Abdulwahab Almasiri's vision of secularism as an essential aspect of understanding secularism in the arab world

Secularism is often conceived of and discussed as a principle that frees people from the clutches of religion. Advocates of secularism often view the separation of religious institutions and the state as the rational approach to maintaining a functional and fair society. Abdulwahab Almasiri (1938–2008) was a literary critic, a Muslim scholar, author, and philosopher who took a deconstructive approach to the analysis of secularism. In his works, he dissects the ideas and influences behind secularism's modern-day interpretation to question society's conception of it and its manifestations. This thesis focuses on Almasiri's notion and definition of secularism due to his comprehensive approach to addressing the subject. Almasiri's deconstruction of the term 'secularism' into two concepts, partial and comprehensive secularism, allows him not only to address secularism on its own, but to study all the notions that influence it in order to give a complete and comprehensive understanding of its conceptualization, roots, and application to the Arab world. The first part of this thesis deals with Almasiri's intellectual journey that led to his unique interpretation of secularism. It contextualizes Almasiri's understanding of secularism within the academic discourse and discusses secularism as he defined it. The latter half of this thesis will relate Almasiri's concept of comprehensive secularism to its interpretation and application in the Arab world and offer a critique of Almasiri's reform project, which he calls the 'new Islamic discourse'.