Abstract

Secularism and secularization as concepts come to the arena of academic writing very early. This paper explores how secularism/secularization movement in Europe has changed the vision of the man and the masses towards life and religion. However, the focus here is on Arabic narrative and Islamic community and how a host of Arab writers are profoundly influenced with such western ideologies despite discrepancy in circumstances of both blocs: the western and the eastern. The focus here is how secularism has been reflected in Arabic narrative and how Arab writers initiate in addressing such concepts in their literary works, being distanced from religious concepts themselves or propagate secularization in varied facets of life for a better understanding and more liberal style of life as claimed. The influence of secularization in Arab and Muslim literary writings countries are reflected in literary writings whether in defending of such ideologies involved with secularization or rejecting them. Results showed characters mocking the religious and the sacred concepts which are consider in Islam as prohibited; mocking such Islamic basics is a sort of blasphemy or apostasy and would not be admitted by Islam and Islamic community. It was found that most of secular Arabic literary works reflect the secular thought of the writers themselves and in what way they understand secularism and secularization.

Key words: Secularism, secularization, post-secularism, religion, Islam, Arab, Muslim.