Seeds of Secularism

 

I was asked if it's possible to separate the state from religion.

I said it is possible but under one condition only. People are staring at me now...(laughing)

I said it is possible when we separate religion from society.

Because the state comes from the society. When the society is uprooted, the state should be uprooted too cause it represents this society. But our societies are based on religion and will remain so until God knows when.

So separating state from religion means separating state from society. 

Does this create stability or instability?

The answer is obvious. Some of these calls come from abroad and people here talk about it.

Advocating to separate state from religion is naive cause they think is a step in fighting terrorism or extremism, though there is no relationship between these two.

I always say those who don't understand this, we should talk to them and explain this to them.

But the answer is obvious. 

I want to mention secularism. 

Some think that the essence of secularism is separating the state from religion. 

This is wrong. There's no relationship between secularism and separating the state from religion.

Secularism is freedom of religion and respects religions. 

And this is the essence of our religion. And this is what prophet Mohammad did. Respecting others and freedom of religion. 

So secularism has nothing to do with liberalism. Neither separating the state from religion.

President Bashar Al Assad at Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs 8 Dec. 2020

transl. by Abdulwahab Tahhan