Author: International Islamic Fiqh Academy
In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, the final prophet, and all his family and Companions.
Resolution no. 99 (2/11) on secularism
The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, affiliated with the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, at its eleventh conference in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, from 25–30 Rajab 1419 AH, corresponding to 14–19 October (November) 1998, having examined the research submitted to the Academy on “secularism,” and in light of discussions drawing attention to this subject’s danger to the Muslim community,
Resolved as follows:
First: Secularism, meaning separation of religion from life, arose as a reaction to the Church’s arbitrary conduct.
Second: Secularism spread in Muslim lands through colonial power and its auxiliaries and the influence of Orientalism. It led to fragmentation of the Muslim community, doubt concerning sound creed, distortion of our community’s brilliant history, and the misleading impression among the younger generation that reason contradicts religious texts. It sought to replace the noble Islamic law with human-made systems and promoted permissiveness, moral dissolution and the collapse of noble values.
Third: Most destructive ideas that invaded our lands under various names, such as racism, communism, Zionism, Freemasonry and others, sprang from secularism. This led to the loss of the community’s wealth, deteriorating economic conditions and assistance in the occupation of some of our lands, such as Palestine and Jerusalem, demonstrating its failure to achieve any good for this community.
Fourth: Secularism is a human-made system founded upon atheism, contradicting Islam in its entirety and details, and converging with international Zionism and permissive and destructive movements. It is therefore an atheistic doctrine, rejected by God, His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and believers.
Fifth: Islam is religion and state, an integrated way of life suitable for every time and place. It does not approve separating religion from life. Rather, it requires all rulings to derive from it and practical life to bear Islam’s character, in politics, economics, society, education, media and other areas.
Recommendations:
The Academy recommends:
A. Muslim rulers must ward off secularism’s methods from Muslims and their countries and take the necessary protective measures.
B. Scholars must extend their religious teaching efforts to expose secularism and warn against it.
C. A comprehensive Islamic educational plan should be developed in schools, universities, research centres and information networks to achieve a unified formulation and educational discourse. Attention must be given to reviving the mosque’s mission, sermons, preaching and guidance, and training those responsible to meet contemporary needs, answer doubts and preserve the objectives of noble Islamic law. God grants success.
Source: Journal of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, issue 11, volume 3, p. 259.
Article link: International Islamic Fiqh Academy: resolution on secularism
About the International Islamic Fiqh Academy: It is an official international body established pursuant to Resolution 8/3-C (I.S.) of the Third Islamic Summit Conference, the “Palestine and Jerusalem Session,” held in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, from 19–22 Rabi‘ al-Awwal 1401 AH (25–28 January 1981). It is affiliated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, whose membership comprises 57 Muslim countries. The Academy’s scholar members are official scholars representing their countries. Its website states: “The Statute of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy stipulates that each member state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation appoints a full member to the Fiqh Academy. More than one full member from the same country may be admitted by decision of the Academy Council. The member states of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy are the fifty-seven member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.”