Islam and Secularism
Written twenty years ago, this is a book by one of the most creative and original Muslim thinkers in the contemporary Muslim world. The author deals with fundamental problems faced by contemporary Muslims and their real solutions, beginning with a discussion on ‘The Contemporary Western Christian Background’, followed by his analysis of the concepts (which he newly defines) of ‘secular’, `secularization’ and ‘secularism.’ Based on all the preceding explanation, he proceeds to analyze the Muslim `dilemma’ by declaring that it should be resolved primarily through what he calls the “de-westernization of knowledge” or, conversely, the “islamization of contemporary knowledge”, an original concept conceived of and argued for by the author for the past three decades. Numerous original and profound ideas are contained in this book— arrived at chiefly through critical study of Muslim tradition— such as the concepts of Din, `adl, hikmah, adab, ma`na (meaning), and ta’dib, and their significance in the development of an Islamic system of education.
