Roots of Secularism in Sudanese Politics | الراية

Secularism means the separation of religion from life. It is the creed of the capitalist principle, resulting from the compromise between the Church, intellectuals, and philosophers in Europe during the Renaissance. It was not built upon reason and does not conform to the Fitrah of Allah with which He created mankind. Religiosity is innate and instinctive in humans; no power can strip it from them. Reason sees that the Creator who created, proportioned, and balanced man could not leave him without a system to live by in life, descending to earth to stumble, go astray, and be miserable. Allah says:

قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعاً فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

“We said, ‘Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.'” (QS. Al-Baqarah [2]: 38)

If we trace the roots of secularism in Sudanese politics, we find it deeply embedded in the British colonial era, which introduced it through intellectual, political, and cultural deception. This is because the people of Sudan are Muslims who did not accept or digest these secular ideas that distanced them from their religion. Hence, introducing secularism through the doorway of religious and sectarian leaderships was the appropriate method for its acceptance and marketing. Britain created religious and sectarian groups whose outward appearance was religion and piety, but whose inner reality was secularism in their ideas concerning governance, politics, and society. When these groups called for expelling colonialism and liberating the country, they fell into the trap. Some adopted the slogan “Sudan for the Sudanese,” while others called for union with Egypt. Sudan was consequently separated from Egypt. None of these groups adopted Islam as the religion from which the state originates. Thus, they solidified the national, territorial state with Sykes-Picot borders, and consequently became practical executors and implementers of secularism in governance.

The English were not satisfied with this method. They added a second method for spreading secularism by creating groups for armed struggle. These exploited injustice, marginalization, and the lack of services and security. They raised the banner of liberation but were, in reality, secular. They even adopted separatist ideas, such as the right to self-determination, which led to the secession of the South from the North, and Darfur is now following the same path.

The disbelieving colonizer did not stop at this point. The third method, one of the most dangerous and severe, was the groups counted as belonging to Islam and calling for it, advocating for the application of Sharia. Their consciousness was lost, and they slipped into secular ideas wrapped in Islamic garments, thinking these ideas were from Islam. They consider democracy to be shura (consultation), freedom, human rights, market policies, privatization, and other realistic ideas, advocating for them without awareness.

When these methods were exposed and their flaws and reality became clear to the Ummah, this disbeliever resorted to the fourth and final method in presenting secularism: openly calling for secularism with complete audacity, without any frills or cover. Allah says:

وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَمَا كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً

“They wish that you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike.” (QS. An-Nisa [4]: 89)

Thus emerged these groups and Sudanese political forces that openly call for secularism in their conferences, seminars, and forums. There they are, flying to a conference in Nyon, Switzerland, held from 23/6/2026 to 27/6/2026, at the invitation of the French organization Promediation, as part of international and regional efforts aimed at supporting dialogue between Sudanese civil and political forces regarding ending the war and launching a political process. These forces include the Democratic Forces Coalition for Revolutionary Forces (Sumoud), the Democratic Bloc, the National Movement Forces Coalition led by Al-Tijani Al-Sisi, the Popular Congress Party led by Ali Al-Hajj, and the Umma Party (Mubarak Al-Fadil wing). It includes 25 Sudanese political figures in addition to observers from the International Quintet Mechanism and a number of international actors to discuss the future of Sudanese decision-making. These are the same forces that adopted secularism in previous conferences, such as the Nairobi conference on 24/5/2026.

When the disbelieving colonizer asks these political forces to put forward secularism in this way, he has nothing left in his quiver. Either they adopt it as he wants, or he replaces them with other agents! Here is Khalid Silek, a leader in the Forces for Freedom and Change (Gaht) movement, declaring with all impudence that “he will not rest until CEDAW is implemented, whether through parliament or an elected government, and whether the people agree or not”! Do such calls find acceptance among public opinion in Sudan?

The observer of public opinion in Sudan finds that secular ideas have found no acceptance or marketing except through deception. What was hidden has been exposed and discredited, and the flaw has become apparent. When former Prime Minister Hamdok adopted a curriculum change following the December 2019 movement and introduced secular ideas, the head of the Sovereignty Council had no choice but to issue a decision to suspend the curriculum, which the people abhorred and rejected. Even the ideas that were proposed, such as homosexuality and CEDAW, were rejected outright. The people of Sudan hold these secularists responsible for the problems Sudan suffers from.

As for the system of rule applied in Sudan, it is thoroughly secular. The capitalist system is applied in governance, economics, politics, and penalties. Secularism has invaded all state institutions. The military brought in by America have the job of ruling with secularism, normalizing relations with the Zionist entity, and preventing the return of Islam to the seat of power. Added to this is the secession of Darfur from Sudan and its division and fragmentation into secular mini-states to facilitate their control and the plundering of their wealth.

The radical solution to Sudan’s problems is to uproot the roots of secularism from Sudanese politics and shake the dust off the roots of the Islamic creed. The seed must reconnect with its roots so that it grows into a tree with firm roots and branches reaching the sky. Thus, Islam returns as a system of life with its rules: sovereignty belongs to the Sharia, not the people, and the people possess the authority (sultan). They pledge allegiance to a single Caliph (Khalifah) for the entire Islamic Ummah, the one who adopts the constitution and laws through correct ijtihad. Hizb ut-Tahrir has elaborated this in great detail. Thus, a rightly guided Caliphate (Khilafah Rashidah) will return upon the method of the Prophethood.