When many people in the Muslim world hear the word "secular" they imagine their society totally Westernized and corrupted by the ultra-consumerist culture that's typical to North America. They imagine their people dressed up like punks or imitating Westerners, forgetting their heritage, their history and their culture.
This is a very wrong interpretation of secularism. The actual meaning of secularism is is simple and that is that the state shall not mix itself with any religion or impose any religion on the population.
Religion is everybody's personal issue under secular laws.
No religion should not determine the laws of a multi-religious society where each religious group has it's own distinct set of laws.
The original constitution of Pakistan as laid out by the founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah is still seen in articles 20, 21 and 22 in the constitution of Pakistan.
But still, this is not how many have understood secularism and many in the Muslim world, especially conservatives, have mixed it with Westernization. These are two very distinct and different things.
Indeed, many do turn to Westernization to counter Islamist fundamentalism, but this is not the solution. The only reason why Westernization is used to oppose is Islamitization is because the West has been traditionally non-Muslim.
While it's true that most Western countries are secular while being Christian, the reason for their success is they do not allow religion to interfere in their politics.
Many Pakistanis, including conservatives live up to their own interpretation of Islam. Only under secular laws can they learn to co-exist peacefully and live by their own personal standards.
Let's also not forget that religious parties have never won in elections in Pakistan. This shows that Pakistanis are more secular than they know themselves to be.
Some people have set Turkey as a role model for Pakistan, while others reject it because it's too Westernized. The truth is Turkey is more of a Westernized country than a secular one. Though it's true that Turkey has been successful in pushing out religious extremists and managed to be a successful Muslim country in many areas (ie. population growth control, basic education, women's rights, decent living standards etc.), the country still has many discriminatory laws (like Pakistan) towards minorities. It being a Westernized country and does not serve as a good model for Pakistan.
A country can always be secular without trading off it's cultural identity for a Western-style identity.
When most Muslim countries adopt secular laws, their populations will be able to co-exist peacefully and work to move ahead. Westernization will be kept out and no religious ideology will interfere with state affairs or impose itself on anybody's personal life.
This is the true meaning of secularism. The founding fathers of modern Pakistan intended for it to be this way.
This is a very wrong interpretation of secularism. The actual meaning of secularism is is simple and that is that the state shall not mix itself with any religion or impose any religion on the population.
Religion is everybody's personal issue under secular laws.
No religion should not determine the laws of a multi-religious society where each religious group has it's own distinct set of laws.
The original constitution of Pakistan as laid out by the founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah is still seen in articles 20, 21 and 22 in the constitution of Pakistan.
But still, this is not how many have understood secularism and many in the Muslim world, especially conservatives, have mixed it with Westernization. These are two very distinct and different things.
Indeed, many do turn to Westernization to counter Islamist fundamentalism, but this is not the solution. The only reason why Westernization is used to oppose is Islamitization is because the West has been traditionally non-Muslim.
While it's true that most Western countries are secular while being Christian, the reason for their success is they do not allow religion to interfere in their politics.
Many Pakistanis, including conservatives live up to their own interpretation of Islam. Only under secular laws can they learn to co-exist peacefully and live by their own personal standards.
Let's also not forget that religious parties have never won in elections in Pakistan. This shows that Pakistanis are more secular than they know themselves to be.
Some people have set Turkey as a role model for Pakistan, while others reject it because it's too Westernized. The truth is Turkey is more of a Westernized country than a secular one. Though it's true that Turkey has been successful in pushing out religious extremists and managed to be a successful Muslim country in many areas (ie. population growth control, basic education, women's rights, decent living standards etc.), the country still has many discriminatory laws (like Pakistan) towards minorities. It being a Westernized country and does not serve as a good model for Pakistan.
A country can always be secular without trading off it's cultural identity for a Western-style identity.
When most Muslim countries adopt secular laws, their populations will be able to co-exist peacefully and work to move ahead. Westernization will be kept out and no religious ideology will interfere with state affairs or impose itself on anybody's personal life.
This is the true meaning of secularism. The founding fathers of modern Pakistan intended for it to be this way.
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