Dear. Pervaiz Sahib:

Thanks for providing me an opportunity to participate in this discussion. I read the letter from Dr. Khalid Sohail and the interview he did with Perver Hoodbhoy. It is encouraging to know that we are examining the role of our intellectuals in the context of there identity. 

In Dr. Sahib’s letter he has classified our secular or progressive thinkers into four categories:

• People afraid of the masses reaction
• People respectful to the feeling of others
• People carefully choosing there battles
• People with share ignorance of the subject matter

Well I do agree some how with all the above, but at the same token would like to shade some light on secularism and its definition. The definition of secularism is varied depending on the convenience of people who desire to use it.

To me secularism means separation of state and religious institutions. Which does not necessarily mean alienating the society from it religious roots. I believe people can either believer or non-believer as secularism main object is freeing politics from religion and religion from politics. 

I believe as freethinking people we should stop demonizing the religion as it is contrary to our own believes as we value freedom of speech, mind and movement. The discussion regarding secular thinker and there personal believe system have always been used by the fundamentalist right to discredit them. I believe people who value reason, free inquiry, critical thinking, the scientific method, freedom, compassion, moral excellence, and a high regard for our fellow human beings are all secular.

Based on cultural back ground and the recent incidents it has become an immediate need for some of us to identify ourselves as more modern and tolerant as result the terms such as “Modern Muslims ”Liberal Muslims”, and “Secular Muslims” are being coined. In fact the distinction should made between right wing radicals and liberals /progressive groups. The current situation is not only a Muslim issue. History tells us the world we are living in is hijacked by the extremist ideologies in the name of religion, cultural preservation and nationalistic values.

Regards

Abbas