Secular?

chacha_Ghalib · November 10, 2010, 10:34pm

Re: Secular?

The country was not created for Islam (which Islam?) but for Muslims (ALL Muslims).

The point of creating Pakistan was to give Muslims of majority provinces a chance to live without worrying about Hindu majority. Previous elections had convinced Muslim leaders that Hindu majority will deprive Muslims of economic benefits. So creation of Pakistan was more about economical well being of Muslims than about practicing religion.

Islam was not in danger in India, nor were Muslims forced to give up their practices. This is why most Islamic “ideologists” like Azad, Maudoodi, Mashriqi etc. were against the creation of Pakistan.

If we agree that Pakistan was created for Islam then question would be: which Islam? There are myriad of schools of thought among Pakistani Muslims, and many of them are at logger-heads with each other. There is very little tolerance among them. Some don’t even consider anyone else besides them to be Muslims.
People with such levels of intolerance can not unite on religion. And then would arise the same question: which Islam? sunni, shia, deobandi, salafi, barelvi, pervaizi, etc.?

An Islamic state would have made sense in the time of prophets. But that time is gone now. No one is coming to tell us what is the right interpretation of scriptures and laws in the present world. The best way today is to practice religion based on one’s own understanding, and let others practice according to theirs. And create laws of country based on the need of time alone.

I know what worries some of us the most. So let me say that I think being secular does not necessarily mean open sex!

great post. couldn’t agree more.