Secularism and Religious Freedom
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 18396 )
Q: The pure creed in some countries is exposed to the danger of secular challenges and the misguidance emanating from them, which disguises itself in the clothing of a cunning interpretation, claiming that it is nothing but avoiding religious fanaticism and acknowledging freedom of belief for every person, whether they wish to believe or disbelieve. In reality, however, the concept of secularism is not limited to this extent alone, even though it entails corrupting the creed with this content alone. Rather, it extends to various interpretations, which we can summarize briefly as follows: Secularism fluctuates between all the various meanings that can be attributed to it, according to what its defenders say and the opinions they express regarding it. It is no less than five limits: First: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, while the one acknowledging it belongs to a specific religion and considers his religion to be the truth and everything else to be false. This means that there is no barrier to a Muslim apostatizing from his religion, and that this is a right he has to exercise. Second: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, while belonging to a specific religion, but without preferring any of them over
the others. Third: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, with the complete absence of any yoke of religion, and complete neutrality before all religions and beliefs. Fourth: It is the non-acknowledgment of any religion, a neutral stance, and non-interference in the affairs of any of the religions, and complete neutrality before the differing positions regarding religions. Fifth: It is the non-acknowledgment of any religion or belief, while taking a negative stance toward them and supporting every position that opposes religions. We ask you, out of your generosity, to answer in writing with the ruling of Islam on secularism and on those who adopt it, in light of these interpretations, each individually, and to send it by express mail, given the circumstances of Muslims and the inability they face in debating the polytheists and apostates from among the people of our lands, and the encroachment of the disbelievers among them to frustrate the efforts of Muslims in these days.
A: What is called secularism, which is a call to separate religion from the state, to limit religion to matters of worship, and to leave other matters such as transactions, and to acknowledge what is called religious freedom, so that if one wishes to follow Islam, he does so, and if one wishes to apostatize, he follows one of the other false creeds and sects, this and its other corrupt beliefs
are a wicked, disbelieving call from which one must be warned, its falsehood exposed, its danger clarified, and one must be cautious of the fitnah it wears and with which it deceives, for its evil is great and its danger is severe. We ask Allah for safety and well-being from it and its people. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: The pure creed in some countries is exposed to the danger of secular challenges and the misguidance emanating from them, which disguises itself in the clothing of a cunning interpretation, claiming that it is nothing but avoiding religious fanaticism and acknowledging freedom of belief for every person, whether they wish to believe or disbelieve. In reality, however, the concept of secularism is not limited to this extent alone, even though it entails corrupting the creed with this content alone. Rather, it extends to various interpretations, which we can summarize briefly as follows: Secularism fluctuates between all the various meanings that can be attributed to it, according to what its defenders say and the opinions they express regarding it. It is no less than five limits: First: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, while the one acknowledging it belongs to a specific religion and considers his religion to be the truth and everything else to be false. This means that there is no barrier to a Muslim apostatizing from his religion, and that this is a right he has to exercise. Second: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, while belonging to a specific religion, but without preferring any of them over
the others. Third: It is an acknowledgment of absolute religious freedom for every person, with the complete absence of any yoke of religion, and complete neutrality before all religions and beliefs. Fourth: It is the non-acknowledgment of any religion, a neutral stance, and non-interference in the affairs of any of the religions, and complete neutrality before the differing positions regarding religions. Fifth: It is the non-acknowledgment of any religion or belief, while taking a negative stance toward them and supporting every position that opposes religions. We ask you, out of your generosity, to answer in writing with the ruling of Islam on secularism and on those who adopt it, in light of these interpretations, each individually, and to send it by express mail, given the circumstances of Muslims and the inability they face in debating the polytheists and apostates from among the people of our lands, and the encroachment of the disbelievers among them to frustrate the efforts of Muslims in these days.
A: What is called secularism, which is a call to separate religion from the state, to limit religion to matters of worship, and to leave other matters such as transactions, and to acknowledge what is called religious freedom, so that if one wishes to follow Islam, he does so, and if one wishes to apostatize, he follows one of the other false creeds and sects, this and its other corrupt beliefs
are a wicked, disbelieving call from which one must be warned, its falsehood exposed, its danger clarified, and one must be cautious of the fitnah it wears and with which it deceives, for its evil is great and its danger is severe. We ask Allah for safety and well-being from it and its people. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.