The word ‘secularism’ conjures up images of smoggy, gray urban landscapes. It connotes atmosphere-less cityscapes with high-rises and suffocating pollution; a cold world without a spiritual connection. But the modern conception of secularism, which can be traced back to the Enlightenment thinkers of Kant and Locke, is far more dynamic than that.
The word ‘secular’ comes from the Latin ‘saeculum’, which refers to ‘this life or age’. It is not a new concept; the definition of secularism is the separation of government institutions and persons mandated to represent the state from religious institutions and religious dignitaries. It means that neither the individual nor the state should be subjected to any religious authority.
True secularism is not a world devoid of religion; it is a society where religious freedom is graciously protected and valued by the state. It is a society in which no single religion can impose its ideas on others and in which one can practice his or her own spiritual beliefs without fear of persecution. It is not a rigid philosophy with a specific agenda, but rather an open platform that allows each individual to define their own destiny.
The issue of secularism often comes up when the public does not fully understand its true meaning. People tend to associate secularism with a severe lack of morals or religious convictions. The fact is, secularism merely provides protection for religious freedom, and does not advocate for or against any religion. If protected from the threat of bias and prejudice, a society guided by secularity can foster acceptance and tolerance worldwide for all spiritual practices and belief systems.
Personally, I do not believe in God or an afterlife, but that doesn’t mean that anyone can freely preach their religion to me, nor even myself preaching my irreligiosity to others. In Islam, for instance, it is stated in the Quran that there shall be no compulsion in religion. This implies no harassment or coercion because of one’s religious faith. It does not mean that the hellfire will rain down on those who do not take part in religious rituals, nor does it mean that an atheist cannot be a good person.
Moreover, a person’s identity should not be based on their religion. Unfortunately, many countries still have rules on entering a particular religion, and punishments for abandoning the faith. For example, in Saudi Arabia, if you’re an atheist, you are in danger of being stoned to death. Similarly in Iran, being an atheist means you will be sentenced to death. In the Maldives, a person is not a Maldivian if he or she is not a Muslim.
While I could use France and the United Kingdom as prominent examples in dealing with secularism, I believe Turkey and Azerbaijan are better examples of how this principle shaped their societies.
Although Turkey is an increasingly religious country, most Turks are still secular in practice, even though 99.8% of the population are Muslims according to the CIA’s Factbook. This dates back to the Ataturk era when secularism was enforced after the demise of the Ottoman empire. Ataturk attempted to change Turkey from an Islamic kingdom to a secular republic, legalizing women’s suffrage, introducing public education for both sexes, eradicating illiteracy with universal compulsory schooling, and introducing new Turkish alphabets to increase literacy. Clearly, the benefits of secularism gave it a long-term foothold in Turkish society.
Turning to Azerbaijan, 91% of the country’s population is Muslim, yet it remains one of the most secular countries in the world. Azerbaijanis do not consider religion as the pillar of their behavior and national identity. The secularization of Azerbaijan began in the Soviet era when a state language policy was introduced, along with the ‘hujum’ policy that removed all the manifestations of gender inequality. Following its independence from the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan presidents Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev have actively pursued policies to promote secularism. These include the removal of religion from public school textbooks and broadcasting, and restrictions on religious symbols in public spaces.
To this day, Azerbaijanis still go to nightclubs and bars, consuming alcohol just like their Armenian, Russian, and Ukrainian friends who share everything in common but religion. There’s not even an issue if a person doesn’t fast in the daylight too. Everyone does what they like. Of course, certain policies in Azerbaijan are deemed too discriminatory, such as restricting religious commemorations like Ashura, discouraging its citizens from wearing religious headgears in public, and, for males, attracting suspicion from the Azerbaijani authorities for growing a beard. Nevertheless, the people of Azerbaijan can still enjoy their choice of pursuing their religion as long as it is not a threat to public security or social order. The point is, religion is meant to be practiced in private, including places of worship, but any public events that promote welfare and harmony among different religious communities can be organized and attended by followers of different faiths.
If there is one thing I can emphasize here, it’s that freedom of religion should be protected at all costs. We may not agree with certain religions or beliefs, but we should respect what others believe in. As countries like Turkey and Azerbaijan have successfully applied secularism in their societies, they are proof that secularism bolsters religious freedom. For me, the best way of protecting religious freedom is to respect and be tolerant towards others who choose to believe in a religion or not.