KARACHI, March 31: Historian Dr Mubarak Ali gave a talk, titled “Religion and politics: combination, conflict and separation”, here on Sunday as part of Hamza Alvi distinguished lecture series.

The talk was organized by the Irtiqa Institute of Social Sciences.

Dr Mubarak said: “Religion and politics both seek power. Religion seeks power by using the emotions and sentiments of people while politics does so by manipulation and military muscle, taking advantage of people’s opinion and collective desire. That is why the manner in which both seek power is different.

“When religion gets the better of politics it promises that it will carry out divine plans. It also claims that its power is based on divine laws after whose implementation it claims to have reformed society.

On the contrary, politics is based on the principle that for government, system of politics and laws should change in accordance with changing circumstances so that human society does not stand motionless. It is this basic difference which pits religion against politics.”

Dr Mubarak Ali observed that as a result of a conflict between religion and politics three models had come up. “First, when religion and politics team up with each other for their survival. They share power with each other in a balanced way. This is called the combination of religion and politics. Second, when politics overpowers religion and uses it to its advantage. Third, when they collide with each other as a result of which they make different areas of influence.”

He said: “By studying the origin and expansion of a religion it comes to light that a religion emerges and grows in particular times and circumstances. Its reaction is according to the problems of its age. Afterwards, as new problems come up, it is important for religion to ensure that the problems are solved in a manner in accordance with its tenets. Then the moment comes when it is complete and fails to face the changing circumstances.”

He added that those people who wanted change in society and also did not want to abandon religion they made a compromise between faith and change. “These people explain the religion in such a way that suits their purpose. That is how new sects are formed in a religion. When their objectives are achieved, these sects come to an end. They are replaced by other sects.”

Intellectual Hamza Alvi also spoke on the occasion. He said: ”People talk of religion telling us how to act and what to do in a given situation. In the Prophet’s time, there was only one sect. Now there are many sects. In these circumstances, the job of a scholar, however learned, is very difficult.”

Mr Alvi quoted the famous sentence of Karl Marx: “Religion is the opium of the people.”