Secularsm:
Setting the Record Straight
[December 2000]
Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance
Upper Iowa University
Dear Shetubondhon Friends,
Salam and greetings.
In this segment I deal with another impressionistic and inaccurate statement in regard to the claimed record of secularism. But before this, in the form of some prefatory remarks, I want to clarify my viewpoint about such impressionistic statements.
In June 2000, when we had the TOTM "Hindu-Muslim Relationship", there was an attempt in one of the messages to reduce Nazrul to just other "syncretists", such as "Lalan Fakir, Hasa Raja, Kabir, Kanu fakir, Garib Khan" [http://www.egroups.com/message/Shetubondhon/776]. Nazrul's own words stand categorically in the face of such reductionist approach or view and I documented that in a series of messages. In one of my messages earlier this year "Hindu-Muslim Relationship: Secularism is more than "religious harmony", I wrote that "It seems that we have a tendency to speak from mere impressions" [http://www.egroups.com/message/Shetubondhon/776 ], and that we shouldn't be doing so.
There is nothing wrong with forming or having impressions, as it is an essential part of natural learning process. In that earlier context, Mr. Masudur Rahman, quite validly, mentioned: "Only when one tries to draw a conclusion (proposition,ie. either true or false), based on the impressions there is a room for error." [http://www.egroups.com/message/Shetubondhon/784 ]. That's precisely my point. Now, let me turn to the subject of this write-up.
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT
In discussing about the record of the world of secularism, Mr. Masudur Rahman wrote in "Re: Infallibility of scriptures": "There is NO PRECEDENCE of non-believers/secualrists/free thinkers ever physically liquidating believers or coercing them into non-belief or prevented believers from practicing religions. Even in former communist China and socialist Russia, (the two former societies that were most identified with anti-religious persecution and are certainly not paradigms of a free society that true secularists espouse), NO BAN WAS IMPOSED ON PRIVATE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES AND BELIEFS, only on mixing religion with public life." [all emphases are mine; http://www.egroups.com/message/Shetubondhon/1331]
To me the above statement goes far beyond forming or having an impression about the record of former communist China and socialist Russia. This is not even just drawing conclusions, but presenting a very loud and categorical claim. I can't speak for others, but at least to me, I expect that in making such tall claims one should do his/her homework.
Let me first point out in no unclear term that as a Muslim I feel disturbed, agonize and often feel outright ashamed, when I see that there are so many abuses and problems, both in regard to the majorities and the minorities, in the Muslim world, and yet, there are Muslims who simply want to confine themselves with either a romanticized versions or periods of their history and sometimes gloss over stark realities of themselves. When we don't want to be objective or principled, then, as common among many, including a good number of Muslims, we simply see the problem on the other side, and we regard ourselves (and our side) in a partisan manner as unblemished. Everything is shiny and dandy on this/our side.
Thus, if a Muslim claims that in their history there has not been any persecution of non-Muslims as well as Muslims in the hands of some quarters of Muslims, then it would be either merely speaking from impression, a clear ignorance about indisputable facts, or it would be a blatant lie. Of course, most such statements are well-meaning, in the sense that those are not deliberate lie, but merely partisan romanticization.
As far as I am concerned, I believe the same standard should apply to others as well. Thus, when I saw the tall claim about "NO PRECEDENCE" and "NO BAN WAS IMPOSED", etc. in regard to former communist China or socialist Soviet Union, it drew my special attention. Let me confess that this time I WAS NOT dumbfounded (very surprised). Indeed, I was not surprised at all, because this is the same kind of claims, statements, and sophistry that I have come across in Mr. Masud's effort to elevate secularism's record to an untenable level.
Indeed, in the former Soviet Union, particularly during Stalin era, systematic and institutionalized campaigns against religions and adherents of religions, Muslims and others, are such a well-known fact that I don't even know what to say about the above claim of "no precedence". The case of China in the earlier period is also no different. It is important to recognize that these were not merely political matters, rather the campaign was against religions and there adherents. It was literally a war against the "opiums" like the way many countries, including U.S. wages war against drugs. In most cases, what was done in the former Soviet Union and China was NOT political persecution, but persecution due to faith (sort of possession of opium)!
One of my closest friends visited a good part of Soviet Union in early 90s. As part of his official trip, he also took time to visit various Muslim inhabited parts of the former empire. In several Muslim majority cities he visited, people were using undetectable buildings as mosques with the front entrance locked in fear of potential persecution. One of the most scarce and high in demand item was the Qur'an, because it was not available in the open market.
Chinese Muslims have fared no better. Why Muslims only? The Buddhists, who are generally regarded as more peaceful and peace-loving, without any equivalent of Jihad, have been most brutally persecuted in Tibet. Does anyone need any reference for these?
Whether anyone needs or not, so that we don't depend on our "mere impressions" to make tall, unfounded claims, readers can check out some of the readings for which I have appended the URLs at the end.
Indeed, such persecutions have been fundamentally different in these leftist blocks because of such radicalized, extreme, ideological prejudice against religion, which is regarded by many as a threat and intolerable and thus must be ERADICATED. It might not be difficult to understand why and how such radical, extreme atheism (which also wanted to have secular states and secularized society) has radicalized so many in various parts inside and around China and former Soviet Union.
Parallel with churches and temples, systematically mosques were DEMOLISHED, not because of political reason, but due to the ideological war against religions, which in Marx's view was "opium". Innumerable people have been killed in such campaigns too.
1. Russia under Lenin and Stalin.1921-1939.
2. Fundamentalist Resurgence: Causes and Prospects
http://www.marxist.com/Asia/fundamentalism.html
3. Persecution and Christian Obligation
http://capo.org/opeds/as0608.htm
4. POLITICS AND NATIONALISM IN KAZAKHSTAN
http://turktarih.8m.com/ARTICLES/kazak.html
5. DEVELOPING OF BAKU AT ALL TIMES
http://www.ab.az/texts/hist4.htm
6. Whither China? (Asia Times)
http://www.atimes.com/china-econ/AB12De01.html
Well, more information is just a mouse-click away or, more importantly, a "blink-of-an-eye" away. Opening eyes with a sense of self-scrutiny, particularly, to what we dearly hold, religion or secularism, Islam or Christianity, is the first step toward our own enlightenment.
As I invite Muslims and others to wake up from their romanticized impressions and try to better understand the reality of their own turf or domain, in all fairness, I can't but invite the devotees of secularism as well to do the same. As I invite Muslims not to make silly, untenable, unfounded claims about themselves (and, by the way, fellow Muslims ought to know that this is also a teaching of Islam), I also invite "non-believers/secularists/free thinkers" (as Mr. Rahman put it) to do the same. After all, free-thinking is not or should not be taking freedom or liberty with facts or the reality.I hope this time I have made the point about saying or claiming something based "merely on impression" clear enough.
Best regards.
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