Religion in the arena of society (2)

Many Eastern and Western authors considers rationalism as infrastructures of secularism and at least emphasis on the link between both of them therefore, the term rationalism has a variety of applications in various fields with different meanings. In the Age of Enlightenment (18th century of Europe) this term represents the freed from superstition and a return to the original characteristics of human and renunciation of supernatural forces. However, according to the Rene Gonon (1866 - 1951 M) rationalism include rejection of any new knowledge about true supernatural and one of its results is denying any moral and celestial authority that necessarily originates from the world. However, all the thinkers of Enlightenment Age were not in hostility with God, a group of them considered religion of the most harmful superstitions that stops humanity from progress and sublimity and attracts his attention rather than the ground to the sky; so that Denis Diderot (1713) - 1784, of the advocates of Enlightenment Movement – recalls the message of nature addressing man of New Era as:
“Hey the slave of superstitions, do not search in vain your happiness is beyond the borders of this world. Be brave! and make yourself free from the yoke of rival disobedient religion that does not know my right. Get rid of the gods who have usurped my power around me, and again leave you to the nature, humanity and to yourself. In this case you will realize that direction of your life has been flourished”. The above mentioned clearly reveals the link between the rationalism of enlightenment age and discussing secularism as its humanistic tendencies are obviously clear however; the point of continuity that talks about the link of each words’ together is that according to some authors, today, the use of the term rationalism is no longer on its heydays and has ben replaced by humanism. Any way, Barbour (1923) after referring to this point that the thinkers of Enlightenment Age – by relying on rationalism – thought of existence and non- existence of God equal in determining scientific issues, adds: Although many of scientists, believed in God, they did not consider any reference to such ideas in the appropriate dissertations. However, making secularization of scientific education and other verbal concepts was meant that ( = theological concepts) must be put aside by any role they play in other areas of the world.

Liberalism:

liberalism is philosophical - political school title that by emphasis on originality of human freedom ( against the originality of society defends human freedom and by setting a hidden distinction between personal and social fields , and confining religion to individual territory , does not tolerate theocracy. John Locke (1632 1704) - British philosopher and Liberal theorist- believes that the basic task of the government is providing liberty and wordily welfare and not salvation of future Day. Based on this, all the civil state power of human is just related to the interests of the people and is confined to the protection and care of worldly affairs and has nothing to do with the next world. ( 12 ) Some theorists of liberalism - such as British sociologist , Herbert Spencer ( 1820 ) - - 1903 has gone further or beyond the separation of religion and the state therefore, he does not accept the government's effort to relieve the pains of the suffers and with the victory of social Darwinism no personal solitude l ( and believes in the need for survival of the fittest in society ) emphasizes on this point that supplying individual freedoms does not mean to satisfy individuals and trying to meet their needs.
However, the liberals were usually reason - oriented and as noted in matters of religion and the governance, they had secular approach. They by emphasis on the necessity of separating the church and the government believed that religion is a private matter between the individual and lord or his church and complete attainment to full freedom of religion requires making worldly or secular of public life.

Religion and politics in Islam

Secularization - contrary to what some have deemed – neither is an inevitable process nor is its ratio equal to all religions. According to the many pundits, secularism, including its Christian origin, is not compatible with teachings of other faiths, too. Therefore, Hamilton, after narrating the contents of the mentioned words by some of the l, sociologists cautiously, says: the fact is that we still don’t know that secularism is mainly a Christian phenomenon and specific to the West, or the outcome of industrialization and broader modernity. However, he believes that in the second, (i. e. If this phenomenon is dedicated to the Christian and Western countries) non - Christian or non-western states will experience secularism only if the world that their industrialization to be with the West extremism or modernity with Western - style. Anyway, not only the most Muslim thinkers, have stressed on the link between the religion and politics in Islam and sometime have created independent works however, the outstanding politic theorist , Jean Jacques Rousseau ( 1712 - 1778 M ) also referring to the idea of separation of religion and the government says:
Prophet Muhammad had really precise views and founded a stable political system which continuously in the light of the successors was going on and, in this system, it was established only in one government that managed all the society affairs ; but because the Arab developed and gained prosperity, apparently achieved civilization and culture , but , in fact, changed into a sedentary creature ; the ethnic Berbers gained superiority over them and brought it under its rule . Meanwhile, a separation between religion and the power of the state was revealed and the two dominant rulers ruled over community.
To examine the relationship of religion and politics in Islam, mostly, we should answer to this question whether basically with reference to the sacred texts of a religion we can obtain its territory, or it is necessarily an outside religion issue.

