Globalization as an Opportunity for
the Development of Muslim Society
1. Introduction
Globalization
has brought some changes in whole aspects of the world dynamically. For examples,
economic development, changes in social life, political aspects,and even religion
itself. According to Meuleman, “Globalization may be defined as the process
leading towards an increasingly strong interdependence between increasingly
large parts of the world, resulting in the phenomenon that events and
developments in one region influence most other regions” (Meuleman : 2002, p.2).
This phenomenon also influence the human being to construct their life systems,
as Baylis and Smith (2007) said, Globalization is where political, economic,
cultural and social phenomenon have a very strong impact among each other. It
is also believed as an unstoppable phenomenon, giving opportunities to people
who are prepared and threats to people who are not.
2. Discussion
Now talking about
globalization, we cannot separate this between society and religion. Islam is
one of religions which is increasingly spread out in this time.“ Modern
technology in transport and communication has promoted an unprecedented degree
of interaction between Muslims across the world, especially those belonging to
the middle and upper classes, forging new links in scholarship, trade, commerce
and welfare programs.” (Ayub, 2016). Those changes have provided an opportunity
for Muslims to rise and develop their religion side through economic, politic,
education, and culture.
2.1. Economy
2.1.1. State of the economy at the present
time
In globalization
era, the standard of the country can be measured in terms of its economy.
Economic life also has become a standard of individual and collective life of a
nation-state. Therefore, economics has become one of the most important things
to advance the nation. We can see that global economy has it ups and downs, but
it has been increased in recent time. As what
Walle has argued that,“Economic
globalization as the ongoing process of international economic integration. The
term captures the notion that various forms of interactions between national economies are increasing” (Walle : 1998 ,
p.9).
2.1.2 Economic
regulation in Islam
Islam also has a rule of governing the Islamic system
based on the Quran and life system and tradition from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
For instance, a role in promoting the economic system. Sadeq has pointed
that, “ the index of economic development in Islam consists of economic growth,
distributive equity and Islamic values” ( Sadeq, 1987). Muslims has have an
opportunity to rise the economy through Islamic system. The result of its
development can be seen at Islamic Banking.
2.2.3 The opportunity to promote islamic
economy in global
Since
the sub mortgage system in US has failured in developing the economic system,
Islamic banking began to apply in secular nations. In the early of 21th century,
Islamic bank generally operated around muslim nations. Consequently, crisis
that faced by global community caused the secular nations like Hongkong, UK,
Singapore and Japan started to implement the new system of banking in
operation, that is Syariah banking.
Many international banks and non-banking financial institutions in western
nations also began to apply it. Manzoor (2013) stated that, “ The terrific
international banks such as HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citi Bank take the
great effort to promote the Islamic financial system in these nations.” He also
added that,”The Islamic economists argue that impervious interest rate and
monetary policy create a huge pressure on normal economy.” Therefore, financial
crisis basically happened because of the erroneous monetary policy and high
interest rate system cause the borrowers to impecunious.
The
reasons why muslims believe that Islamic banking is better than non-Islamic
banking are, Islamic bank as an economic institution also take charge on
economic development of people, islamic banks do not offer interest to
customers because it leads to riba,
Islamic bank is more secure, and the facilities as complete as conventional
bank. As what Panda cited from Chapra (1995), (p. Unkown) He said that, “The banks would be playing an important role
in economic development and the general welfare of Muslim ummah if they could
make the resources mobilized by them available, either directly or through the
non-bank financial institutions, to entrepreneurs, who have the potential of
putting them to productive use” (Panda, 2005, p. 31,as cited in Chapra, 1995,).
2.2. Politic
2.2.1. The primary of political implementation in
Islam
In
Islam, political side governed by the rules which adhere to Islamic law. As
what Meijer has affirmed that, There are three archetypical strategies that
have been implementing by modern islamic movements in order to fulfill their
expectation to gain the power and to build up an Islamic state (Meijer, 2009).
He also outlined those three archetypical strategies which are ; the first
strategy is focus on Da’wa
(preaching), that purposively to spread out and urge people especially Muslim
people to follow the rule of Sunnah that leads to better life. The second
strategy is called Hisba, as a means
of commanding good and forbidding wrong. And the third strategy is Jihad, as the obligation to prevent any
violence. Thus, Muslim people believe that the more pious society will appear
the more political power directly produce a fair and wise leader. In the other
side, Munir also stated that “ there is no Islamic system of government, but
there are many systems of government which become Islamic because they follow
the Islamic principles (Munir, no date).
