secular State
Question:
When the rights of human individuality and Muslim individuality clash, whom does the state favor?
Answer:
The secular state always prioritizes human individuality and rejects all other concepts of good.
➊ On this basis, the secular state adopts a dogmatic and intolerant attitude.
❖ Views of Renowned Liberal Thinkers
Philosopher John Rawls asserts that religious freedom must not be allowed to endanger liberal values.
Any ideology that rejects liberal freedoms should be eradicated—just as an epidemic must be eliminated.
❖ Historical Precedents
➊ European nations, under the banner of human rights, massacred millions of Native Americans and other communities.
➋ Even today, military actions against Mujahideen are considered justified.
❖ Does the Secular State Truly Offer Equal Opportunity to All Concepts of Good?
Relationship Between Collective and Individual Life:
➊ Only those values flourish which are esteemed in collective life and seen as measures of success or failure.
➋ Values considered meaningless in collective life gradually become irrelevant in individual life as well.
❖ Example: Religious Knowledge
➊ The modern secular system does not compel individuals to acquire religious knowledge.
➋ As a result, religious sciences have become irrelevant in private life, while scientific disciplines are emphasized—since collective life revolves around them.
❖ The Value of the Afterlife
Secular discourse labels the concept of the afterlife as meaningless and absurd.
➊ Example:
The secular state considers questions like “Will people go to Paradise or Hell?” as irrelevant to state and social structure.
➋ From the Islamic perspective:
This question is of utmost importance.
❖ Contradiction Between Islamic and Secular Worldviews
➊ Islam:
Proposes that the purpose of collective life is to create opportunities that ensure success in the afterlife.
➋ Secularism:
Rejects this concept and excludes it from the social system.
❖ Intellectual Decline
➊ In secular societies that promote ideas of freedom, equality, and development, concern for the afterlife has diminished.
➋ As a result, people have prioritized hedonism, and religious values have deteriorated.
❖ Systemic Bias
People inevitably adopt those values that the governing system holds in esteem.
➊ The secular state imposes a liberal capitalist system, which marginalizes and eliminates all other concepts of good and systems of life.
Summary
The secular state claims to provide equal opportunity for all concepts of good, but in reality, it gives preferential treatment to the ideology of human rights while suppressing all others.
This system particularly undermines religious values and leads to their eventual disappearance by declaring them insignificant.
