Adil Najam
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
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Secularism
The definition of “secularism” by Maulana Maodoodi and by Mr M.A. Jinnah may not be the same. In one definition secularism may be without religion and in another the religion may exist in the secular state. Both of them will be only half true. For the reason of curiosity one should look into a dictionary for its definition.
Secularism is not a religion but it is the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs.
According to this definition any religion is free to exist in the state without any interference in governing system of the state and also the state governing authorities have no right to interfere in religious matters. Both of them are separate and independent entities.
In a secular State even a religious leader (Mulla!) can be elected as a President or Prime Minister; on the condition that he does not use his (or any other) religion in state affair. The state can permit certain religious rituals in state functions, but this will be applicable to all the religions and atheists. The OATH taking is one example.
Mr. M. A Jinnah in his statement:
“You may belong to any religion or caste or creed — that has nothing to do with the business of the State”.
gives only half-definition of the secular state. The other half,
“Any religion has nothing to do with the business of the State”, he simply ignored.
In a secular state there is “Freedom for Religion and Freedom from Religion”.
Long live curiosity!
Welcome to secularism!!