Islam and secularism: compatible or incompatible

When we search for religion that preaches peace and submission to the will of God, undoubtedly, that will be the religion of Islam, which is also a religion of comprehensive way of life. It deals with all human aspects from cradle to death. It does not separate the world of transitory from the world of permanent (hereafter), nor disintegrating belief system and human routine activities. As a matter of fact, Islam always concerns about integration of soul and body, combination of material and immaterial life and consideration of finite existence and infinite world. Conversely, secularism in other hand is an ideology that advocates complete division and separation of this world and the world to come; it invites people to disintegrate religion and politics. Worst still, it indirectly eliminates metaphysical realities from human daily activities, on raison d’etre, that metaphysical world or religious affairs can create obstacles and barriers to human development and progress. As such, the physical world and its fascination should be the first priority and main target of rational being. Based on this fact, this conference paper will apply comparative study to examine Islam and secularism; it will further explore the view of some contemporary Muslim scholars concerning the subject. Lastly, the paper will evaluate the ideology of secularism whether is compatible or incompatible with the teaching of Islam and that will be followed by brief conclusion and some suggestions