"Being Muslims & its challenges" 3 [Islam vs Secularism]

8/14/2019 "Being Muslims & its challenges" 3 [Islam vs Secularism]

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Towards becomingTowards becomingMuslims - and itsMuslims - 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 amongstWhat are amongstthe basicthe basiccharacteristics ofcharacteristics ofbeing a Muslim?being a Muslim?

Top

icof

discu

ssion



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To be a community who bearTo be a community who bear

Witness of Islam unto all nationWitness of Islam unto all nation



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To be a community who bearTo be a community who bear

Witness of Islam unto all nationWitness of Islam unto all nation

And thus have We willed you toAnd thus have We willed you to

be a community of the middlebe a community of the middle

way (way (um m at an was otanm m at an was otan ) [i.e.) [i.e.justly balanced], so that [withjustly balanced], so that [with

your lives] you might bearyour lives] you might bear

witness to the truth before allwitness to the truth before allmankind (mankind (sh uhadaa -a alan-huhadaa -a alan-naasaas))

((Quran: al- Baqarah: 2:143Quran: al- Ba

qarah: 2:143))



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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman) Believe in Allah

Tawhiid(Attestation to theOneness of God).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Weak or even

ignorance of Ilm-

at-Tawhiid.



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ignorance of Ilm-

at-Tawhiid. Rampant cases of

shirk andIrtidad.



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ignorance of Ilm-

at-Tawhiid. Rampant cases of

shirk andIrtidad.

How to managecontemporarylifestyles and otherdistractions?



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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman) Believe in Angels,

Revealed Books

and theProphethood Ar-Risaalah (TheMessage of theLast Prophet ofGod).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Evangelical

movement and

anti-Islamic mediareporting.



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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman) Believe in Angels,

Revealed Books

and theProphethood Ar-Risaalah (TheMessage of theLast Prophet ofGod).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Evangelical

movement and

anti-Islamic mediareportings. Deviant teachings

e.g.. Qadianis,ingkar-sunnah,

kebatinan,pseudo- Mutazilis,pseudo-Sufis,modernists,secularists.



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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman) Believe in the Day

of Judgement and

Life after death Al-Aakhirah (Theconcept of Life inthe Hereafter).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Educational

emphasis towards

materialisticworldview.



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Aspects of Faith (al- iiman) Believe in the Day

of Judgement and

Life after death Al-Aakhirah (Theconcept of Life inthe Hereafter).

The ChallengeThe Challenge Educational

emphasis towards

materialisticworldview. Changing in values

towards:- Skepticism;-

Materialistic;- Hedonistic;- Liberalism;



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SECULARISM &SECULARISM &SECULARIZATIONSECULARIZATION

SecularizationSecularization 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 allclosed world views, the breaking of all supernatural mythsand 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 thefuries for what he does with it;

it is man turning hid attention away from the worldsbeyond and towards this world and this time.

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



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SecularizationSecularization ItItencompassesencompasses:: not only political and socialnot only political and social

aspects of life, but alsoaspects of life, but alsoinevitably the cultural, for itinevitably the cultural, for itdenotes the disappearance ofdenotes the disappearance ofreligious determination of thereligious determination of the

symbols of cultural integration.symbols of cultural integration.2006ZhulkefleeHjIsmail


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SecularizationSecularization ItItimpliesimplies:: a historical process, almosta historical process, almost

certainly irreversible, in whichcertainly irreversible, in whichsociety and culture are deliveredsociety and culture are deliveredfrom tutelage to religious controlfrom tutelage to religious controland closed metaphysical worldand closed metaphysical world

views.views.2006ZhulkefleeHjIsmail


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The integral components in the dimensions ofThe 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 ofpolitics,,

- the abolition of sacral legitimation of political power and- the abolition of sacral legitimation of political power andauthority, which is the prerequisite of political change and henceauthority, which is the prerequisite of political change and hencealso social change allowing for the emergence of the historicalalso 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 andevery value system which for them includes religion andevery value system which for them includes religion andworldviews having ultimate and final significance, so that in thisworldviews having ultimate and final significance, so that in thisway history, the future, is open to change, and man is free toway history, the future, is open to change, and man is free tocreate the change and immerse himself in the evolutionarycreate the change and immerse himself in the evolutionary

processprocess



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Note to distinguishNote to distinguish:: Secularism is theSecularism is the

ideologyideology

whereas Secularization, thewhereas Secularization, theprocess.process.



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ISLAMIC RESPONSE TOISLAMIC RESPONSE TO

SECULARISMSECULARISM

EXTRACTED FROM THE EDUCATIONAL

PHILOSOPHY OF PROF. SYED MUHAMMADNAQUIB AL-ATTAS

Found in g D i rect or I STAC(In s t it u t e o f Is la m i c T hou gh t andCiv il i za t io n)Ho ld e r o f t he A l - Gha za li e D i s t in gu i s he dC hai r of Phi l os oph y



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ISLAMIZATIONISLAMIZATION: brief notes to understand: brief notes to understand

IslamizationIslamization (in a general sense) is the liberation(in a general sense) is the liberationof man first from magical, mythology, animistic,of man first from magical, mythology, animistic,national-cultural tradition opposed to Islam, andnational-cultural tradition opposed to Islam, andthen from secular control over his reason and histhen from secular control over his reason and hislanguage It is also a liberation from subserviencelanguage It is also a liberation from subservienceto his physical demands which inclines toward theto his physical demands which inclines toward thesecular and injustice to his true self or soul, for mansecular and injustice to his true self or soul, for man

as physical being inclines towards forgetfulness ofas physical being inclines towards forgetfulness ofhis true nature, becoming ignorant of his truehis true nature, becoming ignorant of his truepurpose and unjust to it. Islamization is a processpurpose and unjust to it. Islamization is a processnot so much of evolution as that of devolution tonot so much of evolution as that of devolution tooriginal natureoriginal nature [1][1]

[1][1] Wan Mohd Nor Wan Dauds The Educational Philosophy and Practice of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Wan Mohd Nor Wan Dauds 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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IslamizationIslamization(in the individual, personal sense) (in the individual, personal sense) refers to the recognition and acknowledgement ofrefers to the recognition and acknowledgement of

the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader andthe Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and

personality for both man and woman.personality for both man and woman.



