Current Social Science and Economic Theory is a reflection of the European historical experience. To understand it, we must understand European history, and how it has affected European thought. This lecture provides some basics of European history and how it has shaped the European worldview embodied in their economic thought.

See also MAIN page on this topic, which has links to all relevant materials.

Transition to Secular Thought in Europe:

Lessons for Muslims

Asad Zaman

1. Introduction................................................................................................................. 1

2. The Corruption of the Christian Clergy....................................................................... 2

2.1 Need for Separation of Religious and Temporal Leadership................................ 4

2.2 Preferring Simple Lifestyles to Luxury................................................................. 5

2.3 The Worst of all Creatures..................................................................................... 6

3. Rejection of Traditions and Formation of Sects......................................................... 7

3.1 Unity in Diversity.................................................................................................. 8

3.2 The Ummah as One Body................................................................................... 10

3.3 Love and Tolerance............................................................................................. 11

4. Religious Wars in Europe.......................................................................................... 12

4.1 The European Mindset........................................................................................ 14

4.2 The Rules of War................................................................................................. 15

4.3 Islamic Standards of Justice................................................................................ 16

5. Conclusions............................................................................................................... 17

1. Introduction

A dramatic transition in ways of thinking took place in Europe between the sixteenth and the eighteenth century. Tawney (1930) describes this transition to secular ways of thinking as follows:

The theory of a hierarchy of values, embracing all human interests and activities in a system of which the apex is religion, is replaced by the conception of separate and parallel compartments, between which a due balance should be maintained, but which have no vital connection with each other.

An essential ingredient of secular thought is the idea that there are spheres of human life and intellectual effort which are not connected to religion. Islamic teachings match pre-modern European thought that religious considerations are of paramount importance in all spheres of life. In dramatic contrast, eighteenth century European thought treats social, political and economic thought without reference to religion or the spiritual aspirations of man. Tawney (1930) has documented this revolution in thought, and also provided the complex and subtle historical details of how it came about in England.

Since then, secular thought has come to dominate the world, influencing the thinking of all across the globe. Religion has been virtually driven out of the public sphere. Removal of religious barriers against greed, hedonism and individualism has led to

• • social catastrophes: breakdown of families and community.

  • political calamities: immoral wars conducted for control of resources.

  • Environmental disasters: pollution, global warming, destruction of species and forests, all for the sake of multinational profits

  • Financial Crisis: Ponzi schemes, large scale speculative gambling, and fraudulent practices encourage by putting greed above all social considerations.

More recently, the harmful effects of relegating spirituality and morality to a personal and private choice have become obvious for all to see. An effort is being made to reintroduce religion, spirituality and morality into debates and intellectual arenas from which they have been long excluded.

Our goal in this article is to review some neglected and forgotten aspects of European history which led to this transition from religious based thought to secular ways of thinking. As Western education has become widespread throughout the Islamic world, some aspects of secular thinking have also become widely accepted by Muslims. Secular thought is clearly incompatible with Islam, which is a complete religion and provides guidance in all spheres of life. Maulana Syed Abul Hassan Ali Nadvi has highlighted the conflict between Islam and Modernity taking place all over the world in Islamic societies. Our object is not to present a comprehensive or balanced picture of this European history, which has been done by many authors, in many books, from many different angles. Instead, we will highlight certain ingredients which are especially important to Muslims in the struggle to resist the encroachment of secular thought into Islamic societies. In particular, we will put stress on those teachings of Islam which create barriers against replication of the European history of loss of faith.

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SOME REFERENCES

Corruption of Popes material taken from:

Barbara Wertheim Tuchman-The march of folly_ from Troy to Vietnam -Ballantine Books (1985)

The historical details below are a condensed version of Lecture 6: Europe in the Age of Religious Wars, by Steven Kreis (2002):

(available at: http://www.historyguide.org/earlymod/lecture6c.html:)