Religion Overshadowed: The Effect of Qiyas on the Secularization of Religion

Secularization has developed in the west; and it might be regarded as the outcome of the developments in the modern and contemporary eras. Given the fact that the Muslim countries are exposed to the modern culture, one may, however, ask whether secularization can be accelerated in an Islamic context based on the religious teachings. The present writing is concerned to show that Qiyas (reasoning by analogy), as one of the most important methods of Ijtihad (the deduction of divine laws), is very likely to pave the way for the secularization of religion and jurisprudence; or rather, it may make the process of secularization happen quickly. To prove this point, secularization is first defined and the factors in its development are considered; then an attempt has been made to show the way in which common sense, upon which Qiyas is founded, leads to the secularization of jurisprudence and the consequent secularization of religion. In the author's opinion, the secularization of religion as a consequence of the application of Qiyas may be identified with the decline of religion as a result of the application of Qiyas, as has been pointed out in some traditions of the Infallible Imams.