(The following is a summary of the chapter IV of the book: ISLAM AND SECULARISM by By Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas.
Summarised by Ismail Nizam)
The major problems that plague Muslim society stretches back to the historical confrontation which Western culture and civilization had perpetuated against Islaam. The causes of these problems originated from the earliest periods in the formation of Christianity. The knowledge of the dilemma is only a partial solution to the problem. Some of the components of this dilemma have their origins within our own physical world and intellectual history while others instigated as effects of the confrontation, which was external to our own affairs.
The root cause of the confrontation is to be discerned in the formation of Christianity and the rise of Islaam. The Christian thinkers and theorists believed that the Christianity possessed not only the potentiality and capacity to become a world religion, but also strived to develop into a universal religion that would dominate over nations. They foresaw the lack of potentiality of the existing world religions to become universal ones. Indeed, the historical existence of other religions as confined to their own territory proved themselves to be insulated within their own influential domains and spheres. This is because the existing religions did not possess doctrines of salvation like the one Christianity was formulating, and hence they dispossessed the salvation spirit of mission which was necessary to make religion universally acknowledged. The very idea of universality in religion is itself unique and revolutionary in its effect upon human life. Neither cosmopolitan life nor universal life is possible unless the God of religion is also a Universal God. According to the Holy Qur’an the true religion was from the very beginning universal since it refers to one and the same Universal god. It was thus God who revealed man the universal religion. The idea of universal religion did not originate in man’s intellect and gradually evolve and develop in his culture and history. It was revealed to man by the true God, Allah. If it had been otherwise, man would never have been able to conceive it.
Therefore, at this juncture, there is a question realistically required to be answered; how did the idea of a universal religion come to be claimed as having originated in Christianity? The answer to this question was given in the holy Qur’an and can be interpreted as; God revealed to Jesus (peace be upon him) the coming of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) who would ultimately establish among mankind the universal religion. Jesus (peace be upon him) narrated this revelation to his disciples. Later, the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) interpreted his teachings incorrectly and applied to their own new creation. The so-called Christian idea of universal religion was taken from the sermon of Jesus (peace be upon him). The original statement of Jesus (peace be upon him) actually referred to Islaam, which was interpreted differently and appropriated for the new religion Christianity. However, as Muslims, the point to be remembered is that God’s plan is far more superior and accurate, which can neither be confounded nor prevented from coming to pass. At the very beginning of its manifestation Islaam addressed itself to the whole of mankind and forged a firm brotherhood among members of multiracial communities. It was this uniqueness of Islaam which naturally followed universality.
The rise of Islaam changed the world. The rapid dissemination of Islaam worldwide caused two major historic events in the western world, shaping its ensuing history and destiny. One was the dissolution of unity in the Mediterranean, molding the life styles of peoples of neighboring regions. The other was the subsequent shift in the western Christian life from Rome to North Aix Ia Chapelle. These two events resulted in a drastic change in Western culture and civilization, not only physically but also spiritually. As a result Christianity itself suffered a separation of destinies between Rome and Constantinople. In addition to the influences that affected the Christianity, Islaam caused revolutionary changes in the linguistic, social, cultural, political and economic facets of Western life. Islamic centers of learning in the west reflected knowledge to the western world, with which western scholars, thinkers and theologians were able to regain their intellectual position, exerting greater influence in nurturing the spirit of their renaissance.
Islaam, in its very beginning, challenged Christianity’s right to universality. The Holy Qur’an challenged the authenticity of Christianity following the revelations at Makkah. Islaam challenged this doctrinal confrontation.
Islaam played a dominant role in shaping world history for a thousand years. The western counter-attack came gradually with the western scientific revolution in the 13th century due to its military and economic power. The progressive exploitation of Muslim world was caused primary by internal elements. As a result, the west was able to implant its worldview in the field where once a single Islamic worldview existed. This intellectual attack resulted in the dissemination of the basic essentials of the western worldview in the Muslim mind. It was gradually consolidated and accomplished via the educational system founded on the western conception of knowledge. This, ultimately, brought about a new concept among Muslims known as deislamisation of Muslim mind. The confrontation between these two worldviews transformed from historic, military and religious levels to intellectual level.
