Benefits of Secularism for Pakistan (In point Format)
In recent days I was having a very constructive debate with a very knowledgeable person about the benefits of Secularism for a society such as Pakistan, where people are judged by how much or how little people follow their religion. Here imposing ones brand of Islam on the other is common and I argued for Secularism while this person argued for the intricacies of Islamic law.
I have already written an article on secularism and will not go into detail but here I will present the argument for secularism in points compared to the disadvantages of a poorly functioning "Islamic Republic" which may turn out to be very useful.
Problems with a dysfunctional "Islamic Republic"
Misuse of laws meant to safeguard Islam for the personal interests of people-ie the Blasphemy law to frame innocent Muslims, Christians and Hindus on false charges of blasphemy in order to settle disputes.
{Qoute} An example of how this law is misused was the case of Mohammad Imran who was arrested in Faisalabad for blasphemy on the 28th of October 2007. He was falsely blamed because of a personal argument. After being arrested he was first tortured by the police, then the inmates and later he was placed in solitary confinement without anyone looking after his injuries. He was only released in April 2009 after being declared innocent. {Qoute}
No laws for the rich and powerful. All laws apply for the weak. For example a rich man can drink or do whatever he wants despite not being allowed to do so in his religion, without any fear... even rape women without ever being punished but a poor man is always punished. Is this justice?
{QUOTE}Those before you went astray, for, when one of the committed a crime and he was a great man, they would not punish him, and when he was a poor man they would execute the punishment (Bu: 86:12){QUOTE}
Differences in the belief of Islam-which Islam do we want. What do we do if some factions do not agree with the Islam we are currently following? Should it be Wahabism, Sufism, Deobandi or Hanafi Islam? How will we deal with differing interpretations which will cause more and more confusion?
When religion gets infused into society, fanaticism and terrorism are only by-products. This is why religion should be a personal matter kept to a person's house and his place of worship. It should never be infused into governance and the state.
Muslims killing Muslims. The divide caused by the differences in our beliefs has caused a vast chasm among the Muslims. This chasm is so great that it is now leading to us killing each other. Not a day passes in Pakistan when a Muslim is not killed by another Muslim. The Taliban, Jundullah, Sipah E Sahaba, Lashker E Janghvi, Sipah E Mohammad... what else? In distant Norway there's Anders Behring Breivik. Infusing religion into politics has only led to death and destruction.
People begin using the excuse of religion to increase their power and authority. For example there are over 30 Taliban commanders in the tribal belts each vying for power and influence. In the end the struggle for Islam becomes a cruel struggle for power and influence.
When a country decides to judge its people by how much or how little they follow their religion it fails to focus on other important things such as science, education, economy and growth. Ignoring these sectors has often led to decline in Islamic societies. It is causing Pakistan to decline today with the GDP growth rate that is incapable of creating new jobs for a rising population.
Islamist thought can only cause gradual factionalism and division as people get divided into sects and various groups while each religious group crowds to his or her own religious group for protection decreasing people to people contact between sects and religions. For example the blasphemy laws in Pakistan. A man was shot for questioning a man-made law that has led to the murder of innocent muslims, christians and hindus alike on false charges of blasphemy. The law simply cannot be erased but it can only get worse because of Islamist influence who refuse to allow any changes to the law. What is next? Declaring all Hindus Kaffir and declaring them wajib ul qatil?
Despite trying to impose Islam for over 60 years Pakistan has miserably failed. Today the rich can get away with any crime. Bribes are taken and given with impunity and justice can be sold. Pakistan has failed to impose Islam in every single aspect. Pakistanis have free access to any website, the younger generation can have intercourse when it likes with streets such as Napier in Karachi and Heera Mandi in Lahore. Drinks are easily available. No law in reality has been imposed. Pakistan is a broke, failed Islamic Republic in every sense of the word. Isn't it better to stop trying to impose religion on everyone now and just give up?
More than a Billion Muslims live in abject poverty. Has having an "Islamic Republic" helped them in any way? Is it more important to give the poor man food and shelter rather than telling him how to behave in his daily life?
Benefits of Secularism.
By allowing freedom and giving each man his dignity we give everyone their rights. A person has the right to believe what he or she wishes and can stand for whatever he believes in. Islam itself allows us this freedom:
{QUOTE}"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects Taghut (evil) and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trust worthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. " (Qur'an 2:256)] {QUOTE}
Secularism will not degrade Islam but will instead allow it to flourish as secularism means the equal treatment of each and every religion. By equally treating Muslims we do away with biases a non religious or non-muslim resident would suffer yet we do not discriminate against the Muslims.
Secularism will do away with the problems in an Islamist system relating to which 'Islam' to impose when Muslims are divided into so many various sects and groups each believing something different. Here everyone will be equal.
Secularism if widely accepted by the Nation, will prevent commanders from using religion for their own gains and power. When the people will make religion a personal matter religious violence is sure to decline, allowing us to create a tolerant Nation. Something we currently lack.
Secularism will actually cause the growth of Islam and its evolution. In the past our rulers won the respect of minorities and their people and as a result Islam spread far and wide. Today we have forgotten the very actions of these leaders.
{Qoute}Taxation in the Caliphate is on excess wealth and not income, and there are no regressive taxes like VAT. The only taxes on companies are the agricultural land taxes (ushur and kharaj) that are a percentage of the agricultural produce or the land value. Non-agricultural companies do not pay this. Muslim owned companies will also pay the alms tax (zakat), but non-Muslim companies are exempt from this.
Non-Muslim men must pay a nominal tax called Jizya that gives them full citizenship rights, exempting them from National Service and taxes specific to Muslims such as zakat . Jizya is means tested and there are different bands for different levels of wealth. Caliph Omar imposed three bands for the Jizya tax - 4 dinars (£108) for the rich, 2 dinars (£54) for the middle class and 1 dinar (£27) for the poor. The Jizya tax rate is much lower than that of zakat, therefore the tax burden of non-Muslims is lower than that of Muslims in the Caliphate. {QUOTE}
Secularism will allow us to concentrate on bigger and better things. Like science, technology, culture and education which are much needed in Muslim states. Secularism has its obvious benefits because when religion is out of the equation we are not stuck on questions like the height of the shalwar.
Today Muslims are trying to kill each other and are at each others throats. Isn't anything better than Muslims blowing Muslims up? Shouldn't we try another system, something that actually works now? According to stats around 1 Million or more Muslims were killed (Most were killed by Muslims themselves) in the past 10 years. Isn't it time to reflect and judge whether the Islamist's system is actually working for us?
Secularism does not eliminate Islam or destroy it in anyway. People believing Islam cannot thrive under a secular system must ask the same question of 14 Million Muslims living in Europe. Secularism offers equality to everyone. This is the basic ideal of Secularism.