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IslamizationIslamization(in the individual, personal sense) (in the individual, personal sense) refers to the recognition and acknowledgement ofrefers to the recognition and acknowledgement of

the Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader andthe Holy Prophet as the exemplary leader and

personality for both man and woman.personality for both man and woman.

IslamizationIslamization (in the collective, social historical(in the collective, social historical

sense) it refers to the Community (ummah)ssense) it refers to the Community (ummah)sstriving towards realization of the moral and ethicalstriving towards realization of the moral and ethical

perfection achieved during the age of the Holyperfection achieved during the age of the Holy

Prophet.Prophet.



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IslamizationIslamization (epistemologically) refers to the(epistemologically) refers to theliberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk),liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk),conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira) toconjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira) tothe attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truththe attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth(haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material(haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and materialrealities. The process for liberation depends:realities. The process for liberation depends:



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IslamizationIslamization (epistemologically) refers to the(epistemologically) refers to theliberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk),liberation of human intellect from doubt (shakk),conjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira) toconjecture (zann) and vain argumentation (mira) tothe attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truththe attainment of certainty (yaqin) of the truth(haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and material(haqq) concerning spiritual, intelligible and materialrealities. 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 bybut it is always ultimately founded in and guided byaa special form of knowledgespecial form of knowledge, marifah (ilmu, marifah (ilmupengenalan). This special form of knowledgepengenalan). This special form of knowledgeincludes fard ayn while the scientific ones includesincludes fard ayn while the scientific ones includesfard kifaayah.fard kifaayah.



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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporaryPROCESS: Islamization of contemporaryknowledge involvesknowledge involves::

isolation of key elements and conceptsisolation of key elements and conceptsthat make up Western culture andthat make up Western culture andcivilisation especially in the areas ofcivilisation especially in the areas of

interpretation of facts and formulation ofinterpretation of facts and formulation oftheoriestheories



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PROCESS: Islamization of contemporaryPROCESS: Islamization of contemporaryknowledge involvesknowledge involves::

isolation of key elements and conceptsisolation of key elements and conceptsthat make up Western culture andthat make up Western culture andcivilisation especially in the areas ofcivilisation especially in the areas of

interpretation of facts and formulation ofinterpretation of facts and formulation oftheoriestheories the infusion of Islamic elements and keythe infusion of Islamic elements and key

concepts in every branch of the relevantconcepts in every branch of the relevantpresent-day knowledge.present-day knowledge.



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ISLAMIZATIONISLAMIZATION: some cautionary notes: some cautionary notes

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

When we speak of intelligible forms being in theWhen we speak of intelligible forms being in themind, or images being in the cognitivemind, or images being in the cognitiveimagination, we do not mean these forms orimagination, we do not mean these forms orimages are contained in them; it is rather thatimages are contained in them; it is rather thatthey are constructions of the intellect or mindthey are constructions of the intellect or mind

during the course of its intellection of them suchduring the course of its intellection of them suchthat they are present to the intellect, and hencethat they are present to the intellect, and hencereferred to as being in the mind; and productionsreferred to as being in the mind; and productionsof the cognitive imagination as it involves itself inof 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 ofSome of the less careful readers might think ofIslamization as a process of doing something toIslamization as a process of doing something toexternal objects and hence they speak of Islamicexternal objects and hence they speak of Islamicbicycles, Islamic trains, and even Islamic bombs!bicycles, Islamic trains, and even Islamic bombs!

On a slightly more sophisticated level, some ofOn a slightly more sophisticated level, some of

these people, who are obviously unable to freethese people, who are obviously unable to freethemselves from the dualistic perspective, assignthemselves from the dualistic perspective, assignlow priority to the development of proper Islamiclow priority to the development of proper Islamicscholars and thinkers in different fields; theyscholars and thinkers in different fields; theyrather give overwhelming stress to therather give overwhelming stress to thedevelopment of institutions, as if thesedevelopment of institutions, as if theseinstitutions can be properly established andinstitutions can be properly established andsustained without the participation of able andsustained without the participation of able andcreative scholars and thinkers!creative scholars and thinkers!2006ZhulkefleeHjIsmail


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

It should be stressed that dewesternizationIt should be stressed that dewesternizationand Islamization of knowledge are cognitive andand Islamization of knowledge are cognitive andspiritual acts and happen simultaneously withoutspiritual acts and happen simultaneously withouttemporal gap. Furthermore, before one cantemporal gap. Furthermore, before one canisolate and take out the unIslamic, Western orisolate and take out the unIslamic, Western or

foreign ideas and concepts, one must first be ableforeign ideas and concepts, one must first be ableto identify them as well as have a profound graspto identify them as well as have a profound graspof the Islamic worldview with all its key elementsof the Islamic worldview with all its key elementsand concepts. .and concepts. .

Documents

"Being Muslims & its challenges" 3 [Islam vs Secularism]