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Secularism in Bangladesh: an Analysis of the Views of Ghulam Azam

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Secularism in Bangladesh: an Analysis of the Views of Ghulam Azam SECULARISM IN BANGLADESH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE VIEWS OF GHULAM AZAM BY MUHAMMAD ABDULLAHIL KAFI A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia OCTOBER 2011 i ABSTRACT The present research explores the contributions of Ghulam Azam (b.1922) to the development of Islamic thought in Bangladesh through his intellectual endeavours and socio-political activities. This paper evaluates critically his discourse on Secularism in Bangladesh which has gained wide acceptance among the educated Bangladeshi Muslim society since the post-independence period. This study is based on the investigation of Ghulam Azam’s life, intellectual legacy and religious contributions. Ghulam Azam’s theoretical view on Secularism is mainly found in his three books Dhomoniropekkha Motobad (Secularism), Islam and Philosophy, and Islam: The Only Divine and Complete Code of Life and in his biography as well. The research primarily applied a textual analysis method to examine both the primary (i.e. Ghulam Azam’s writing) and secondary sources. This study also analyzes the validity of his arguments on Secularism and to introduce his intellectual contributions in international academia. The research finds that he considers Secularism as the major outcome of European Renaissance. He develops a conceptual framework of studying Secularism by considering it as the source of conflict between the Church and science in the medieval period. According to him, Secularism is the outcome of the extreme and primitive thought of Christian priests. Ghulam Azam states that early Secularism proposed the idea of separation of political and religious affairs, whereas modern Secularism declares the denial of religion. According to him, this development occurred due to the clash between the priests’ excessive religious thought and modern scientific research in the evolution of contemporary Secularism. Hence, Secularism has contributed to the development of modern scientific revolution. An analysis of Ghulam Azam’s views confirms that he bears contemporary Islamic revivalist thought – striving to achieve the integrated development of the Muslim ummah worldwide and re-establish the Muslim civilization based on Islamic revealed knowledge. To sustain the essence of Islamic code of life, he rejects Secularism, considering it as invalid for Muslims and Muslim society. This research evaluates his discourse on Secularism and its significance for the Muslim society in Bangladesh. The intellectual contributions of Ghulam Azam through his writings (mostly in the Bengali language) are found relevant to contemporary Bangladeshi society and often relates to the ongoing conflict between Islam and Secularism there. ii ﺧﻼﺻﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻳﺘﺒﻨﻰ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺇﺳﻬﺎﻣﺎﺕ ﻏﻼﻡ ﺃﻋﻈﻢ (1922ﻡ) ﰲ ﺗﻄﻮﻳﺮ ﺍﻟﻔﻜﺮ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ ﰲ ﺑﻨﻐﻼﺩﻳﺶ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻝ ﻧﺸﺎﻃﺎﺗﻪ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ، ﻭﻳﻨﺎﻗﺶ ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺎﺗﻪ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺑﻨﻐﻼﺩﻳﺶ، ﻭﺧﻄﺎﺑﻪ ﺍﻟﻔﻜﺮﻱ ﺍﻟﺪﻋﻮﻱ ﻭﺃﳘﻴﺔ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﳌﺴﻠﻢ ﺍﳌﻌﺎﺻﺮ ﰲ ﺑﻨﻐﻼﺩﻳﺶ، ﻭﺍﻟﱵ ﻟﻘﻴﺖ ﻗﺒﻮﻻﹰ ﻭﺍﺳﻌﺎﹰ ﰲ ﺃﻭﺳﺎﻁ ﺍﳌﺴﻠﻤﲔ ﺍﳌﺜﻘﻔﲔ ﰲ ﻓﺘﺮﺓ ﻣﺎ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻻﺳﺘﻘﻼﻝ. ﻭﺗﺮﻛﺰ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺎ ﰎ ﲨﻌﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺳﲑﺓ ﻏﻼﻡ ﺃﻋﻈﻢ ﺍﻟﺬﺍﺗﻴﺔ, ﺗﺮﺍﺛﻪ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﰲ ﻭﻣﺴﺎﳘﺎﺗﻪ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ ﰲ ﻛﺘﺒﻪ ﺍﻟﺜﻼﺛﺔ: "ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ"، "ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻔﻠﺴﻔﺔ"، ﻭ"ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ: ﻧﻈﺎﻡ ﺍﳊﻴﺎﺓ ﺍﳌﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ" ﻓﻀﻼﹰ ﻋﻦ ﺳﲑﺗﻪ. ﻭﻗﺪ ﺍﻋﺘﻤﺪ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﺃﺳﺎﺱﹴ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻠﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺼﻲ ﻟﻠﻤﺼﺎﺩﺭ ﺍﳌﺬﻛﻮﺭﺓ ﺍﳌﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ ﰲ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎﺗﻪ، ﻭﺍﻷﺩﺑﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﳌﺘﻌﻠﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﳌﻮﺿﻮﻉ. ﻛﻤﺎ ﺣﻠﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻣﺪﻯ ﺻﻼﺣﻴﺔ ﻣﻨﺎﻗﺸﺎﺗﻪ ﻟﻼﲡﺎﻩ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﱐ، ﻭﺗﻘﺪﱘ ﻣﺴﺎﳘﺘﻪ ﺍﻟﻔﻜﺮﻳﺔ ﰲ ﺍﻷﻭﺳﺎﻁ ﺍﻷﻛﺎﺩﳝﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﳌﻴﺔ. ﻭﺗﻮﺻﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺇﱃ ﺃﻥﹼ ﻏﻼﻡ ﺃﻋﻈﻢ ﻳﻌﺘﱪ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﺭﺋﻴﺴﺔ ﻟﻌﺼﺮ ﺍﻟﻨﻬﻀﺔ ﺍﻷﻭﺭﻭﺑﻴﺔ، ﻭﻳﺮﻯ ﺃﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻧﺘﺎﺝ ﺍﻟﻔﻜﺮ ﺍﳌﺘﻄﺮﻑ ﺍﳌﺴﻴﺤﻲ ﻭﻣﺼﺪﺭ ﺍﻟﺼﺮﺍﻉ ﺑﲔ ﺍﻟﻜﻨﻴﺴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺜﻮﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺍﻟﻌﺼﻮﺭ ﺍﻟﻮﺳﻄﻰ. ﻭﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻓﺈﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺳﺎﳘﺖ ﰲ ﻀﺔ ﺍﻟﺜﻮﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﳊﺪﻳﺜﺔ. ﻭﺫﻛﺮ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺑﺪﺍﻳﺔ ﻀﺘﻬﺎ ﻓﺼﻠﺖ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﺪﻭﻟﺔ، ﺑﻴﺪ ﺃﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺍﳊﺪﻳﺜﺔ ﺪﻑ ﺇﱃ ﳏﺎﻭﻟﺔ ﺭﻓﺾ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻦ. ﺇﻥ ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺎﺕ ﻏﻼﻡ ﺃﻋﻈﻢ ﻭﺳﲑﺗﻪ ﺃﻇﻬﺮﺕ ﺑﺄﻧﻪ ﺩﺍﻋﻴﺔ ﻟﻔﻜﺮﺓ ﺍﻟﺼﺤﻮﺓ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﻌﺎﺻﺮﺓ، ﺍﻟﱵ ﺪﻑ ﺇﱃ ﲢﻘﻴﻖ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﺘﻜﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﻟﻸﻣﺔ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﳌﺴﺘﻮﻳﲔ: ﺍﻹﻗﻠﻴﻤﻲ، ﻭﺍﻟﻌﺎﳌﻲ ﻭﺭﺑﻄﻬﻤﺎ ﺑﺘﻮﺟﻴﻬﺎﺕ ﻣﻌﺎﺭﻑ ﺍﻟﻮﺣﻲ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ. ﻭﺣﻔﺎﻇﺎﹰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺟﻮﻫﺮ ﺭﻣﺰ ﺍﳊﻴﺎﺓ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ، ﺭﻓﺾ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﺑﺎﻋﺘﺒﺎﺭﻫﺎ ﻏﲑ ﺻﺎﳊﺔ ﲤﺎﻣﺎﹰ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﻠﻤﲔ ﻭﳎﺘﻤﻌﻬﻢ ﻋﻤﻮﻣﺎﹰ. ﻭﺍﺳﺘﻨﺘﺞ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﺣﺚ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻝ ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺘﻪ ﻟﻠﻤﻮﺿﻮﻉ ﺇﻥ ﻣﺴﺎﳘﺎﺕ ﻏﻼﻡ ﺃﻋﻈﻢ ﺍﻟﻔﻜﺮﻳﺔ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻝ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎﺗﻪ ﻭ(ﻣﻌﻈﻤﻬﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻐﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻐﺎﻟﻴﺔ) ﺗﻌﺪ ﺫﺍﺕ ﺻﻠﺔ ﻭﺛﻴﻘﺔ ﺑﺎﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻐﻼﺩﻳﺸﻲ ﺍﳌﻌﺎﺻﺮ، ﻭﺍﻟﺼﺮﺍﻉ ﺍﳉﺎﺭﻱ ﺑﲔ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻡ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻭﳏﺎﻭﻟﺔ ﺗﺄﻛﻴﺪ ﺍﳍﻮﻳﺔ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻤﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ ﰲ ﺩﻭﻟﺔ ﺑﻨﻐﻼﺩﻳﺶ. iii APPROVAL PAGE I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) .