What Is Islamic Humanism?
Islamic Humanism is one of those phrases that makes people pause. It sounds familiar—“humanism” is a word we associate with Renaissance thinkers, secular ethics, and the dignity of the individual—but paired with “Islamic,” it becomes something richer, older, and surprisingly contemporary. Islamic Humanism is not a modern invention. It is a deep current running through Islamic intellectual history, resurfacing today as Muslims around the world explore how faith and human dignity can reinforce one another rather than compete. Humanism, but not Secular Humanism To understand Islamic Humanism, it helps to start with what it isn’t . It is not secular humanism, which grounds human worth in human reason alone. Islamic Humanism begins with God, but it insists that God’s creation—the human being—is endowed with reason, moral agency, and intrinsic worth. In this view, honoring humanity is part of honoring God. The Qur’an repeatedly addresses human beings as thinking, choosing, responsible ...