Besides, she also asserted that “ Formal
sharia as it is practiced today in Islamic states has demonstrated a strikingly
different image of Islam as it is supposed to be.”
2.2.2. Globalization in current
politic
Talking
about politic, we cannot hide the fact that politic has always been connected
with the differencies of culture, tribe, gender, socio-economic, nation, and
religion itself. Politic is not static, it will always change according to the
conditions that have occured around society in the world. The current of
political globalization come about “the clash of civilization” (Norris and
Inglehart, 2002, p. 236, as cited in Huttington, 1997, p.141). After the
incident of 9/11, muslim people especially in West have received many insults
and accusations of being a terrorist by non-muslims.
At
the same time, Islam has widely spread throughout the world. From the
differencies of nations, Islam arise with many civilizations. Hence, muslims
considered Islam as ”unity in diversity” (Praja, 2007). While Western has been
empowering themselves in modernize their nations in all aspects, muslims have
been asked about their preparation of
modernity as western has executed. Praja also stated that,” Since the
nineteenth century, Muslims have struggled with the relationship of their
religious tradition developed in pre-modern time to the new demands of the
modern world.” We can conclude that Islam has been invisible developed. Then
he provided that, “The spirit” of
Islamic civilization developed more rapidly in the West synergized by the
philosophy of capitalism in economy and secularism in the politics. Both
capitalism and secularism supported by sciences, technology and the military
had created the Superpower State, especially after the Cold War” (Praja, 2007).
Thus, the evidence shows a significant changes in Islamic civilization.
2.3. Culture
2.3.1 The origin of culture
Culture has been
created by human kind in the world, that’s why we cannot live our life without culture
and even culture itself. Culture would not be existed without human
intervention. Therefore, culture means that a shared system of meanings,
beliefs, values, behaviours through which experience is interpreted and carried
out. As what Pickthall said that, “ Culture
means ‘ cultivation ‘ and, generally nowadays, when this word is used alone, it
means ‘ the cultivation of the human mind.” (Pickthall 1927).
Islamic culture
presented early and predominantly in eastern, especially Arab during the
expansion of the Islamic empires. the culture is created as the rapid spread of
Islam brought by Prophet Muhammad as its followed his traditions. Basically,
Islamic culture generally covered all the practices that has command by God
(SWT) which have developed around Islamic environment. The cultural practices
are contained in the Pillars of Faith, including in Quranic such do prayer (shalat) and fasting ( in Ramadhan) and
non-Quranic such Islamic life system.
2.3.2. The barrier faced by the muslim
community
The culture of
Islam has been impletended by most muslims around the world, absolutely around
muslim environments. The important of implementing it is purposively to build a
harmonious life, as what Pickthall
argued that, “ The culture of Islam aimed not at beautifying and refining the
accessories of human life, it aimed at beautifying and exalting human life
itself “ (Pickthall 1927). Indeed, Islamic culture has widely opened, but
muslims often misunderstood by the
non-muslims that leads to misconception. Because of the limitations and the
differencies of religious knowledge that gained by muslims from birth, example
in higher institutions or work places, they often get question which they
cannot even answer, these problems confront Islam in a wrong conception
(According to Da’wah Institute of Nigeria, 2009). Hence, this obstacle cause to
misunderstanding.
2.3.3. Culture as the opportunity for the
development of muslim society
Culture and
society are not static, it will be renewed and reshaped as time goes by. Schalkwyk
stated that, “ Cultural change occurs as communities and households respond to
social and economic shifts associated with globalization, new technologies,
environmental pressures, armed conflicts, development projects, etc”
(Schalkwyk, 2000). Islamic culture has been developing indirectly, it is
because lack of attention to the muslims’ life in the world. As what Islamic
Learning Materials observed that, “ Many people won’t recognize Muslim culture,
even though they see it almost every single day. That’s right. Everytime you
see a new story about muslims in any part of the world, you are seeing some
aspects of Muslim culture” (Islamic Learning Materials, 2016).
Those
opportunities can be seen at First, side of dressing. Islam also has a rule of
dressing, especially for women. In Quran, it also proofed the obligation of
Islamic dressing, “ O children of Adam, we have brought down to you garments to
cover your private parts, as well as for adornment, yet the garment of
reverence is the best. These are some of God’s signs, perhaps they will
remember” (Quran 7:26). Let us take a
look at terms of hijab, muslim women are obliged to wear hijab in order to
secure protection for themselves. Altought a number of muslim women still do
not wear hijab to cover up their head, several muslim designers have developed
their idea to create a stylish hijab through media such instagram, facebook or
another online media. Latiff and Alam have observed that, “ One of the
designers said that her designs are more urban and sporty where she emphasizes
it on the Islamic culture and how Muslims instantly identify with” (Latiff and
Alam, 2013). Hence, muslims women are effected by the trend.
