Illustration: Peter C. Espina/GT

The fresh feud between Saudi Arabia and Iran again shows how long-standing sectarian hatred hampers the modernization process of Islamic society.

The evolution of other major religions in the world suggests that sectarian strife is gradually eased as secularization advances. Only by detaching religion with politics and thoroughly walking away from divine supremacy can sectarian feuds be eliminated.

Secularization is the biggest challenge facing today's Muslim world. The Muslims in Southeast and East Asia are mild because they are more secularized.

However, over the secularization issue, views by Western media and pundits are still chaotic and self-contradictory. In an article titled "Xinjiang Seethes Under Chinese Crackdown" published by the New York Times on Saturday,  the author Andrew Jacobs wrote that "A recent 10-day journey across the Xinjiang region in the far west of China revealed a society seething with anger and trepidation."

Among the examples cited in the article are measures by local Xinjiang governments to restrict religious activities. But the author merely emphasized the measures to regulate the religion and yet wholly neglected the other side that provides more opportunities to help Muslims engage in social and economic development. The observation is incomplete.

Given the current situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, some restrictions are necessary. This will promote the secularization of Muslim society in the long run.

The hijab ban on Muslim women, mentioned in the report, also took place in France. In 2014, France's highest court upheld a ruling that obliges employers to dismiss employees for wearing Muslim hijab to work. This was taken by some Western scholars as an oppressive law targeted at Muslims in the name of secularization and as a reason that has ignited uproar among Muslims.

Jacobs' view of the hijab ban is wrong because it ignored that if hijab becomes a religious manifestation, its appearance in public places may provoke non- Muslims. On business occasions and companies, the hijab may estrange customers and colleagues.

Just as some US schools prefer that students say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas," advocating or encouraging a religious manifestation in the public may indicate the expulsion of another religion. To address it, the only way is to abide by common secular rules.

We do need a diverse and inclusive society, but on the basis of some conditions and boundaries. Any religion can turn extreme and unbounded tolerance actually provides space for extremism.

Many people think highly of the distribution policy of the public housing in Singapore as the multi-ethnicity community can facilitate the blending of different ethnicities. But more importantly, as the measure breaks the isolation of Muslims, it is still a compulsory and secular policy in nature.

In his book Hard Truths, late Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew said that other groups can integrate with mainstream society more easily than Muslim. "We can integrate all religions and races, except Islam…the Muslims socially do not cause any trouble, but they are distinct and separate."

In light of problems in European countries like France, it is exactly the inclusive policy that overly emphasizes the distinctness of Muslims that prompted them to form an enclave in France.

Compulsory integration may stir up extremist sentiments, particularly when the Muslim population is excluded by social and economic process such as rising unemployment. But this is not where extremism originates.

Secularization is unlikely to be a peaceful process and can only rely on reforms within the Islamic world, but in the meantime external pressure is equally important. The New York Times reporter's words on so-called human rights after a trip to Xinjiang actually reflects his shallow understanding of Muslim secularization.

The author is a senior editor with People's Daily. He is now stationed in Brazil. dinggang@globaltimes.com.cn. Follow him on Twitter @dinggangchina