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1©2006ZhulkefleeHjIsmail

““Towards becoming Towards becoming Muslims - and its Muslims - and its

challenges.”challenges.”

Friday night lecture series by: Friday night lecture series by: Ustaz Zhulkeflee Hj IsmailUstaz Zhulkeflee Hj Ismail

@ Masjid al- Istiqomah @ Masjid al- Istiqomah (Seranggoon, Singapore)(Seranggoon, Singapore)

ISLAM & SECULARISM

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““Towards becoming Muslims - Towards becoming Muslims - and its challenges.”and its challenges.”

What are amongst What are amongst the basic the basic characteristics of characteristics of being a Muslim…?being a Muslim…?

Topic of disc

ussion

©2006ZhulkefleeHjIsmail

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To be a community who bear To be a community who bear Witness of Islam unto all nationWitness of Islam unto all nation

ل�ى ل� ل� ا� ل� ل ش ا� ش�و ش�و ل� ل� ��ا ط ل� ل� �� ط �� ل ��ش �م ش� ـ ل" م� ل# ل$ ل% ل� ل)ٲ ل( ل�ل* ل�"ا ٱ�

, �� ط ل/ي ل �م ش� مي ل� ل� ش0 ش�و 1� ل ٱ� ل2 ش�و ل3 ل�

((Qur’an: al- Baqarah: 2:143Qur’an: al- Baqarah: 2:143)”)”


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To be a community who bear To be a community who bear Witness of Islam unto all nationWitness of Islam unto all nation

“ “And thus have We willed you to be a And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way community of the middle way ((ummatan wasotanummatan wasotan) [i.e. justly ) [i.e. justly balanced], so that [with your lives] balanced], so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind (before all mankind (shuhadaa-a shuhadaa-a ‘alan-naas‘alan-naas) )

((Qur’an: al- Baqarah: 2:143Qur’an: al- Baqarah: 2:143)”)”


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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman)

Believe in Allah –Tawhiid (Attestation to the Oneness of God).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Weak or even

ignorance of ‘Ilm-at-Tawhiid.


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Rampant cases of “shirk” and “Irtidad”.


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Rampant cases of “shirk” and “Irtidad”.

How to manage contemporary lifestyles and other ‘distractions’?


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Believe in Angels, Revealed Books and the Prophethood –Ar-Risaalah (The Message of the Last Prophet of God).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Evangelical

movement and anti-Islamic media reporting.


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Believe in Angels, Revealed Books and the Prophethood –Ar-Risaalah (The Message of the Last Prophet of God).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Evangelical

movement and anti-Islamic media reportings.

Deviant teachings e.g.. Qadianis, ingkar-sunnah, ‘kebatinan’, pseudo- Mu’tazilis, pseudo-Sufis, modernists, secularists.


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Believe in the Day of Judgement and Life after death –Al- Aakhirah (The concept of Life in the Hereafter).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Educational

emphasis towards materialistic worldview.


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Believe in the Day of Judgement and Life after death –Al- Aakhirah (The concept of Life in the Hereafter).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Educational

emphasis towards materialistic worldview.

Changing in values towards:

- Skepticism;- Materialistic;- Hedonistic;- Liberalism;


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““SECULARISM & SECULARISM & SECULARIZATION”SECULARIZATION”

““Secularization”Secularization” is defined as: the deliverance of man “first from religious and then from

metaphysical control over his reason and his language”[1] it is “the loosing of the world from religious and quasi-

religious understandings of itself, the dispelling of all closed world views, the breaking of all supernatural myths and sacred symbols…

the ‘defatalization of history’ the discovery by man that he has been left with the world

on his hands, and he can no longer blame fortune or the furies for what he does with it…;

it is man turning hid attention away from the worlds beyond and towards this world and this time.”

[1] Cornelis van Peursen, quoted by Harvey Cox ref: “Islam & Secularism” S.M.Naquib al-Attas p 17


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““Secularization”Secularization” It It encompassesencompasses: : not only political and social not only political and social

aspects of life, but also aspects of life, but also inevitably the cultural, for it inevitably the cultural, for it denotes “the disappearance of denotes “the disappearance of religious determination of the religious determination of the symbols of cultural integration.”symbols of cultural integration.”


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““Secularization”Secularization” It It impliesimplies: : ““a historical process, almost a historical process, almost

certainly irreversible, in which certainly irreversible, in which society and culture are delivered society and culture are delivered from tutelage to religious control from tutelage to religious control and closed metaphysical world and closed metaphysical world views.”views.”


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The integral components in the dimensions of The integral components in the dimensions of Secularization are:Secularization are:

[a] The “[a] The “disenchantment” of naturedisenchantment” of nature,,- the freeing of nature from its religious overtones” (Max Weber)- the freeing of nature from its religious overtones” (Max Weber)

[b] The “[b] The “desacralization” of politicsdesacralization” of politics,,- the abolition of sacral legitimation of political power and - the abolition of sacral legitimation of political power and authority, which is the prerequisite of political change and hence authority, which is the prerequisite of political change and hence also social change allowing for the emergence of the historical also social change allowing for the emergence of the historical process.”process.”

[c] The “[c] The “deconsecration” of valuesdeconsecration” of values..- the rendering transient and relative all cultural creations and - the rendering transient and relative all cultural creations and every value system which for them includes religion and every value system which for them includes religion and worldviews having ultimate and final significance, so that in this worldviews having ultimate and final significance, so that in this way history, the future, is open to change, and man is free to way history, the future, is open to change, and man is free to create the change and immerse himself in the ‘evolutionary’ create the change and immerse himself in the ‘evolutionary’ process”process”


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Note to distinguishNote to distinguish: : ““Secularism” is the Secularism” is the

‘ideology’ ‘ideology’ whereas ‘Secularization’, the whereas ‘Secularization’, the

‘process’.”‘process’.”


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ISLAMIC RESPONSE TO ISLAMIC RESPONSE TO SECULARISMSECULARISM

EXTRACTED FROM “THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF PROF. SYED MUHAMMAD NAQUIB AL-ATTAS”

Founding Director ISTAC(Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization)Holder of the Al- Ghazalie Distinguished Chair

of Philosophy


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““ISLAMIZATIONISLAMIZATION : brief notes to understand : brief notes to understand

“ “Islamization”Islamization” (in a general sense)– is “the liberation (in a general sense)– is “the liberation of man first from magical, mythology, animistic, of man first from magical, mythology, animistic, national-cultural tradition opposed to Islam, and national-cultural tradition opposed to Islam, and then from secular control over his reason and his then from secular control over his reason and his language… It is also a liberation from subservience language… It is also a liberation from subservience to his physical demands which inclines toward the to his physical demands which inclines toward the secular and injustice to his true self or soul, for man secular and injustice to his true self or soul, for man as physical being inclines towards forgetfulness of as physical being inclines towards forgetfulness of his true nature, becoming ignorant of his true his true nature, becoming ignorant of his true purpose and unjust to it. Islamization is a process purpose and unjust to it. Islamization is a process not so much of evolution as that of devolution to not so much of evolution as that of devolution to original nature…” original nature…” [1]

[1] Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud’s “The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al- Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud’s “The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas” (ISTAC publication 1998) p 312Attas” (ISTAC publication 1998) p 312


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“ “Islamization”Islamization” (in the individual, personal sense) – (in the individual, personal sense) – refers to the recognition and acknowledgement of refers to the recognition and acknowledgement of the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and personality for both man and woman.personality for both man and woman.


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“ “Islamization”Islamization” (in the individual, personal sense) – (in the individual, personal sense) – refers to the recognition and acknowledgement of refers to the recognition and acknowledgement of the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and personality for both man and woman.personality for both man and woman.

“ “Islamization”Islamization” (in the collective, social historical (in the collective, social historical sense) – it refers to the Community (ummah)’s sense) – it refers to the Community (ummah)’s striving towards realization of the moral and ethical striving towards realization of the moral and ethical perfection achieved during the age of the Holy perfection achieved during the age of the Holy Prophet.Prophet.