Religion territory, an outside religion or inside religion matter

Some authors referring to the fact that determining the territory of religion is based on understanding so, they consider understanding from religious texts, depending on the human expectation of religion and adds: in limitation of our expectations of religion, an explanation of the two cases are necessity: one is the gem of religion and the next are those human needs that are not saturated anywhere else and explanation of these two things happen through religion. So, according to this point of view: Men before referring to religion should have been divided the problems into core issues and sub issues and, also have been made a framework for their own expectations and then, move on to the religious texts. … if the expectation of religion believers to be from religion that only when the religion is clear and definite that a pure theory - with all its details have been provided about how to rule in the community and surely, will cleared the slightest signs in the context of the religion , too. On the contrary, assuming that someone believing religion has not basically come to express such matters nevertheless the mind of this person by no means focuses on this issue to extract a political theory about governance.
However in order to discuss these words in detail, we should resort to long discussion of epistemology and made it clear that in the process of understanding what kind of data are inevitable , and what pre supposition we can or should we ignore? Here, we are satisfied only to express this point that almost all of those who took part in this issue to compare between Islam and Christianity - even without having belonging to one of the two – have regarded the political dimension of Islam much clearer than that of Christianity. Thus, this fact is representative of that one can by benefiting from religious teachings and the method of religion scholars - and far from what is known as so - called interpretation – to establish the territory of religion, and ask the religion messenger that what needs, it is supposed to meet?
Reflect! Determining the territory of religion in religious texts is the abstract of the main argument of those who consider” human expectation of religion” as determinant of its territory is as follow:
1- The origin of human activities is required.
2- The man before resorting to religion, specifies the range of his expectations.
3 - In the past, this list has been very long, and with the progress of human wisdom and his knowledge its scope has been reduced.
4 – Today, human wisdom and knowledge has developed so extensively that except in the in the issue of God and the other world they don’t feel a requirement for the prophets.
However, benefiting from the same expression, you should put the above argument under the review.
A) If you didn’t feel pain, you would not go after the medical treatment.
B) The patients, before going to the doctor, based on the need to ask him to do it, have specified his need.
c) However, the doctor can adjust the list of the patient’s needs and reforms them.
Another interesting point is that not only dimensions of human needs to religion, that determining the nature and its shell – in the first step – is an in-religion issue but, various religions in giving authenticity to various affairs are not identical with each other; for example, believing in the Trinity that is accounted as infrastructures of the Christian beliefs, in terms of Islam’s rules is Shrek belief. Can we say that the essence of religion is the same belief in God and “unity” or” pluralism ‘is like a pearl!? Also, by any outside measure, we can consider inner experiences as a taken jewel and apparent deeds as the shell? Here various religions are divided in terms of belief. Therefore, along with all the scholars, the current Christianity - contrary to Islam, and Judaism – they do not pay reverence to Sharia but, are against it. However, it is just with reference to religion that we can distinguish its jewel from its sell.
However, sometime the untrue criteria have been regarded as outside religion benchmark for discrimination of gem from the shell from and determining the religion territory. According to this criterion, for example, with respect to the premise that if the Saudi people spoke in another language, the language of Quran would not be Arabic, therefore, it can be concluded that Quran’s language is regarded as the secondary not the main issues. One of the cases that challenge these criteria is that wherever these conditions are going on. If our only mainstay for determining the inherent and non- inherent of religion, is the same outside criteria then, cant we keep on untrue criteria up to counting purposeful of monotheism, prophecy and the resurrection.

Prophet of Islam and establishment of government:

The entrance of Islam’s prophet to domain of politics and establishing government in his hands, according to the majority of Muslim scholars and non-Muslim , as mentioned earlier, is a real and certain issue . After all, Egyptian writer and defender of secularism in the modern era of the first Muslims, in his book al-Islam and the principles of Heckam, has challenged this common theory and has insisted on the fact that the state of Islam’s Prophet have not had the necessary elements of the governance and it is not true to put the name of government on it. This book brought its author up to the field of accusations of apostasy and faced with a backlash among Muslims and also many books and articles was written against it. It is in the situation that the other Muslims who advocate secularism , often do not block the water at its source and do not consider forming the government by the Prophet Muhammad as an undeniable act. Including all, this group believing that, among them a number of Shia Muslims are seen - the Prophet Muhammad (and other innocent Imams) did not consider forming government as a divine mission but, their movement was absolutely arising from a Democratic People's Assembly. Based on this, if people consider religious scholars - such as the prophets and the Imams – entitled to religious autocracy, will choose them to this position, otherwise, no one should not form a government in the name of religion, and consider it as a divine mission moreover; if supposedly a religious government from every direction, formed by a group of pure believers, what this government and the state should not interfere, is faith, religion and morality of people. In the next debate, by considering verses, traditions and narrations of the methods of religious scholars will be cleared that firstly, the reform of people’s social state has been included in the context of the Islamic religion and - unlike the statements of this group – it has not been of its accidental consequences and secondly, the contribution to Religious Affairs is regarded as the first tasks of the governors in the Islamic community.

