Before humans came into existence, the dichotomy of the
secular and religion did not exist in our Universe. All knowledge
was established according to the methodology of ilm-ul-yaqin
(certainty of knowledge by inference and reasoning), ayn-ul-
yaqin (certainty of knowledge by seeing and observing) and
haqq-ul-yaqin (absolute knowledge, like this is a computer,
etc.), like plants and animals do.
Hence, all extremists and fundamentalist teachings of secular
and religion which made them separate and exclusive like the
“blind faith” methodology of Religion or the “science-based,
evidence-based” methodology of Modern Science did not exist.
In the Abrahamic Faiths, the Qur’an (2:135, 3:95, 4:125,
6:161) states that Abraham was “haneef” (a person of pure
natural beliefs). He did not believe in any of the extremists and
fundamentalist teachings of the secular and religion that made
them separate and exclusive. He believed in only that
knowledge of science, religion, culture, politics, etc, which
intersected the secular and religious according to the Guidance
of God.
Therefore, after rejecting all the religions of his time based on
reason, Abraham began to believe that the Laws of Nature and
the wider universe and all things associated with it was the
only Truth and Reality there was (Qur’an 6:74-79). Hence, he
began to believe in God as the Creator of the Universe, free of
all dogmas and doctrines of Religion, and to follow the secular
and scientific path of the creation with the Guidance of God.
In the Abrahamic Faiths, the most basic form of Revealed
Knowledge is the creation of our Universe (heaven and earth).
Some of the verses of the Bible and the Qur’an to this effect
are as follows:
Qur’an 45:3 In the heavens and earth are Signs for all
who are willing to attain conviction (for those who
believe).
Qur’an 45:4 And in your own creative design, and in all
the animals which He has spread widely, there are Signs
for those who explore and attain certainty.
Qur’an 45:5 And in the alternation of the night and the
day, and in the means of sustenance which God sends
down from the height, reviving the earth which had been
lifeless, and in the change of winds and seasons – in all
this are Signs for people who use reason.
Psalm 19:1-2 states:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth
speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is
no speech or language where their voice is not heard”.
In the Abrahamic Faiths, the secular, scientific and material
nature of the creation reflects “Deen of Allah” (God’s Way of
Life) – (Qur’an 3:83). It is the “pattern” according to which
God created humans (Qur’an 30:30).
In it, God as Creator, free of all dogmas and doctrines of
Religion, and His Guidance in the secular, scientific and
material nature of His creations is Reality. Hence, He and His
Guidance have nothing to do with Religion and Secularism.
In fact, it demands a “restrictive definition” of secular and
religion in order provide moral and spiritual Guidance to
secular, scientific and material world and protect it from the
fallacies of Religion and Secularism.
This “restrictive definition” of secular and religion and the
Guidance of God in the Abrahamic Faith is very well
demonstrated in world history.
For example, during the Middle Ages (medieval period), the
Muslims were conquering the world with reason and science
and the Guidance of God while the Western Christian world was
excommunicating and killing Christians who tried to introduce
reason and science in their Faith.
And in the last 700 years Muslims have become most religious
people in the world and the most backwards nation in science
and technology, while Christians are making great advances in
the secular, scientific and material aspects of their lives like
early Muslims but without the True Word of God with the result
they are succumbing to Atheism, Secularism and wokeism.
Truly, in the last 700 years, Muslims did “abandon the Qur’an”
(Qur’an 25:30). Hence, they were unable to learn from Islamic
history and Hadith that Islam is secular, scientific and material
way of life and not a religion. The best teaching of the “Deen of
Allah” must come from the “Kalaam of Allah”, which is the
Qur’an.
Hence, in order to succeed in this world and the Hereafter,
there is a need to understand the Abrahamic Faiths according
to the Creeds of Abraham and the worldview teachings of
Tawhid (unity and universality) found in the Bible and the
Qur’an. I discuss these teachings of the Bible and the Qur’an in
great detail in my book titled POSTMODERN RELIGION with
subtitle “A Restrictive Definition of Secular and Religion”.