Blasphemy and Secular Criticism: Reading Talal Asad

By Grace Mubashir, New Age Islam 2 September 2022 "In Presenting This Note On Criticism I Am Trying To Underline The Very Different Understandings People Have Had Of Western History And To Suggest That These Understandings Cannot Be Reduced To Distinctions Between Secular Criticism (Freedom And Rationality) And Religious Criticism (Intolerance And Anti-Enlightenment)" - Talal Asad ------ Talal Asad is a Saudi-born cultural anthropologist who is currently a professor of anthropology at the City University of New York Graduate Center. ----- In this essay, Talal Asad makes some observations that expose the epistemological violence of values defined as universal within modern discourse. It questions the logic behind such discourses, which are uncritically accepted, pointing out the problems with such dichotomous constructs and the religious-secular definitions of secularism, freedom of expression, blasphemy etc. Assad observes how freedom of speech, which is supposed to be its hallmark in liberal democracy, becomes part of a hegemonic institution over religion. All liberal secular criticisms and part of freedom of speech, the limitations of liberal democracy in the act of criticism are revealed where religious criticism is understood as symbols of intolerance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: Blasphemy, Islam and Free Speech ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ An important point Asad puts forward in examining the history of criticism is this: 'The term has come to mean only the just resolution of particular crises and the correction of particular qualities within a particular way of life.' This reveals the politics of critique. After 9/11, the discovery of 'terrorist Islam' as the main opponent of the European liberal democratic society and the subsequent 'war on terror' which was built with public consent are incursions on Islam. Through this freedom of expression, Blasphemy etc. become propaganda tool of Islamophobia through secular frame. On the other hand, the criticisms raised by Islam are not accepted. Assad is trying to reveal the contradictions in ideas, including freedom, which are mainly raised within the liberal social system. While attacking the 'denial of freedom' in religions/Islam, Asad observes how freedom is limited in the liberal system, citing some examples. Suicide is a crime in a democracy. Liberal democracy defines it as a crime by law itself. At the same time, the system supports the killing of thousands of people through the War on Terror and other unilateral wars. Another example is copyright. It is clear that this restricts free expression. But another important element of liberal democracy is the right to private property. When someone asserts property rights over a work of art, it becomes theirs alone, but at the same time it becomes a violation of free expression. It is this contradiction that he points out. Or rather, the values that exist within this system only have the capacity to preserve certain particularities, particular colonial interests. Assad says that the view of these as universal values needs to be critiqued. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: Islam and Free Speech: A Reply to A. Faizur Rahman ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Then blasphemy is examined. Assad analyses blasphemy from the standpoint of Christianity. Assad sees its modern renewal as a major milestone in the history of Christianity. Christianity becomes a reforming project through new definitions combined with Greek philosophical principles. Asad also analyses the representation of Islam. He examines what is meant by religion and how a context serves as an influencing force within religion. He rejects external standards of faith definition by questioning how to define faith. Belief is something related to a person's mind. This cannot be proved in a court of law. Therefore, belief and disbelief cannot be judged or imposed on the basis of external reasons. Reading the concept of apostasy in Islam in this context, it does not actually deal with the problem of apostasy, but with a material issue of breach of contract. It is argued that the encroachment of another on one's faith occurs because faith is understood in a statist perspective. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also Read: The False Binary of the Secular versus Islamic Needs to Be Broken ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is the state's methodology to insist on matters of faith. By this it is clarified that religion interferes in the nature of a nation in the modern system. Another possibility of religion needs to be understood through different definitions. In the name of this same freedom of expression, liberal democracy is faced with a rejection of the fundamental values of the religion of morality, mercy and justice, which is sustained by the modern discourses of mechanical obedience, institutionalization and violence. In fact, they are constantly fighting something of their own imagination. Religion is still outside their discourses. Views of Asad on blasphemy needs further bolstering especially after attack on Salman Rushdie. ------ A regular columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist. 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