Session Details

Guest Name

Dr. Louay M. Safi

Profession

Political Scientist

Subject

"The Effects of Globalization on the Islamic World"

Date

Wednesday, Jan 24 ,2001

Time

Mecca
From... 23:30...To... 00:30
GMT
From... 20:30...To...21:30

Name

Anwar    - 

Profession

Question

Has globalization threatened the privacy of the inhabitants of Muslim lands? I ask this from the point of how all these governments seem to have exposed their societies to this global agenda, which in some cases Islam threatens. Therefore, do you think that our privacy is threatened in this case?

Answer

Definitely globalization, with all its high technology, is able to penetrate and get into non-Western cultures.

Although it may seem that globalization is a threat to Muslim cultures, I think that the correct approach is to offer the proper alternatives in terms of media content. That means that Muslims should be able to take the initiative to produce better models of books, movies and organizations economically, politically and socially.

Let us remember that globalization is at heart nothing but the expansion of Western models of behavior of socialization, organization, exchange in the market and elsewhere to other parts of the world.

Name

Maymunah    - United States

Profession

Question

Could you give examples of the greatest concern of globalization in terms of the economic effects on the Muslim world?

Answer

One example can been seen in the fact that many Muslim countries continue to suffer from economic downturn. This economic decline has been increasing at least in the last 3 to 4 decades.

For example, we know that in Bangladesh about 80% of families live on income that is less than $2 per day.

The same is for Indonesia, the largest Muslim country. Poverty is very high and has increased due to the Asian economic crisis that started in 1987.

Muslim societies suffer from high illiteracy rates and severe health problems. This can be attributed to some local problems, but in a major way, one can argue that economic disparity between rich and poor countries are the result of global structure and global policies on the part of industrialized nations.

Let me be more specific. We know that many textile products are produced by developing countries, many of which are Muslim. There is a larger import tax levied by the United States on products imported from these countries than it is for OECD countries, many of which are European. Import tax, in fact, is 4 times greater for developing countries compared to the OECD countries.

Clearly, the competition is not equal. That has serious economical consequences for Muslim countries.

Name

Hussein    - United States

Profession

Question

In what ways has globalization compromised traditional Islam?

Answer

Globalization, as we pointed out earlier, brought new challenges to Muslim societies. This is particularly true in technology and organization.

Along with that, it has brought new values to Muslim countries, particularly during the colonial era. Those new values have challenged traditional culture. I should admit that part of this challenge is positive because it has forced traditional Muslim cultures to think about the importance of education, scientific research and organizational discipline.

However, at the same time, one can see many negative impacts, including the erosion of the traditional make-up of family, the new evolving of promiscuity and illicit behavior, the increase in the crime-rate, the increase in the use of narcotics, and other social ills.

These are real problems, not only for Muslims, but for humanity at-large. The downside of globalization is therefore a source of real challenge for Islam and Muslims who are called upon to restore morality that lies at the center of any civilization.

Name

Rania    - 

Profession

Question

Could you explain what do you mean by globalization and what does it imply?

Answer

Globalization is a multifaceted phenomena. It has been defined differently by different people. Some focus on the economic aspect and hence emphasize the global economy outlook, whereas some focus on the cultural aspects of this phenomenon and how globalization has effected different aspects of their culture, still others focus on the political aspects of the structure of globalization, yet others equate globalization with advanced technology, particularly in the area of communication and transportation. Globalization is all that.

Most importantly, it should be viewed as an advanced stage in the growth and spread of Western civilization. I mean by this that Western thought, Western institutions, Western approach to different aspects of life, and the increase in empowerment of Western culture, which is often at the expense of other cultures.

That is why when we deal with globalization and its consequences, we should avoid simplification and realize that globalization has both positive and negative aspects.

Again, the challenge for Muslims is how to build on the positives and work to arrest negative and destructive elements of Western civilization that have creeped into the global sphere.

Name

Anwar    - United States

Profession

Question

With all the confusion and mismanagement in the Muslim world of talent, funds and resources, where do you feel that we should start in terms of offering an alternative to what is being marketed by the West to the Muslim world?

Answer

I say for those who live in the West and the United States like yourself should start from here, where they live and produce. I believe that particularly American Muslims have a greater opportunity to make positive contributions and help in directing global trends towards positive goals.

We all know that Islam can provide alternatives to address social problems and social ills in the United States. Being a free society where people can organize, be critical of themselves and others and be critical of political power, Muslims in the United States in particular and in democratic societies in general, have the opportunity to express themselves and practice their values.

At the same time, American Muslims, being citizens of the only Superpower, can really have a positive impact on Muslim countries. However, to be able to do all that, they need to be more active. They need to be involved in the political process. They need to build their own organizations and model schools. In essence, they have to lead. If they can lead in a leading nation, they can lead everywhere.

Name

Gabrielle    - 

Profession

Lawyer

Question

What should we be afraid of globalization? Isn't it true that human history had, in some certain way or another, this kind of phenomena?

Answer

I agree. All civilizations have gone through a stage of globalization. The last civilization before the rise of the West, the Muslim civilization, has gone through these stages.

We know that at the height of Muslim civilization, Muslim Art, Muslim sciences, Muslim technology, and Muslim entertainment reached almost all places of the old world. Look, for example, to the works of Umar Khayyam, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Sina and even fictional tales like Arabian Nights.

The impact of the Muslim civilization during its globalizing phase reached deep into the West and left its imprints on Western mind.

What is different about modern civilization is the fact that it has benefited from, and then further advanced, the work of early civilizations in human sciences and technologies. It is known that today's improvements are more advanced than anything that has been developed in the past. This means that Western culture, which is leading modern globalization, has a great opportunity to penetrate deep into other cultures.

By the same token, Muslims today also have a golden opportunity to work hard to employ modern technology to promote their universal message, values and to bring to humanity new models of behavior in line with the divine will and revelation.

Name

Lama    - Germany

Profession

Student

Question

Can we say that globalization is the new millennium’s imperialism?

Answer

That's partly true because we know that the leading culture in any civilization is in a better position to dominate other cultures.

While there are exploitative, and hence imperialistic elements in globalization, there are at the same time certain liberating aspects. This is why I would like to cautious against looking at globalization through one eye. If we do that, we will not be able to reap the benefits of modern civilization, nor will we be able to meet the challenges posed to us by the same civilization.

I'm sure that you will agree with me that the democratic model of government, in which political leaders are held accountable by the public, is a positive development and needs to be utilized, harnessed and further improved in service of humanity.