
Secularism in Syria
Information that we hope is spread far and wide, as we witness the wildfire spread of false and even dangerous ideas about secularism within Syrian society. Awareness is the most
“Any event [no matter its nature] is simultaneously an opportunity and a threat,” Within internal affairs, our society stands at a crossroad post December 8, 2024. In one path lies an opportunity that shall facilitate nation-building and a social stability that complements prosperity and development; in the other is a threat to our social unity, aggravating the state of “creative chaos“ that we now live in.
The Nature of the Threat
A spectre is looming in Syria’s horizon, similar to the spectre that once haunted the country in 1971. And this spectre is not a political regime, but rather a superficial coexistence and a social movement of flawed props. Historically, no society has ever been stable or peaceful when its movement excluded a certain group(s) or when its coexistence was imposed authoritatively; that is, either its movement was not inclusive of all groups of society, or its coexistence was not voluntary.
Syrian society under the rule of the al-Assad regime was a striking example of an authoritatively-imposed coexistence, a society whose individuals never had the chance to get to know one another neither through day-to-day talks nor through socio-political activity, both of which were suppressed and subjected to centralized control. Moreover, the mere mention of terms like “Sunni,” “Alawite,” “Shiite,” or any other identifiers in public was troubling and you must stop “before someone hears you.”
The result of the imposed coexistence? In 2011, people didn’t merely revolt against their regime but also against one another— society instantly crumbled at the first sound of gunfire, and each side perceived the other as a threat. Hatred discourse became the social axiom, and the Syrian war evolved into a zero-sum game in which whatever one side gains, the other loses.
The same scene repeated itself on December 8, 2024, as the fragility of our imposed coexistence reappeared. It was then obvious that we knew little about each other beyond the “tittle-tattle“ and stereotypes. When the once-suppressed society wanted to express itself by celebrating the Friday of Victory on December 13, 2024, some people chanted in the name of religion; others in the name of secularism. So, what is the issue?
Both sides chanted with double standards and sought to exclude one another; that was the issue. Religious chants disturbed some of those who were calling for secularism, who objected to these chants. However, religion is a crucial cultural and historical element in Syrian society, and whoever wants to chant in its name has complete freedom to do so, as long as the boundaries of others’ freedom haven’t been infringed upon. It is neither correct nor acceptable to exclude this social group.
On the other hand, pro-secularism chants disturbed some of those who were chanting in the name of religion, who in turn sought to silence secularist chants and demonize them. They also linked secularism with the al-Assad regime, which knew little about secularism beyond its name, for a real secularist neither targets specific sects nor intervenes in their worship, but rather lets people believe and practice their religion however they desire.
Secularism, according to the coiner of this term, George Holyoake, is “a code of duty pertaining to this life, founded on considerations purely human.” This entails forming policies and laws based purely on human considerations in a manner that guarantees the freedom of belief and behavior for all groups of society, all while maintaining public order, public good, public morals, and social customs and traditions.
How could different social groups possibly call for democracy and coexistence while acting against them? If double standards and exclusive speech persist, we will achieve nothing. And if any groups are excluded from ongoing social movement, our coexistence will remain defective and superficial, and Syrian society will, sooner or later, crumble again, enabling external forces to effortlessly dismantle it. We would then become trapped in a vicious cycle where this same scenario keeps repeating itself. This is the spectre looming in the horizon, and this is the threat.
What is the Opportunity?
December 8, 2024, presented us with the opportunity to regain the sound political life that our society had after gaining independence from France: pluralism and inclusive national dialogue. Despite this era being marked by military coups and internal tensions, the People’s Assembly of Syria had a sound and well-functioning structure, and had played a crucial supervisory role.
In that era, between 1946 and 1957, diverse secular and religious groups were represented in the People’s Assembly; however, society departed from this path following the proclamation of the political union between Syria and Egypt in 1958, as Gamal Abdel Nasser repressed political life and ruled the country with security institutions (especially the “Second Bureau”) and a police-state mindset, ending the national dialogue and the era of pluralism.
The al-Assad regime inherited the same approach to governance from Abdel Nasser. However, it is now possible to regain what our society once had and start an inclusive and sound social movement. This movement must be based on a pursuit to know each other beyond stereotypes and through a pluralistic dialogue that includes all. Everyone should be able to present their ideas, and approaches may differ, but all will work toward the shared and lofty goal: Syria’s prosperity.
The term “social movement” does not merely mean protesting and demonstrating, but also encompasses group activities undertaken by social groups to achieve a certain political or social lofty goal. It can take many forms, such as organized groupings; virtual cultural, political, or educational platforms; cultural organizations; dialogue sessions; and other forms of public expression.
With this public expression, we present ourselves and put forth our ideas and perceptions with respect to all state and governance affairs. This allows us to engage in a meaningful dialogue, bring together our points of view, and draw on everyone’s expertise and knowledge as we tackle existing issues. The outcomes of our dialogue would then be more beneficial to our country, and the transitional period has a greater chance of succeeding, and only then will we, or our children after us, be blessed with the Syria that everyone has always dreamt of.
If we establish an inclusive movement on these bases, we will have a voluntary, real, and long-lasting coexistence. Conceptually, political stability stems from social stability, and when a state is socially and politically stable, it becomes immune to disturbances, crises, and internal war. Moreover, this accelerates our nation’s progression, as it will be— contrary to the western world’s desire— able to focus on economic growth and human development, free from restlessness and conflicts that serve no purpose; hence, external forces will face significant challenges in breaking apart and dismantling our society, unlike how things stood in 2011.
Syrian reformist thinker Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi once said that, If a nation does not ameliorate its own governance, God will humiliate it for another nation’s rule, and when a nation becomes rightly guided and understands the value of freedom, it reclaims its glory.
O Syrian nation, it is time to ameliorate your own governance to retrieve your glory, and for your people to do good to one another in order to love each other, to coexist, and to strive for a glorious future that reflects and is worthy of our history and culture.
Information that we hope is spread far and wide, as we witness the wildfire spread of false and even dangerous ideas about secularism within Syrian society. Awareness is the most
In the middle of all of these overwhelming feelings of hope, disappointment, uncertainty, and fear, I remember the voice of my father saying, “All people have the government they deserve.”
The Baron Hotel has long been one of the most cherished sights in Aleppo. It is a window into the past and a gallery of the city’s culture and history.