Religion and Politics 9item Is religion compatible with politics? How can a Muslim take part in politics? What is a proper behavior for a Muslim in politics and from what kind of activities should be refrained? Is some type of activity haram? Where did secularism or the belief in the separation of religious and civil affairs emerge from? What is the reasoning of secularists in separating religion from politics? I wanted to know why religion should interfere in politics. Keeping in view the fact that aside from the short five-year period of Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him), the administration of society was not in the hands of the Imams (peace be upon them), to what extent is the system of religious government according to the Shi‘a view practicable and able to be implemented in society? If Islam is supposed to rule, it has to be secularized - a thing that does not comply with the secrecy of Islam as a religion. Islamic commandments are unchangeable whereas politics is changeable. How can one reconcile between the two? How far is "enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil" [amr bi’l-ma‘rūf wa nahyi ‘an’il-munkar] accepted in a religious administration as regards administrative affairs?