Book Reviews

By Eva Noviana Budiyanti

Below is a review of Islam and Secularism by Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-attas.

Note that Naquib Al-attas begins with an explanation of overall chapters in his book. He
explains that some of chapters in his book are from papers, which selected in conferences.

The author gives an opening with the reason why he wrote this book. The reasons
concluded that he is very concerning with problems of Muslims over the world. However, he
gives concepts for the Muslims to overcome the problems, some of his concepts mentioned in
the chapters.

The book is very good when the author explains properly in all chapters about the
Muslims problems, and it makes easy for readers to understand his works. For example, he
starts writing with the history of secularism in the western, and he describes why it could
influence into the Muslims. After he explained the impact of secularism into the Muslims, in
the chapter three he gives definition about the concept of Islam itself. In this chapter, I think
the author wants the Muslims to understand deeply about the concept of Islam as a
foundation of ethics and morality. However, the purpose of this chapter is to change the
worldview of the some Muslims that had been affected by secularism.

In order to give a degree of his book, I rate his book with a great value. It is because
of values contained in his book. He is writing indirectly giving the needs of the Muslims
today. He leads to the readers to think critically from the situation that might endanger for the
Ummah. Furthermore, He uses a good language, which it makes the readers easy to catch his
points.

The chapters that given by the author are connecting each other, I argue that the last
topic “On Islamization: the case of the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago” is not clear
connection with the all chapters in his book. Perhaps, the author wants providing additional
topic or gives a sample of islamization in the real situation, and takes Malay-Indonesian as a
sample. Nevertheless, it makes a little confusing for the readers.

The purpose of his book is to show the Muslims to realize the serious problem that
must be faced with a good preparation. His book dedicates to emergent Muslims, for whose
hearing and understanding the issue, which believes it brings harm for the Muslims. It with
the hope, that they would be intelligently prepared, when their time comes, to weather with
discernment the pestilential winds secularization and with courage to create necessary
changes in the realm of our thinking that is still floundering in the sea of confusion and self-
doubt.

The first impression book published in 1978, what he concerns in his work has been
accomplished with the establishment of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and
civilization (ISTAC) in Malaysia, 1991. The aim of this university is to provide an Islamic
response to the intellectual and cultural challenges of the modern world.

The author gives a logical statement that can make the readers accept his idea. For
example, he explains clearly about the dilemma of Muslims today. He describes about less
adab among Muslims with the sample that happened around us.

His work is very persuasive; he leads the readers to think about what crucial problem
among the Muslims, and leads the readers to be carefully the effect of secularism, which he
believes it brings danger to the Muslims. The facts that the authors gives are not directly
mentioning in his book. He only describes over all information that required by the Muslims.
For instance, in the first and second chapters, he gives information about secularism and a
few of impacts to the Muslims, and in the third chapter, he explains about the concept of
Islam. in the fourth chapter, he presents the dilemma of the Muslims which a good
explanation that leads readers to accept it, and in the fifth chapter, he gives an information
about nature of man, education, and definition and aim of education in the Islamic
perspective. His work is very contributing to the Ummah, this can be seen from the
established of ISTAC that concern with the problem of thought among Muslims.

The explanation about definition of Din that was mentioned in third chapter, indicated
that author want to inform people who are influenced by secularization to know more deeply
about din itself. He started with the primary significations of term din, in this explanation the
author used many new terms that might confuse the readers. Furthermore, the author given
the terms definition below the texts. But, It still finds some of terms do not following
definition.

The important consideration that lead by author is in the fourth chapter, when the
author explained about the internal dilemma that faced by Muslims. “A single evident crisis
which I would simply call the loss of Adab, I am here referring to the loss of discipline –
discipline of body, mind, and soul”. This statement described worldview of the author about
the crisis among Muslims nowadays. The Author also explained more about the definition of
discipline in the other statement. “Discipline that assures the recognition and
acknowledgement of one’s proper place in relation to one’s physical, intellectual, and
spiritual capacities and potentials”. I believe that above statement is true for the Muslims
today. It refers to the real condition, what happening today is because of loss of Adab. For
example, the terrorist, which believed with their action, is a legal in Islam. Actually, it is not
justified in Islam. There are many of examples that make Muslims do not growing up in the
world due to loss Adab.

The other important idea that has in his book is about justice. “We have said that
justice implies knowledge, which also means that knowledge is prior to justice. We have
defined justice as a harmonious condition or state of affairs whereby everything or being is
in its right and proper place”. This statement emphasizes that before the person do a justice
should include inside the knowledge. It is very useful for the Muslims today to engage
knowledge wherever condition they faced. This statement still has connected with the
previous statements, even these statements from the difference chapter. This is the weakness
of his book, which mentioned the same discussion in the difference chapter. This could make
the readers are not interested to read twice for the same discussion. Perhaps, the author has a
purpose why this idea should be explained twice.

The other important of his book mentions about the aim and purpose of education.
“As the philosophical basis for the purpose and aims of education, and for the establishment
of an integrated core-knowledge in educational system, it seems to me important to recollect
the essential character Islamic vision of reality”. He believes that the aim of education is an
integrated of knowledge, and it seems like Islamic vision of reality. It means that Islamic
vision of reality is centered on being, so is that being in Islam as a Hierarchy from the highest
to the lowest. In this statement shows that author is very philosophical, he looks beyond
everything.

The main point that the author forced in his book is in the sentences “Knowledge
about religion and religious experience is therefore not merely obtained by purely rational
speculation and reflection alone. Metaphysics as we understand it is a science of being
involving not only contemplation and intellectual reflection, but is based on knowledge
gained through practical devotion to that Being Whom we contemplate”. His statement
identifies that author want to against the concept of secularism that is always using anything
rationally. Honestly, his statement did not follow with example that could be easy to readers
to understand his point.

The first book was published in 1978, and published again in 1993. During fifteen
years, the book was still useful for the readers as source. Today, I believe this book is still
having value for the readers as well as Muslims. If looking into the issues, which described in
his book, it still happens among Muslims today. It means this book still can be a reference for
educators and scholars to know the dilemma, which faced by Muslims.

In conclusion, this book shows the external and internal problems in the Muslims over
the world. Unfortunately, the author only describes a few of problem from the secularism.
The author only focused to the internal problem, which it can be seen in the two chapters.
The author also describes the same topic in the difference chapter that it could be placed in
the one chapter.