The Link between religion and politics in verses and narrations

from the perspective of the Holy Koran, one of the goals of the prophets is to judge among people in cases of dispute and they are expected to spread the justice among them. The prophets, in this case, did not have adequate preaching and monitoring, and if gained, they would rule on the community. Accordingly, Hazrat Joseph calls to be Egyptian treasurer and, Solomon (RA) prays God to give him global governance that no one is provided for so far. That point, especially about the Holy Prophet of Islam, who is the last of the prophets as well as the completer of previous religions does not accept any doubt. Accordingly, Imam Ali (RA) after pointed out that God chose the Prophet to be the mercy for the entire world; however, He numbers the scope of this mercy as: … So, revealed what he was commanded honestly delivered the messages of his lord. Then, God has unfasten the setbacks and joined the gaps on him; secured the ways in the light of his hands, suppressed the bloodsheds and at last, created friendship among those who their hearts were fraught with enmity and hatred of each other.
Hazrat Ali (God bless him): in explaining of his reforming intentions of his government's thus, emphasizes on the link between religion and politics as :
God, you know what we lost [in accepting the government], was not because of interest in power, rather than asking for the unworthy small world, but we wanted to plant the signs of religion somewhere exactly it was, and bring reform in your cities; so that we can provided safety for your oppressed servants, and your violated rule to be implemented. The doctrine of "global governance" of Imam Mahdi (God hasten his reappearance) that the foundation of which is based on many Hadith of Sunnis and Shiites – is a clear evidence of the link between religion and politics in Islam. However, by a glance at these narrations, we can conclude that religious governing of community and providing wordily welfare, not on the sidelines but, is in the context of this movement. Many of these traditions, including those who consider the goal of this uprising as the provision of justice, speaks of property and monarchy of that Imam and forming government by him. The government by which the people come to such welfare, since that time has not seen in their own history Moreover, based on these traditions, earlier a group of people by armed conflict has provided the grounds for the "reign" of that Prophet.
In addition to what is discussed, the view of "Shia" as secularism defenders is also facing this challenge that if religious leaders in improving the mundane affairs do not step, why the infallible imams have always been forming the Islamic state, and have they always talked about seizing by caliphate of the Umayyad and Abbasids? Imam Sadiq (AS) said to Sadir Seirafi “if I had friends as much as these sheep, I would upraise. Sadir says: when I counted my sheep, they were not more than seventeen sheep moreover, Kadhim (PBUH) also, in response to the claim of Aaron who was speaking about the restoration of Fadak, determined its limitation in a way that involved all territory of Aaron however, it implies that we consider the base of your government on falsehood and always trying to form religious government. Can we- unlike these texts- still insisted on the fact that "another world and God" has been the only goal of the Prophets’ sending and the holy Quran has not called on anybody to mobilize people to "fight against oppression, tyranny and arrogance, or justice and religion in the world? And doing reforming acts are away from the dignity of God, the Creator of man and the worlds... "?

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The dominant spirit on the Islamic Sharia
Some of the evidences cited to prove the supreme leader,
suggests that the idea of forming religious state not only is not merely based on specific texts, but also by the spirit of Islamic law. For example, a prominent scholar, Ayatollah Hossein Boroujerdi (1290-1380 BC), using rational and traditional arrangements, as well as an overview of Islamic law concludes that according to the dominant spirit of this school, there is no choice but to accept the government of supreme leaders.
So, the introduction for this reason is as follow:
1. In every society we find things that are not considered as the responsibility of individuals, but are social and public affairs and community survival depends on their implementation.
2. By a quick look at Islamic law, it is cleared that this religion has not confined itself to mere worship but has focused on community and politic, as well. The scope of religion, death and blood money, the provisions of the judgment and proceedings, and financial rules such as Khums (religion rule when one fifth of properties paid for the poor) and Zakat, all indicate the regard of Islam to political and governmental issues.
3- Political part of Islam is not separated from its spiritual issues as the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) himself managed the affairs of Muslims and after him, the Muslim leader and Imams shouldered the responsibility.
4- According the beliefs of the Shiites, the Prophet did not leave the issue of the caliphate and the political leadership of Muslim unspoken and after; he has considered twelve Imams worthy of leadership.
5- On the one hand, the infallible Imams has prevented Shiite followers from referring to unjustly judges and tyrants caliphs and on the other hand, this is also certain that in most of the eras, the Shiite have not accessed to infallible leaders.
6- According to these arrangements, it is natural that the innocents - even on the time of their own presence to appoint some persons to handle the affairs of their community. This group is known as the Islamic jurists that in the absence of the Imam as far as they can take on the responsibility of the Muslim political leadership.