The Role and Functions of Secularism in the West and the Islamic World

The philosophy of Scholastic dogmatism and the medieval ecclesiastical corruption in the West has caused impetuous reaction. Religion and metaphysics in all its forms had been left aside and the rapid pace of modernization started a process of transformation. Modernization commenced in Europe with scientific-empirical approach and has placed wisdom, knowledge, experience, and whatever that is provable as its base. The light path for the human being which was previously in the hand of religion was in fact taken out by modernity. One of the multiple processes of modernization which is inevitable is secularization. Intellectual and philosophical thought in the West through centuries have caused secularism not only to deepen its strong roots in this part of the world but to spread it to other parts of the world. The phenomenon of secularism in the East in general and among the Islamic thinkers in particular, has been under consideration and special attention. Secularism is faced often with a dual approach: On the one hand it was severely criticized by some of the Islamic intellectuals, and on the other hand has fascinated other intellectuals. Both sides of the spectrum were influenced by the process of modernization. One side believes that after dispelling superstition from Islam and its subsequent revival it can be expected that some of the principles of Islam is compatible with modernity, such as the equality of religions. This view also shares the belief that only those democratic reforms of modernity which violate the Islamic laws and traditions should not be applied. The other view is that the proper conditions for leaving backwardness and achieving progress are the secularization of all laws and management and a total separation between the state and religion. One can observe that secularism with the passage of time has not been accepted by the most of the Islamic states. Lack of Promoting secularism in the Islamic states in general and in the Middle East in particular is due to various reasons such as urbanization and industrialization which took place in the West, and not in the Muslim states. In addition, unlike the Christian Clergy, the Islamic scholars have agreed to accept only those values of secularism which can serve Islam. In the Western modernity, power and prestige was based on the centrality of man, but in Islam the power belongs to God and man cannot be considered as the center.