Islam and Secularism

Abstract

The premise of this chapter is that Islam is consistent with the secular state, defined as neutral regarding all religious doctrine, because the neutrality of the state is more likely to facilitate the authenticity of the religious experience of believers by conviction and free choice. In my view, the notion of an Islamic state is conceptually incoherent, historically unprecedented, and practically unviable. I am not suggesting that Muslim ruling elites never claimed that their state was or is Islamic, or that the general Muslim public has always been clear on the true nature of the state. If this was the case there would be no need for me to make this argument. What I am suggesting is that claims that the state is or can be Islamic are false, and that upon reflection Muslims in general would accept the point I am making. Instead of trying to summarize in this brief chapter the whole theory, as presented elsewhere,¹ my purpose here is to argue that the sort of secular state that is compatible with Islam and therefore more likely to be accepted by Muslims is one that is characterized by what I call “weak” secularism. This version of secularism is more characteristic of India and the United States than of France and Turkey. Its defining feature is a willingness to acknowledge and mediate a positive role for religion in public life, instead of attempting to suppress or control religion. This is not easy to do in practice, but should at least be the objective. However, as states are deeply historical and contextual, with each being specific to its own society, I am not calling for the Indian or American models to be copied by other countries.