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““Islamization”Islamization” (epistemologically) – refers to the (epistemologically) – refers to the liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk), liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk), conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira’) to conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira’) to the attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth the attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth (haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material (haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material realities. The process for liberation depends:realities. The process for liberation depends:


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““Islamization”Islamization” (epistemologically) – refers to the (epistemologically) – refers to the liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk), liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk), conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira’) to conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira’) to the attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth the attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth (haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material (haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material realities. The process for liberation depends:realities. The process for liberation depends:

- initially on scientific knowledge (ilmu pengetahuan) - initially on scientific knowledge (ilmu pengetahuan) but it is always ultimately founded in and guided by but it is always ultimately founded in and guided by a a special form of knowledgespecial form of knowledge, ma’rifah (ilmu , ma’rifah (ilmu pengenalan). This special form of knowledge pengenalan). This special form of knowledge includes fard ‘ayn while the scientific ones includes includes fard ‘ayn while the scientific ones includes fard kifaayah.fard kifaayah.


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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge involvesknowledge involves::

““isolation of key elements and concepts isolation of key elements and concepts that make up Western culture and that make up Western culture and civilisation … especially in the areas of civilisation … especially in the areas of interpretation of facts and formulation of interpretation of facts and formulation of theories”theories”


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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge involvesknowledge involves::

““isolation of key elements and concepts isolation of key elements and concepts that make up Western culture and that make up Western culture and civilisation … especially in the areas of civilisation … especially in the areas of interpretation of facts and formulation of interpretation of facts and formulation of theories”theories”

““the infusion of Islamic elements and key the infusion of Islamic elements and key concepts in every branch of the relevant concepts in every branch of the relevant present-day knowledge.”present-day knowledge.”


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““ISLAMIZATION”ISLAMIZATION” : some cautionary notes : some cautionary notes

PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledgePROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge::

““When we speak of intelligible forms being ‘in’ the When we speak of intelligible forms being ‘in’ the mind, or images being ‘in’ the cognitive mind, or images being ‘in’ the cognitive imagination, we do not mean these forms or imagination, we do not mean these forms or images are ‘contained’ in them; it is rather that images are ‘contained’ in them; it is rather that they are constructions of the intellect or mind they are constructions of the intellect or mind during the course of its intellection of them such during the course of its intellection of them such that they are ‘present’ to the intellect, and hence that they are ‘present’ to the intellect, and hence referred to as being ‘in’ the mind; and productions referred to as being ‘in’ the mind; and productions of the cognitive imagination as it involves itself in of the cognitive imagination as it involves itself in projecting the sensible world.”projecting the sensible world.”


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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledgePROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge::

““Some of the less careful readers might think of Some of the less careful readers might think of Islamization as a process of doing something to Islamization as a process of doing something to external objects and hence they speak of Islamic external objects and hence they speak of Islamic bicycles, Islamic trains, and even Islamic bombs!bicycles, Islamic trains, and even Islamic bombs!

On a slightly more sophisticated level, some of On a slightly more sophisticated level, some of these people, who are obviously unable to free these people, who are obviously unable to free themselves from the dualistic perspective, assign themselves from the dualistic perspective, assign low priority to the development of proper Islamic low priority to the development of proper Islamic scholars and thinkers in different fields; they scholars and thinkers in different fields; they rather give overwhelming stress to the rather give overwhelming stress to the development of institutions, as if these development of institutions, as if these institutions can be properly established and institutions can be properly established and sustained without the participation of able and sustained without the participation of able and creative scholars and thinkers!creative scholars and thinkers!


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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge PROCESS: Islamization of contemporary knowledge ::

“… “… It should be stressed that dewesternization It should be stressed that dewesternization and Islamization of knowledge are cognitive and and Islamization of knowledge are cognitive and spiritual acts and happen simultaneously without spiritual acts and happen simultaneously without temporal gap. Furthermore, before one can temporal gap. Furthermore, before one can ‘isolate’ and ‘take out’ the unIslamic, Western or ‘isolate’ and ‘take out’ the unIslamic, Western or foreign ideas and concepts, one must first be able foreign ideas and concepts, one must first be able to identify them as well as have a profound grasp to identify them as well as have a profound grasp of the Islamic worldview with all its key elements of the Islamic worldview with all its key elements and concepts. ……….and concepts. ……….


istiqomah3[slide share]amnded

Education

aspects of faith

death al aakhirah

dimensions of secularization

challenge weak

islam secularism s

social aspects of life

religious control

allah tawhiid attestation