اسلامی سیاسی نظریہ اور سیکولر فکر کے باہمی تعلقات: مفاہمت، تصادم اور معاصر علماء کی آراء کےتناظر میں تطبیقی جائزہ

The Interrelationship between Islamic Political Theory and Secular Thought: A Comparative Review in the Context of Understanding, Conflict, and the Opinions of Contemporary Scholars

Abstract

The relationship between Islamic political thought and secularism constitutes one of the most critical debates in the contemporary Muslim world. Historically, Islamic governance has integrated religious authority with statecraft, grounded in the Qur’an and Sunnah, emphasizing divine sovereignty (Hakimiyyah) and communal welfare (Maslahah). Conversely, secularism advocates for the structural decoupling of religious institutions from the state to safeguard pluralism and individual autonomy. This study employs a qualitative, comparative approach to analyze whether these distinct paradigms offer a pathway for reconciliation or present an inherent conflict. By examining classical jurisprudence alongside modern political philosophy, the research highlights a fundamental epistemological divergence regarding the locus of sovereignty—divine versus popular. However, the analysis suggests that while complete philosophical harmonization is challenging due to these ontological differences, functional compatibility is attainable in areas such as procedural justice, accountability, and the rule of law. The study concludes that sustainable governance in Muslim societies requires a model that upholds Islamic ethical foundations while accommodating modern institutional mechanisms, rather than a wholesale adoption of Western secularism or a retreat into rigid theocracy.