Three thousand years ago, power in Egypt was centered on Pharaoh Ramses. He was the king of kings, the earthly representative of the god Amun in Thebes. Yet the real power at that time lay in the hands of the high priest Herihor. For all his actions, the Pharaoh sought approval from the god Amun—whether he was going to war, imposing new taxes, or laying the foundation of a new pyramid. Ramses would ask, “Does the revered Amun agree with my decision?” Amun, of course, did not speak; it was Herihor who would nod his head yes or no on the god’s behalf.

The abuse of power by sheltering behind religion—or, more plainly, using religion as a tool for politics—is nothing new. At many points in history, power and religion have been closely intertwined. Let us move to Pakistan in the mid-20th century. It was 1948. Under the leadership of Maulana Maududi, the country was torn apart by anti-Ahmadi riots. Although the riots were carried out in the name of religion, the real aim was to challenge the political legitimacy of Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan.

Pressured by circumstances and in an effort to counter the growing influence of Maududi and his party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Liaquat Ali Khan introduced a proposal in March 1949 known as the “Objectives Resolution.”