05 August 2009

Faisal on Secularism

Faisal has a magisterial article in the Daily Star, a Bangladeshi newspaper.I won’t extract extensively from it, because I think you should read it in full. His starting point is the struggle within the Islamic philosophical tradition between the Mutazilites, who drew upon Aristotelian metaphysics, and the Asharites, who rejected the rationalism espoused by the Mutazilites, and took the view that Hellenistic philosophy was a nasty alien import.

Their perspectives shaped the debate as to where the line of demarcation between the sovereignty of God (huquq Allah) and the sovereignty of man (huquq ibaad) should properly be drawn. [Harry’s Place] Read more

Live and Let Live - Faisal Gazi explains why secularism is key to Islam Secularism, as an ideal and a political assertion, has not had an easy ride in traditional Muslim history. But contrary to popular belief, secularist philosophy is not alien to Islam. In fact, a close reading of classical and modern Islamic history exposes an ongoing tension between the forces of secularism and theocracy since the medieval age. [The Daily Star] Read more