Syrian Future Movement and Secularism

The Syrian Future Movement (SFM) views secularism as a Western issue that emerged as a solution to problems that intensified in the West. It believes that any implementation of secularism in Syria without considering the specific cultural and social contexts would be either hybrid or unsuccessful.

The Syrian Future Movement believes that the origin and concept of secularism are in harmony with the overall Syrian structure, particularly in terms of rejecting the domination of the people in the name of religion, ethnicity, or sect.

The Syrian Future Movement sees the separation of state institutions as essential to ensure that errors are not sanctified and their criticism is not blocked under religious claims or similar pretexts. This is especially true for the separation of religious and political institutions since religion encompasses various human denominations, and political activity involves balancing different options. Thus, sanctifying a particular fatwa or political choice amounts to religious tyranny, which should not be accepted.

The Syrian Future Movement does not support fighting against religion, its institutions, or its sects, nor does it support excluding or diminishing them in public life.

The Syrian Future Movement rejects religious guardianship over people’s choices, whether within the same religion or outside it.

The Syrian Future Movement believes that the concept of secularism, in its current Syrian version, has become an obstacle to benefiting from the Western experience of secularism. On one hand, the Syrian regime claims to be secular, which distorts the concept, and on the other hand, radical groups fight against secularism and reject it!

The Syrian Future Movement considers secularism a human experience that includes both extremism and moderation, and it starts from this viewpoint to benefit from all moderate ideas that help solve Syria’s political negatives.

According to its religious vision, the Syrian Future Movement believes that secularism does not contradict religion; rather, religions support and endorse it in their general framework with many verses and traditions.

The Syrian Future Movement respects religious schools and denominations that do not exclude the moderate aspects of secularism and agree with its fundamental rejection of the sanctification of political authority and its decisions.

The Syrian Future Movement calls for a Syrian cultural and intellectual dialogue among different currents about the concept of secularism, to mature our specific Syrian vision, which may add a new experience to human experiences.

The Syrian Future Movement sees that secularism helps in removing the exploitation of education to spread a single narrative and combat those who oppose it.

The Syrian Future Movement believes that legal legislation helps in tipping the balance in favor of a moderate vision of secularism over an extremist one.

The Syrian Future Movement rejects the exploitation of religious and sectarian discourse by politicians to achieve any political gains.

The Syrian Future Movement sees that civil society has a significant role in promoting moderation and acceptance of secularism as a successful human experience.

The Syrian Future Movement considers secularism a solution to some of the Syrian problems, but it needs to be supported by essential issues that are missing in Syria, such as establishing democratic action and individual freedom.

The Syrian Future Movement does not seek to engage in the Syrian conflict around secularism, Islamism, or otherwise, but calls for a deeper look at national interest and a rational and scientific vision, benefiting from successful human experiences while preserving Syrian particularity.

The Syrian Future Movement does not view secularism as a religion among religions but as a way of thinking that removes the sanctity of human actions, especially political ones.

The Syrian Future Movement calls on Syrian religious leaders to try to benefit from the secular experience in advanced countries and contribute to the spread of a culture of moderation that rejects unjust generalizations and accusations of apostasy or treason.

The Syrian Future Movement considers itself a supporter of all Syrian ideas and ideologies within a national interest-oriented vision primarily and rejects all exclusionary calls, whatever their nature.