Written 40 years ago, this book is one of the most creative and original works of a Muslim thinker in the contemporary Muslim world. The author deals with fundamental problems faced by contemporary Muslims and provides real solutions, beginning with a discussion on ‘The Contemporary Western Christian Background’ in Chapter (I), followed by his analysis of the concepts (which he newly defines) of ‘secular’, ‘secularization’, and ‘secularism’ in Chapter (II). All this is then contrasted in Chapter (IV) of the book entitled ‘Islam: The Concept of Religion and the Foundation of Ethics and Morality’. Based on all the preceding explanation, the author proceeds to analyze the Muslim ‘dilemma’ by declaring that it should be resolved primarily through what he calls the “dewesternization of knowledge” or, conversely, the “islamization of contemporary knowledge”, an original concept conceived and elucidated by the author for the past five decades. Numerous original and profound ideas are contained in this book—arrived at chiefly through critical study of the Muslim tradition—such as the concepts of dīn, ‘adl, ḥikmah, adab, ma‘nā, and ta’dīb, and their significance in the development of an Islamic system of education. The rationale for the Islamization of contemporary knowledge and the establishment of a truly Islamic university was in fact provided for the first time in contemporary Muslim thought by this author long before the appearance of the present book, which explains these interconnected subjects more concisely. Further, the appendix entitled, ‘On Islamization: The Case of the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago’ is an actual explanation and application of the seminal ideas discussed in the book. This is a must read for all Muslims and those concerned with the problems and effects of secularization in our world today.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-asian-studies/article/muslim-becoming-aspiration-and-skepticism-in-pakistan-by-naveeda-khan-durham-nc-duke-university-press-2012-xii-262-pp-isbn-9780822352174-cloth-also-available-in-paper-and-as-ebook-erratum/3EA955D02A1C77AD6DA32867710ABB6B

In the 21st century, globalization is continuously reshaping and changing the world. Clear demarcations are blurring due to neoliberal market economies, modern technologies and social media. Contrary to the assumptions, modernity and globalization are witnessing a comeback of religion from private to public sphere. Political economy of media and culture are using religion as a currency of their trade. Clash of civilization thesis proposes a disagreement between tradition and modern; secular and religious. Secularism has been conceptualized differently in different parts of the world. The traditional concept of secularism is being contested. Secularism is not the opposite of religion as generally perceived. Secularism serves as a seedbed to nourish the innate nature of human beings that recognizes God since ‘Ehad-e-Alst’ and inclined to do good. Surah Shams, chapter , verse states, Fa’alhamaha fajuraha wa taqwaha.’ All sections of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights bear this fact. Quaid-e-Azam, the founder of Pakistan, is always debated and wrongly perceived for ‘secularism.’ He wanted to establish Pakistan as a welfare state for all its inhabitants irrespective of their religious affiliations. But religion has been badly treated in almost all domains in Pakistan since 1947. Exploitations in the name of religion have been quite frequent in the spheres of politics, economy, culture, military, education etc. The so-called religious leaders are branding religion according to their own heart. This research analyses the misuse of Islam as permeating into all spheres of life in Pakistan. The concept of passive secularism is evaluated in the backdrop of Pakistan that is promoted and defended by Gulen movement.

A different version of this appeared in the Political Theology Blog: http://www.politicaltheology.com/blog/notes-on-the-idea-of-theorizing-secularism-hussein-ali-agrama/