Muslims and the Challenges of World Order
Posted: Sunday, November 22, 2009
by Rahaman Onike
The world is dynamic and it is continually changing. The reality of the modern world is that science and technology, economic strength and stability, military might and even health of population determine social relevance, status and position of the nations in the world politics. Politics of the world order as conceptualized by the west negates the principles of Islam. Of course, it reduces the relevance of the Muslim countries in the global politics and international diplomacy.
The division of the world after the second world war into two blocs shows the trends in the evolution of` the world order. The emerging trend then was that the world became a bipolar world with capitalism and communism as two opposing and reigning ideologies. There was no reference to Islamic ideology in the ordering of the global diplomacy and politics immediately after the second world war. Nothing was done then to avert the aggravation of the situation until when America turned the world into a unipolar world.
The scope, content and instruments to enforce universal declaration of rights are under the exclusive control of the western powers. They usually neglect the sovereignty of nations especially the Muslim countries. Most ideas promoted and propagated in the spirit of new world order are anti-Islamic. The call for legalization of abortion has both moral and religious implications, which are not properly considered in the argument for initiating the campaign. The ongoing campaign for abrogation of capital punishment is part of the agenda to launch new world order.
The media control and management today is in the hands of non Muslims. There are some media establishments like BBC, VOA etc. that are used as instrument to influence perception, opinion and thought at global level. Does the Muslims have better or equal media machinery to suppress or neutralize the propaganda war against Islam by the Western press?
With the advent of computer and internet, the world is experiencing knowledge explosion. The information technology revolution is changing the world value system and this has consequent effects on Muslims across the world. Indeed, seventy five per cent information on the internet are structured based on American style, value, need and taste. The enemies of Islam capitalize on lack of control over things that go into the net to publish incriminating things about Islam daily unchallenged. What a messy situation?
The composition of the permanent membership of` the United Nations Security Council, which excludes all the Muslims dormant and irrelevant when it comes to issues of international diplomacy and world order. The global quest for attainment of the millennium development goals by the year 2015 is a major focus in the global scene. The progress recorded so far in realization of these goals by the Muslim nations further establishes that Muslims are faced with the challenges of stagnated development.
The world yearning for democratization is a key issue in the new world order. Democracy as a system of government emphasizes the principle of human sovereignty. According to Islamic order, sovereignty belongs to God Almighty. This dialectical contradiction in the conceptualization of western democracy could not be addressed by the Muslim nations due to their inherent weaknesses.
Human capital issue is also a top priority of nations under the new world order. In the recent university rating, this could be accessed at www.webometics.info ( U.S.A. based organization), no Muslim university was rated good in the last five years. Simply, Muslim world is lacking adequate learning resources to build the needed manpower in the globalized economy. Campaign against armament and global terrorism are also adopted as subtle approach to weaken the vibrant Muslim countries of the world. The rationale behind this diplomatic move is to ensure that no powerful nation emerge from the Middle East . The establishment of` Jews in the land of Palestine was also part of the efforts to check, control and monitor the Muslim world.
For the Muslims to be relevant in the new order, the challenge we are to face are:` Adequate promotion of science and technology; eradication of illiteracy, poverty and crime among the Muslims around the world; acquisition of knowledge of computer and internet with adequate accessibility for the Muslim children etc. There should be continuous efforts to expand the membership of the security council of the United Nations to include the Muslim nations for the colour of UNO politics to change.
BY ONIKE RAHAMAN
(Freelance writer & editorial consultant).
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Hi Rahaman,Thank you for submitting your article, I found it both interesting and informative. I do, however, perceive some differences of historical emphasis and worldviews that may reflect upon the objectivity of your piece.Although many historians might cite the Muslim culture as the birthplace of the university system, this is only partially true. For not only did the Greeks and Romans and Persians all have their educational systems, but also the Babylonians, Chinese and the cultures of the continent of India. The "universities" of these diversified cultures all predate the advent of the religion of Islam and clearly demonstrate that although Islam had a definitive role in the re-emergence of educational systems in the West, they by no means had a monopoly on it.Your article would also seem to suggest that the Christian West was solely responsible for the collapse of Muslim culture in the Middle East. Whereas, this is quite contrary to history. For the countries of Middle East were very much responsible for their own divisions both political and religious, with wars between nations as well as sects, leading to the collapse of the "Islamic Empire" which proceeded it.Your article also points out that the West's economic supremacy has intentionally supressed the growh of Muslim nations. And although theire may be some truth to this observation, it is a pendulum that swings both ways, and many ways... as the Powers that be evolve across the pages of time. The "have nots" always accuse the "haves". This paradigm always leads to a Robin Hood mentality of justification for the diversification of wealth at any cost.Your conclusion to your article was very good, pointing out the importance of education in science and technology, the eradication of poverty and crime, etc. These are the common enemies of all humankind.Best Wishes,Mark
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