The root cause of the confrontation is to be discerned in the formation of Christianity and the rise of Islaam. The Christian thinkers and theorists believed that the Christianity possessed not only the potentiality and capacity to become a world religion, but also strived to develop into a universal religion that would dominate over nations. They foresaw the lack of potentiality of the existing world religions to become universal ones. Indeed, the historical existence of other religions as confined to their own territory proved themselves to be insulated within their own influential domains and spheres. This is because the existing religions did not possess doctrines of salvation like the one Christianity was formulating, and hence they dispossessed the salvation spirit of mission which was necessary to make religion universally acknowledged. The very idea of universality in religion is itself unique and revolutionary in its effect upon human life. Neither cosmopolitan life nor universal life is possible unless the God of religion is also a Universal God. According to the Holy Qur’an the true religion was from the very beginning universal since it refers to one and the same Universal god. It was thus God who revealed man the universal religion. The idea of universal religion did not originate in man’s intellect and gradually evolve and develop in his culture and history. It was revealed to man by the true God, Allah. If it had been otherwise, man would never have been able to conceive it.
Therefore, at this juncture, there is a question realistically required to be answered; how did the idea of a universal religion come to be claimed as having originated in Christianity? The answer to this question was given in the holy Qur’an and can be interpreted as; God revealed to Jesus (peace be upon him) the coming of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) who would ultimately establish among mankind the universal religion. Jesus (peace be upon him) narrated this revelation to his disciples. Later, the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) interpreted his teachings incorrectly and applied to their own new creation. The so-called Christian idea of universal religion was taken from the sermon of Jesus (peace be upon him). The original statement of Jesus (peace be upon him) actually referred to Islaam, which was interpreted differently and appropriated for the new religion Christianity. However, as Muslims, the point to be remembered is that God’s plan is far more superior and accurate, which can neither be confounded nor prevented from coming to pass. At the very beginning of its manifestation Islaam addressed itself to the whole of mankind and forged a firm brotherhood among members of multiracial communities. It was this uniqueness of Islaam which naturally followed universality.
The rise of Islaam changed the world. The rapid dissemination of Islaam worldwide caused two major historic events in the western world, shaping its ensuing history and destiny. One was the dissolution of unity in the Mediterranean, molding the life styles of peoples of neighboring regions. The other was the subsequent shift in the western Christian life from Rome to North Aix Ia Chapelle. These two events resulted in a drastic change in Western culture and civilization, not only physically but also spiritually. As a result Christianity itself suffered a separation of destinies between Rome and Constantinople. In addition to the influences that affected the Christianity, Islaam caused revolutionary changes in the linguistic, social, cultural, political and economic facets of Western life. Islamic centers of learning in the west reflected knowledge to the western world, with which western scholars, thinkers and theologians were able to regain their intellectual position, exerting greater influence in nurturing the spirit of their renaissance.
Islaam, in its very beginning, challenged Christianity’s right to universality. The Holy Qur’an challenged the authenticity of Christianity following the revelations at Makkah. Islaam challenged this doctrinal confrontation.
Islaam played a dominant role in shaping world history for a thousand years. The western counter-attack came gradually with the western scientific revolution in the 13th century due to its military and economic power. The progressive exploitation of Muslim world was caused primary by internal elements. As a result, the west was able to implant its worldview in the field where once a single Islamic worldview existed. This intellectual attack resulted in the dissemination of the basic essentials of the western worldview in the Muslim mind. It was gradually consolidated and accomplished via the educational system founded on the western conception of knowledge. This, ultimately, brought about a new concept among Muslims known as deislamisation of Muslim mind. The confrontation between these two worldviews transformed from historic, military and religious levels to intellectual level.
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