THE MEANING OF ISLAM AND ITS DIFFERENCES FROM RELIGION AND SECULARISM

1. THE MEANING OF ISLAMAND ITS DIFFERENCES FROM RELIGION AND SECULARISM Dr. Gemala Dewi, S.H., L.LM. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

2. ISLAM Islam is an arabic word that has two meanings: the linguistic meaning of the consonant roots ofs-l-m, peace; and the religious meaning, submission to the will of Allah (Swt). The two meanings are intertwined because it is only through submission to the will of Allah (Swt) that a person achieves true peace. When one reaches this stage, one knows how to react to Allah (Swt), to oneself, to other people, and to creation. (Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Khouj, 1994: 15) INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

3. From the root s-l-mthen formed the words Salm, silm, and so forth. It means peace, prosperity, safety, surrender(his self), and obedient. From the word ofSalmthen formed the word assalamu’alaikum which means “may you safe, peaceful, and prosperous”. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

4. People who freely choose to obey the will of God by obeying all His commandments and abstaining from any ban is called Muslim. • According to S.H. Nasr,a Muslim is one who through the using of his thought and freedom to accept and abide by the God’s will or instructions. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

5. (Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Khouj, 1994: xiii-xiv) • Islam views the human being through his natural tendecies—a view that is in synchronization with his nature and instinct and recognizing his traits, rights, and responsibilities that distinguish him from other creatures. • Islam sees the human being with instict which push him unconsciously to fulfill them. However, it also views the human as a being with a mind that thinks, chooses, and makes a preference and distinction before taking any action or behaviour. As far as instict, Islam sees that the most influential instinct within the human being are those for companionship and procration and ownership. • Islam recognizes that within these instict lies the continuation of the human race. Islam approves that the continuation and welfare of the human being are valid basic instincts. Through these instinct and other capabilities, he can fulfill his mission (as a Khalifa) and can understand the value of good and the detriment of evil. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

6. The struggle between good and evil is clear-cut in Islam, where Islam shows the human being that the everlasting and good life is with good. “Not for the idle sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that in between! If it had been our wish to take just a past time, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to us, if we would do such a thing! Nay, We hurl the truth against falsehood, and it knocks out its brain, and behold, falsehood doth perish! Ah! Woe be to you for the false things ye ascribe to Us.” (21: 16-18) INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

7. In that verse, Allah (Swt) sets forth for the human being to understand the objective of creation, not only his own, but the whole world. Allah (Swt) makes it so clear that His creation of the world, including the human being, was not for play or amusement, but for a much greater and important reason. (Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Khouj, 1994: xiv) INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

8. SECULARISM • Secularim derived from the Latin, saeculum. This word then formed the word secularism in 1851. • Secularism is an understanding which consciously reject God and religious role in regulating life and human life and focus only on worldly matters. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

9. At the beginning of its growth, secularism is the name of a system of ethics and philosophy that aims to provide interpretation or regulation of human life (1) without belief in God, (2) do not believe in holy books, and (3) does not believe in the Day of Judgement. (H.M. Rasjidi, 1972: 17) • Secularism organized the process of secularization which is the process of human liberation. First, liberation from religion. Second,liberation of metaphysics, the science that studies the fundamental issues of knowledge and non-physical reality, including the problem of the existence of something called divinity. • Secularization involves all aspects of life. • Secularism nowadays has become an ideology which developed its own value which it considered as an absolute and final condition. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

10. Secularism nowadays divided into two. 1. First, secularism which known in West Europe, USA and the third countries. Formally, secularism here still recognize the existence of God, but God’s laws or the religious role might not regulate human life and society lifehood. Peoples lifes regulated by their own mind without any intervention of religious role. Anyone is not depending on God and religious role. In the field of politic practice, religion is separated from the State. Religion in this relationship is the church power. The church power is only allowed to regulate peoples faith which included in the word of religion in christian understanding. Meanwhile, the profane affairs are regulated by the State. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

11. 2. Secularism that known in Russia, Tiongkok, and the countries influenced by tha communist ideology which based on the materialism of history. Secularism here shows itself in ateism, an ideology that reject the existence of God. Because of that, religious role automatically rejected in regulating human life. For the foreign policy interest, those countries formally admitting the human rights related to divinity. In their constitution declared that they admit the freedom of any religious belief, but that formula then followed by the statement that the State also protect any anti-religious propaganda. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

12. Indonesia is not a secular country, but not a religious country too. Constitution of Indonesia, article 29 paragraph 1, stated that Indonesia is based on God Almighty. This “God Almighty” also stated in the first principle of Pancasila. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

