The Huge Lie About Islam and Secularism in Muslim Countries
(Translated)
https://www.al-waie.org/archives/article/19668

Al-Waie Magazine: Issues 462, 463, and 464
Thirty-ninth Year, Rajab - Sha'ban - Ramadan 1446 AH, corresponding to January - February - March 2025 CE

Dr. Yahya Hassan – Yemen

One of the most widely circulated and popular lies in the corridors of political thought and the media is that which attempts to blame Islamic groups and religious figures for the poverty and ignorance prevalent in Muslim countries. This lie is promoted by many intellectuals and media figures in an effort to distort the image of Islam and justify the dark reality we live in. They insist that the solution lies in implementing a “secular” system that separates religion and state, relying on rhetoric disseminated by parties that benefit from maintaining the status quo.

However, the truth that secularists ignore, and even work to conceal, is that the Arab world has actually been ruled by secular regimes for over a hundred years, starting with Turkey and Egypt, and moving on to Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Yemen, and the Gulf... All of these states adopted secular constitutions as part of their domestic policies, even if they raised the banner of Islam, in one way or another, to fool the public. This double standard in rhetoric is what reinforces this huge lie: regimes in Arab countries call themselves Islamic, while the truth is that Arab regimes are entirely secular and control the fate of the Ummah to this day.

The truth is that there is no country in the Arab or Islamic world that fully implements Islamic Shariah Law in its systems, even if it upholds the slogan “Islam is the solution.” These countries, which continue to claim to have adopted an Islamic constitution, have in reality replaced Islamic Shariah Law with Western secular systems that have only deepened corruption, poverty, and ignorance, while their rulers exploit the nation's wealth for their own benefit and that of the West, which has supported them in remaining in power.

Those who accuse Islam of being incapable of governing countries, and insist that secularism is the solution, fail to realize that if Islam were implemented in any country, it would bring justice and prosperity. Islam is not limited to individual worship (ibaadah). Islam is a complete way of life encompassing politics, economics, and society. If the rulers of small states in Muslim countries have failed, it is not because of Islam. Instead, it is because of their personal corruption and their submission to a colonialist system that oppresses their people and siphons off their countries’ resources. The reality Muslims live in today is a direct result of the secular system, which has led the Ummah to decline in every area, including education, the economy, and politics.

The evidence for this is that no Islamic state has implemented Islamic law as a complete system of governance, and faced the problems we face today. Islam is the true Deen, and it guarantees human rights. When the Khilafah (Caliphate) implemented Islam, it enjoyed true prosperity and progress, and spread security and justice.

The claim that “Islam has failed in governance” is completely false and unacceptable. If we want to see the truth of this failure, we must look at the secular regimes that currently govern Arab countries, which are often tools for achieving personal and factional interests, at the expense of the people. These regimes do not believe in the concept of justice brought by Islam, nor do they work to achieve the well-being of the people or protect their rights. On the contrary, they prefer tyranny and corruption over building a just state based on Islamic law.

In conclusion, we say to those who promote this discourse:

You are lying to the Ummah. Islam is innocent of all the failures we are experiencing today. Muslims have never needed secularism or capitalism. Instead, they need to return to implementing Islamic Shariah Law as it truly is, that is far from political manipulation, and the abandonment of the values that Islam brought. Islam must be applied upon the people, and when we return to Islam with sincerity and determination, the Islamic Ummah will be on the right path toward progress and prosperity.

To all those who spread these lies, we say:

Bring to us an example of an Islamic state that implemented Shariah law but failed to provide justice and prosperity, confirming that Islam is unfit for government. We will await the answer. However, the truth is that Islam, if applied correctly, will restore justice to its deserving, and spread goodness to the world after it was filled with injustice and oppression. The Islamic state lasted for thirteen centuries, and this is no secret. It will soon return, inshaaAllah, as a Khilafah Rashidah (Righteous-Caliphate) based on the Method of the Prophet (saw), as given glad tidings of by the Messenger of Allah (saw), after the oppressive rule that rules us with an iron fist, and these secular ideas that contradict human nature.

We ask Allah (swt) to keep us steadfast on the truth and that this will be soon.