Second,
the halal food, the more widely spread of Islam in the world, the more it increasingly demanded. in the period of last
ten years, the demand for halal products has been increased rapidly, as what
NASDAQ OMX proofed that,” The halal food market has grown strongly over the
past decade and is now worth an estimated USD667 million” (NASDAQ OMX, 2012).
This opportunity has also certified by International Trade Center, “A global market based on the needs and
preferences of the estimated 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide has emerged as a
powerful commercial arena. This creates opportunities for enterprises,
especially in developing markets to take advantage of this estimated US$ 1 trillion
market of the halal food sector” (International Trade Center, 2015). This sector is rapidly attract the consideration
of policymakers and the private sector as a sector with increasing growth
potential. Thus, the opportunity of developing halal food more greater.
2.4. Education
2.4.1. The history of Islamic education
Islam began to
raise around 1400 years ago especially in Eastern, brought by Prophet Muhammd
SAW. In the period of 750 until 1050,
Islam was in a “Golden Age” in the world among other religions. During that
time, muslim people including scientists and scholars had been succeed in
creating a huge developments and great discoveries that has influenced a number
of important people in the world in present.
2.4.2. The challenges faced by Muslim
society
Islamic
education has undergone a lot of limitations in terms of access. It is because
of the general education have dominated the education system in the world.
Therefore, due to the lack of attention to the education of Islam, students who
wanted to study religion tend to be difficult to achieve it. As Abdalla (2006)
confirmed that,” it becomes clear that students in Islamic education
institutions find themselves in dead-end sub-systems”. Thus, this issue
highlights the difficulty for muslims to gain Islamic theology.
2.4.3. The opportunities and the
development of Islamic educational in globalization era
Fortunately,
due to the strength of Islam in establishing its existence as a unified
identity, Muslims have the opportunity to gain more knowledge about Islam.
Then, Islamic-based education has been widely applied in various tutoring area
in every country. Its system mostly applied in schools, dormitories, and even
in mosques. Besides the muslim students, educational institutions also received
a non-muslim students who wish to study the Islamic religion. Douglass and
Shaikh based on recent studies provided that, “ there are at least 1209 mosques
( masjid, pl. masajid ) in the United States, virtually all of which provide a
program of religious instruction for adults and/or children, and 20% of mosques
are associated with or sponsor full-time schools“ (Douglass and Shaikh, 2004,
as cited in Bagby, Perl, and Froeble, 2001; Khalidi, 2000; Haddad, 1997). At
the same time, they also showed that there are approximately 112 Islamic schools
have operationed especially in United State, including primary, elementary,
middle and high school (Douglas and Shaikh, 2004).
This opportunity
is not only implemented in developed counties such US, but also in developing
countries. Examples, there is an evolution in several universities in Nigeria.
This evolution brings Nigerian students to the new changes which was formerly
far behind its education. The changes has also been provided by Rufai and
Adedeiji (2011), “ The membership of the commission consisted of equal number
of persons from Britain, the United States of America and Nigeria.” Although
there is an improvement in educational side, but most of graduate students
still failing in terms of compete. This
point has also been highlighted by Rufai and Adedeiji (2011) as cited by a former Presiden of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the 20th Committee of Vise-Chancellors’
Seminar in May, 2005 (p.3) said that, “Some of the challenges facing Nigerian
University system today includes poor quality graduates, graduates with little
or no skill.” Therefore, there are a lot of opportunities to establish the
educational system by the strength of government.
3. Conclusion
The
purpose of this paper is to discuss about the opportunity for the development
of muslim society in globalization. In this paper provides the evidences based
on recent studies.
To
this end, globalization has offered some opportunities for muslims to develop
their islamic life system through economy, politic, culture and education. The
evidence shows that, there are a number of progresses that have brought the
Islamic economy through promoting syariah
banking. In politic, Islam has modernized their Islamic political system and
built a relation with Westerns. For culture, Islam has succeed to create their
idea through fashion and make halal food goes global. Then, Islam has widely
operated a number of Islamic educational institutions and mosques in
non-Islamic regions. In the other side, a number of muslim community still far
behind the development but other muslims also have struggled in developing
their society by reducing the lack of modern era.
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