13. ISLAM vs SECULARISM • Since the first time of its present, Islam has always focused on God. It is based on Tauhid (oneness of God / divinity), so Islam never separate the spiritual and material, religious and profane, in every field. • In the language of Islam and also in Arabic, there are no words that convey the same meaning of the word “secular” as found in western countries.This is an indication that there is no secular concept in Islam. Islam teaches a comprehensive way of life (S.H. Nasr, 1981: 14). INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

14. In Islam, belief in God means admitting and believing the almighty of Allah (Swt) in regulating the life of all creatures in the world, including the human being. • In Islam, the piety to the God includes the fright of Him and also actively building and maintaining relationships in human life that covers: (1) relationship between human and Allah (Swt) the God Almighty (2) relationship between human and himself (3) relationship between human and human in the society (4) relationship between human and the environment around These relationships should be developed well in a balance and correct ways. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

15. (1) relationship between human and Allah (Swt) the God Almighty The doctrine of God Almighty is a prima causa of another relationships. So, this kind of relationship should be prioritized and well-developed by every human being. This could be done by obeying all His commandments and abstaining from any ban., so that every human is able to control himself from doing any crime to himself, to the society, and also to the environment around him. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

16. (2) relationship between human and himself This kind of relationship done by being honest, fair, sincere, brave, patient, and easy to forgive. (3) relationship between human and human in the society This kind of relationship is developed and maintained by appreciating the values and norms exist in the society, helping each other, enforcing the fairness, and being fair to himself and other people. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

17. (4) relationship between human and the environment around This kind of relationship is developed by protecting and caring for the animals, plants, land, water, air, and also the whole world that created by Allah (Swt) for human interests. • These four relationships should be done with responsibility (1) to Allah the Almighty, (2) to his own conscience, (3) to the other people, and (4) to protect the environment around him. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

18. In this case, its better to know that Islamic religion here is the equivalent of din al Islam (read as dinul Islam) which is an arabic word that contain different system and scope of religious when it is compared with Hindu and Buddhist religion that came to Indonesia earlier and with Christian that came to Indonesia afterwards. • According to the expert of history, Hindu and Buddhist religion organized based on the doctrine and traditions that developed within the faith. Islamic religion is classified as the religion that came from revelation, as well as the Jewish and Christian religion, although still Islam has different system and scope of religious with the two religions of revelation. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

19. ISLAM vs RELIGION Christian Snouck Hurgronje said: “Islam is a religion of law in the full meaning of the word” • It means that Islam contains legal norms, whether the rules that regulate human’s relationship with Allah the Almighty which can be carried out by Muslim privately, as well as the rules that regulate human relationship with other humans and objects in the life of the societywhich need any assistance of the State to be implemented by Muslims completely. • It also means that Islamic religion and Islamic law can not be separated. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

20. Islamic religion as the last religion of revelation contains the doctrine which is a complete system consists of faith, shari’a (law), and morals that regulate all human behavior in a variety of relationships, including relationship between human with God also human with his self, objects in society, etc. These structure or system and scope of religious basically differentiate Islam and another religion. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

21. The word religion derived from the Latin word, religio, which is closely related with the Christian doctrine which is only regulate the relationship between human and the God. • The word religion in Indonesia interpreted as a system of belief in the society which is related to all religions by our intellectuals, especially the experts on anthropology and sociology that influenced by the Western ideology. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

22. For almost all of the West people, especially the secularism adherent, they admit the existence of religion roles but only about the relationship between human and God. • Meanwhile in Islam, the word din is not only regulating the relationship between human and God, but also the horizontal relationships. The vertical and horizontal relationships are the components that run and interwoven in the system of Islamic doctrine. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

23. The importance of religion to the society (Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Khouj, 1994: 14) As a religion, Islam encourages people to work and to find their way in the world. This cannot be fully achieved unless they reach a substantial understanding of Islam and its pillars and also realize the effect of iman (faith) in their life. To understand how a revealed religion function in our life and in the society’s structure we have to study Islam as a revealed message to see how it covers all the aspect of human life regardless of the time and place. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

24. The Function of Shari’a (Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Khouj, 1994: 14) In general, Shari’a has three functions: 1. Treatment To treat ill-mannered behaviour, as well as existing spiritual, individual, social, economic, and political problems. 2. Prevention To prevent individual from returning to ill-mannered ways and becoming involved in mischief. 3. Guidance To help human gain a full understanding of the purpose of their existence and the rules of their interpersonal relationship. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

25. These three function are clearly presented so that humans can both understand and live by them. Shari’a aims to establish justice and balance between good and evil, to protect the rights of every individual, and to establish an egalitarian society based on absolute justice. To present a more accurate picture, each function of Shari’a will be described briefly. INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI

26. THANK YOU! INTERNATIONAL CLASS-FHUI