By Supna Zaidi
It seems very strange that since 9/11 Western nations have easily been able to point the finger at a clash of civilizations, the West v. East, Islam v. modernity, capitalism, secularism, etc., but have failed to come with any strategy to prevent Islamism from spreading in their own societies. The reason is that we have failed to recognize, let alone defend and remind our own populace what values distinguish "the West" from political Islam. It is this failure that has opened the door for Europe to falter against pro-Shariah groups, led by the UK.
The West is secular, but what is secularism? Many right wing religious groups falsely argue that secularism stands for atheism, anti-religion, or some free for all hedonism devoid of morality. Such a foolish and childish explanation only serves judeo-christian fundamentalism and now Islamism without historical backing and with a complete disregard to the founding principles of America itself. To clarify, a secular state is not one that rejects religion or God, but stays neutral with regard to any particular faith. Neutrality prevents preferential treatment by not establishing a state religion.
A secular state protects individuals from legal enforcement of subjective moral values, permits individuals to change their faith and prevents the educational system from advocating any one faith to students, but educates students on the equality of all faiths no matter how disparate. Citizens under a secular state are all equal under the law regardless of their belief in atheism or orthodoxy. But in order for secularism to be maintained, it must be bound by these principles.
What is Islamism? While Judeo-Christian fundamentalists limit their newsmaking to fight for anti-abortion, pro-guns, anti-homosexuality and anti-immigration laws, Islamists are interested in replacing the Constitution with Shari'a. The Islamist agenda is not shy. They are interested in removing women from the public sphere, making non-Muslims second class citizens, making art, music and free speech sins. Islamists do not believe in being one among many, but being the superior faith.
Some argue that the only way to fight Islamism is with a resurgence in Christianity, not secularism. This is the wrong way to go. Islamism will not lose if you get more Europeans or Americans to go to church, and in effect start a crusade on the home front. But, what will stop Islamists is civic religion under the Constitution. This is the only ideology that can unify all faiths under one umbrella and under one nationality. Civic religion includes human rights after WWII, with the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Without a re-surgence of secularism, multiculturalism will increasingly become a dirty word. Multiculturalism and relativism are meant to protect the differing cultural heritages, language, food and faiths that immigrants bring to the West. These words are meant to protect differences, not defend ideas, practices and beliefs that are anti-thetical to the basic principes of secularism that make the West what it is, and moreover, allow immigrants to be different in the first place. Under the umbrella of civic religion, ie the principles of secularism bounded by the Constitution of western countries, acts of multiculturalism are permitted to the extent they do not conflict with the latter.
Under a secular state, religion must be bounded by governmental policies that protect the principles of secularism. Only then will Islamism be curbed. Domestically this means that parallel shari'a courts, polygamy, arranged marriages, etc will be stopped. Moreover, recognition of secular values will lay grounds to outlaw religious organizations and political parties that now advocate Islam in the public sphere.
In terms of foreign policy, it lays a clear set of principles countries like Turkey must show adherence to if it wishes to join the EU. But it is the job of politicians in each Western country to articulate and defend this logic if Islamism is to end its rising influence in our own neighborhoods.
It seems very strange that since 9/11 Western nations have easily been able to point the finger at a clash of civilizations, the West v. East, Islam v. modernity, capitalism, secularism, etc., but have failed to come with any strategy to prevent Islamism from spreading in their own societies. The reason is that we have failed to recognize, let alone defend and remind our own populace what values distinguish "the West" from political Islam. It is this failure that has opened the door for Europe to falter against pro-Shariah groups, led by the UK.
The West is secular, but what is secularism? Many right wing religious groups falsely argue that secularism stands for atheism, anti-religion, or some free for all hedonism devoid of morality. Such a foolish and childish explanation only serves judeo-christian fundamentalism and now Islamism without historical backing and with a complete disregard to the founding principles of America itself. To clarify, a secular state is not one that rejects religion or God, but stays neutral with regard to any particular faith. Neutrality prevents preferential treatment by not establishing a state religion.
A secular state protects individuals from legal enforcement of subjective moral values, permits individuals to change their faith and prevents the educational system from advocating any one faith to students, but educates students on the equality of all faiths no matter how disparate. Citizens under a secular state are all equal under the law regardless of their belief in atheism or orthodoxy. But in order for secularism to be maintained, it must be bound by these principles.
What is Islamism? While Judeo-Christian fundamentalists limit their newsmaking to fight for anti-abortion, pro-guns, anti-homosexuality and anti-immigration laws, Islamists are interested in replacing the Constitution with Shari'a. The Islamist agenda is not shy. They are interested in removing women from the public sphere, making non-Muslims second class citizens, making art, music and free speech sins. Islamists do not believe in being one among many, but being the superior faith.
Some argue that the only way to fight Islamism is with a resurgence in Christianity, not secularism. This is the wrong way to go. Islamism will not lose if you get more Europeans or Americans to go to church, and in effect start a crusade on the home front. But, what will stop Islamists is civic religion under the Constitution. This is the only ideology that can unify all faiths under one umbrella and under one nationality. Civic religion includes human rights after WWII, with the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
Without a re-surgence of secularism, multiculturalism will increasingly become a dirty word. Multiculturalism and relativism are meant to protect the differing cultural heritages, language, food and faiths that immigrants bring to the West. These words are meant to protect differences, not defend ideas, practices and beliefs that are anti-thetical to the basic principes of secularism that make the West what it is, and moreover, allow immigrants to be different in the first place. Under the umbrella of civic religion, ie the principles of secularism bounded by the Constitution of western countries, acts of multiculturalism are permitted to the extent they do not conflict with the latter.
Under a secular state, religion must be bounded by governmental policies that protect the principles of secularism. Only then will Islamism be curbed. Domestically this means that parallel shari'a courts, polygamy, arranged marriages, etc will be stopped. Moreover, recognition of secular values will lay grounds to outlaw religious organizations and political parties that now advocate Islam in the public sphere.
In terms of foreign policy, it lays a clear set of principles countries like Turkey must show adherence to if it wishes to join the EU. But it is the job of politicians in each Western country to articulate and defend this logic if Islamism is to end its rising influence in our own neighborhoods.
Source: Muslim World Today
Posts