………………………………. Md. Yousuf Ali Supervisor I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) .………………………………. Thameem Ushama Examiner The dissertation was submitted to the Department of UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion and is accepted as fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) .………………………………. Thameem Ushama Head, Department of UÎūl al- Dīn and Comparative Religion The dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (UÎūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) ……………………………… Badri Najib Zubir Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Science iv DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Muhammad Abdullahil Kafi Signature …………………………….. Date …………………… v INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH Copyright © 2011 by Muhammad Abdullahil Kafi. All rights reserved. SECULARISM IN BANGLADESH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE VIEWS OF GHULAM AZAM No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below. 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. Affirmed by Muhammad Abdullahil Kafi ………………………........ ………………………….. Signature Date vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All praises due to Allah I who blessed us with His infinite mercy and kindness. The blessings and peace of Allah be upon our beloved prophet Muhammad È and his noble family and companions. I am deeply indebted and grateful to my honorable supervisor Dr. Md. Yousuf Ali, who has assisted me wholeheartedly, since the beginning of my study here at IIUM till its completion. May Allah (s.w.t) shower on him infinite mercy and blessings and save him from all kinds of evils. Heartiest thanks to my beloved parents and my wife who let me to be here for higher study. Special thanks to my cousin Mr. Ruhul Amin by whom I have been inspired to continue higher education. To Brother Reyad Mehfuz, Muhammad Obaidullah, Jahirul Haq, and Faroque Amin whose inspiration and assistance I would never forget. Sincere thanks to Brother Nazir Ahmad, whose assistance is inevitable to collect important reference books for the research work. I am grateful to Prof. Ghulam Azam, for giving me his valuable time to conduct his interview with providing me some books and valuable information. I am indebted to Islamic University of Medina where I acquired pure Islamic guidance and spiritual inspiration to gain success of worldly life and in the Hereafter as well. My thanks go to the IIUM, the garden of knowledge and virtue, where I have received various kind of conventional and Islamic integrated knowledge. My thanks also go to my respected lecturers, friends and well-wishers here at IIUM and abroad who have supported and encouraged me during the study by all means. May Allah bless them all with His best rewards! Finally, my gratitude must go to the IIUM library, from where I borrowed valuable books, and received information. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ……………………………………………………………………. …… ii Abstract in Arabic ………………………………………………………………. iii Approval Page …………………………………………………………………... vi Declaration Page ………………………………………………………………… v Copyright Page ………………………………………………………………….. vi Acknowledgements .......………………………………………………………… vii Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………….. viii Transliteration Table …………………………………………………………….. x List of Tables ...…………………………………………………………….......... xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………...…………… 1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 1 Statement of the Problem ………………………………………………... 3 Research Questions ……………………………………………………… 4 Objectives
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