WE are four days away from the first anniversary of the tragedy of Sept 11. This modern-day tragedy has sent shockwaves across the world impacting almost every aspect of our lives. For Muslims, life has been difficult as Islam has since been perceived in a negative light.
The first couple of years of the 21st century saw Muslims standing at an important juncture. The misperception of Islam as a result of what happened in the United States almost a year ago has presented Muslims with a challenge that must be tackled.
Muslims can choose between letting others colour the face of Islam with images of terrorism, fanaticism and extremism, or counter these images with the true face of Islam that enjoins peace, harmony and moderation. The process of globalisation is, in fact, a tool for Muslims to present the true image of Islam.
People today speak of a borderless world where geographical and political boundaries are blurred by information and communication technology (ICT). It is said that we are living in a “global village”, where communication systems are faster and more efficient. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that ICT is a catalyst of globalisation.
ICT enables information to be disseminated with great speed across borders and vast distances. As such, in an age where information is globalised, Muslims must be cautious and careful when riding the tide of globalisation.
We have now entered the era of information revolution or what Alvin Toffler dubbed “the third wave”.
The pace of changes in human life brought about by human civilisation poses not only new possibilities for the betterment of mankind, but also unexpected risks and difficulties.
To understand globalisation, we must first understand that it is a continuous process and not a static condition. This means that globalisation is a series of gradual actions that breaks down geopolitical boundaries and turns the world into a single global unit. Some writers even equate globalisation with “the end of geography”.
Perhaps a more comprehensive definition of globalisation can be given as “all forces which are turning the world into a global village, compressing
distance, homogenising culture, accelerating mobility and reducing the relevance of political borders.”
This is why when something happens at one corner of the world, news could be disseminated with haste and ease to other parts of the world. The Sept 11 incident was one good example when news of the tragedy reached the rest of the world within minutes.
Post-Sept 11 sees an onslaught of Islamophobia. It seems as if what Samuel Huntington wrote about the clash of civilisations several years ago is about to come true. Indeed, what followed seems to justify Huntington’s
theory.
The war on terrorism was waged with Afghanistan becoming the immediate target. Today, the world is waiting to see if Iraq would be the next target. Are we seeing the clash of civilisations, or rather the clash between Islam and the West in motion?
However, in 1999, during an intercultural dialogue in Berlin, it could be observed that there was seriousness on the part of European researchers
in discussing current issues pertaining to intercultural interactions between Islam and the rest of the world. The Western scholars stressed positively on the need to maintain a healthy bilateral relationship in generating global co-operation based on tolerance, knowledge-sharing and joint programmes between the Muslim world and the West.
The idea of the clash of civilisations as propagated by Huntington was rejected by the majority of Western scholars. At the end of the dialogue, a declaration known as the Berlin Declaration, was unveiled. The declaration touched on the importance of education and research co- operation between Muslim scholars and the Western counterparts.
It is hoped that that these pertinent issues, as well as the issue of the portrayal of Islam by the media, be discussed scientifically and openly in an effort to identify the underlying cause of this malaise in the Muslim world. The discussions and deliberations that transpired during the dialogue were very serious and void of emotions and sentiments.
Clearly, we see that the Western scholars have very deep understanding and interest in issues in the Muslim world. They look at these issues systematically and methodically. The world of Western academics and scholars seem to show an inclination towards an open attitude in accepting the relevance of Islam in the modern world.
This seriousness is also apparent in countries like Japan which has established a dedicated research committee based in one of the universities in the country to conduct a study on Islam and its portrayal.
There is a marked increase in the interest to study, discuss and understand Islam among the Western academics. Muslims should take this advantage to present the true image of Islam using an academic and scholarly platform.
The opportunity presented by the process of globalisation in disseminating the true and correct image of Islam should be utilisied by Muslims worldwide.
Sadly however, what we see today is that Muslims are the ones who are “receiving” or “importing”information and news as well as values, norms and cultures from the rest of the world. In some instances, it has been noted that Muslims are more Western than the West themselves.
Globalisation has enabled a barrage of information and cultures to reach our doorstep. However this may not necessarily be a good thing. Not all that is offered by globalisation is good, nor all bad either.
Muslims must be able to differentiate the good from the bad when it comes to globalisation. Globalisation can be regarded as a double-edged sword.It is imperative for Muslims to acquire sufficient knowledge in enabling Muslims to ride the tide of globalisation.
Muslims must not be satisfied by just being able to “ride the tide”, instead Muslims must also be capable to “decide the direction of the tide”.
To be able to do this, the essential ingredient is knowledge. This is the underlying reason why Islam stresses on the importance of acquiring knowledge, as evident from the very first verse of the Holy Quran.
Islam has a lot to offer to everyone in this globalised world. In an era where people are searching for the meaning and direction of life, Islam can provide the answer. Islamic values, norms and ethics are universal – and global – in nature.
It can be understood and accepted by everyone. As such, through the advancements of ICT, Islam and Muslims can indeed reap the many benefits by showing to the global village what Islam really stands for and what Islam is really all about.
It is hoped that the road ahead would improve for Muslims and the rest of the world. The Sept 11 incident has awakened everyone from their sleep that there is a need for better understanding between cultures and beliefs.
It is the responsibility of everyone to foster this understanding. Outstanding issues that have yet to be resolved and which present a risk to a peaceful world must be tackled wisely and carefully. The summit held recently in South Africa is a step towards creating a better world.
While the success of the summit in terms of meaningful action pose a question mark, we could say that at least it opens our eyes to the issues at hand that must be given priority and utmost attention by leaders and governments. How these issues are tackled remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, the events that followed Sept 11, 2001 have changed our perceptions on many things. Therefore, it is imperative for Muslims to correct the way in which the world perceives Islam.