I realised that the idea of enforcing sharia is not consistent with Islam as it's been practised from the beginning. In other words, Islam has always been secular, and I had been totally ignorant of the fact.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that the practice of Islam has been secular historically, contradicting the notion of enforcing strict sharia law.
Maajid Nawaz highlights a critical observation about the nature of Islam, suggesting that the religion has been interpreted and practiced in a secular manner throughout history. His realization points to the inconsistency of contemporary movements that seek to enforce sharia law, challenging the perception of Islam as necessarily tied to rigid legalistic frameworks and advocating for a more nuanced understanding that honors the religion's historical context.
In practice
In a discussion about the interpretation of religious laws, this quote can highlight different perspectives on secularism in Islam.
I had a mind inquiring enough to question world events, as well as the passion fostered by my background to care, but I lacked the emotional maturity to process these things. That made me ripe for Islamist recruitment. Into this ferment came my recruiter, himself straight out of a London medical college.
After much soul searching I was able to renounce my past Islamist ideology, challenging everything I was once prepared to die for.
Open-minded people tend to be interested in Buddhism because Buddha urged people to investigate things - he didn't just command them to believe.
Most social acts have to be understood in their setting, and lose meaning if isolated. No error in thinking about social facts is more serious than the failure to see their place and function.
When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a vandal. When he destroys one of the works of god we call him a sportsman.
The poet Melvin B. Tolson once said "A civilization is judged only in its decline." That made sense to me. I would imagine the same is true for poets and tennis players.
Reason and Knowledge have always played a secondary, subordinate, auxiliary role in the life of peoples, and this will always be the case. A people is shaped and driven forward by an entirely different kind of force, one which commands and coerces them and the origin of which is obscure and inexplicable despite the reality of its presence.
We would be a lot safer if the Government would take its money out of science and put it into astrology and the reading of palms. I used to think that science would save us, and science certainly tried. But we can't stand any more tremendous explosions, either for or against democracy.
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