This paper examines the intersection of Islam and globalization in the twenty-first century, tracing the religion's origins, core beliefs, and legal framework before analyzing how global economic and cultural forces challenge Muslim societies worldwide. Beginning with a comparative overview of Abrahamic religions and the spread of Western consumer culture, the paper explains the foundational tenets of Islam—including the Five Pillars and Sharia law—and then explores how modern Muslim nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, navigate tensions between religious tradition and economic integration. The paper concludes by considering how Muslim scholars and communities are actively debating which aspects of globalization to embrace, arguing that Islam need not reject globalization entirely but must distinguish between technological progress and cultural assimilation.
The three major religions of the twenty-first century are all Abrahamic in historical basis. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity remain at the center of political, social, and cultural issues, particularly now that globalism has become so predominant. These religions are called Abrahamic because each draws on the basic teachings of the Prophet Abraham in its general worldview. All three faiths are monotheistic and together account for over half the world's population—combined, more than 4 billion people. Within these three religions, despite much public disagreement, there are many areas of commonality (The Top 10 Organized Religions in the World, 1998). From a non-religious perspective, however, globalism has brought about changes in the perception of these religions based not necessarily on theology, but on marketing and consumerism.
One consequence of globalism is the widespread availability of products and services from the Western world that are somewhat at odds with Islamic culture. Outside the political sphere, many Muslims say that satellite TV, the Internet, certain films, McDonald's, and other fast food restaurants can be problematic and are not always compatible with traditional Muslim society (Shoher, 2011). Muslims have considerable consumer power and have, in the past, used boycotts to limit consumption of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Burger King, McDonald's, and even Procter and Gamble products (Islamic Consumer Protest Hits West Where it Hurts, 2002). However, Western companies face a dual challenge: they must respect Islamic food laws such as halal, enter the Islamic market, increase market share among Muslims in other countries, and maintain a profit margin that makes global expansion worthwhile (Food, Fashion and Faith, 2007).
In the past several decades, there has been a dramatic change in the way technology has become part of the Islamic world. Telecommunications, satellite television, and the Internet have connected the world's 1.2 billion Muslims in ways never previously imagined. This connection is not limited to the Islamic community alone—it also links Christian, Buddhist, and all other communities worldwide. Islamic scholar Riaz Hassan notes that many call the growing connectivity among Muslims ummah, reflecting an increasing sense of togetherness and belonging to a larger community. He observes that many conservative Muslims, particularly in Saudi Arabia, believe that ummah can make it easier to establish a pure strand of Islam worldwide—a position that creates tension and promotes more extremist thinking. Hassan argues that the only way to resolve this issue is to accept a "culturally and religiously differentiated ummah," in which the effects of globalization are carefully integrated into Islamic society (Hassan, 2003).
The Islamic religion is a Middle Eastern faith originating on the Arabian Peninsula around the seventh century CE, based on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. The word Islam means "submission" in Arabic and connotes the idea of total surrender of oneself to God—Allah in Arabic. Individuals who practice Islam are known as Muslims, which also means "one who submits to God." The basic tenets of belief in Islam center on the words Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, recorded in the holy text known as the Koran (or Qur'an in Arabic). Muslims do not believe that Muhammad originated Islam; rather, they hold that he restored the original monotheism of Abraham, Moses, Jesus of Nazareth, and other prophets also recognized in the Christian and Judaic traditions. Islam holds that these prophets were essential instruments of God's word, but that both the Judaic and Christian traditions have misinterpreted the meaning of God's word, altered texts delivered through the Angels, introduced false interpretations of God and humanity's place within the divine framework, or some combination of all three (Nasr, 2002).
The central concern of Islam is the duties one must perform in order to solidify the individual's relationship with God. Like the Old Testament, Islamic law grew out of a vast oral tradition directed at a largely illiterate population. Law, then, was a means of organizing society, culture, and all relevant aspects of life. The basic framework of Islamic law consists of the Five Pillars of Islam—five essential duties that unite Muslims worldwide: (1) the Profession of Faith (Shahada); (2) giving to the poor (Zakat); (3) fasting during holy days (Sawm); (4) regular ritual prayer (Salah); and (5) a holy pilgrimage to Mecca during one's lifetime (Hajj) (Nasr, 2002).
There are five main paradigms that form the basis of Islam: God, the Koran, Muhammad, Angels, and Humanity. These are also the tenets that become important when contrasting Islam with the Judaic or Christian traditions. For Islam, there is but one God, and his name is Allah. Islam does not view God as a comprehensible entity—the very nature of God is beyond human understanding. As the Koran states: "God is the One and Only; God the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him" (Koran, 112:1–4). By contrast, the God of the Judaic and Christian traditions is portrayed as a more paternal figure—judgmental and often severe in the Torah and Old Testament, but kind and forgiving in the New Testament. Yet for Muslims, humanity's task is to learn and to know God rather than simply to regard him as a distant entity uninvolved in daily life (Kamal-ud-din, 1990).
To understand the bond that Islam holds for Muslims across different countries, and the tensions between state and religious law, a brief overview of Islamic law is essential. The basic belief system in Islam surrounds the words Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the Koran. The Islamic tradition holds that the Judaic and Christian traditions have misinterpreted and altered these original texts. The Five Pillars of faith thus serve as the requirements for completing the Islamic cycle of belief (Esposito, 2000).
Beyond the Five Pillars, Islamic law (Sharia) addresses nearly every aspect of life, including dietary laws, banking laws, welfare laws, criminal laws, and even the conduct of warfare. Over time, and depending on geography, some of these laws have evolved. Nevertheless, in much of the Islamic world, many of the more conservative tenets of Sharia function as common law (Aslan, 2006, pp. 45–72). One significant difference among Muslims in modern countries is the degree to which the Pillars can be practically observed. For instance, a Muslim living in the Middle East can fulfill the Hajj with relative ease, while it is far more difficult for an American Muslim to make the Holy Pilgrimage. The other Pillars similarly require adaptation depending on the cultural or political context: children may struggle to fast, especially in American schools, and managing prayer times in a modern urban environment presents its own challenges. Liberal interpretations of Islam take these differences into account and offer ways to remain faithful within modern life (How to Live According to the 5 Pillars of Islam, 2008). This flexibility is important to note: there are as many ways to incorporate the Five Pillars into an individual's life as there are individuals, and practice will vary across time, geography, and socio-political circumstance.
Islam, while more unified than Christianity in certain respects, is expressed differently by country, region, generation, and even family. There may be conservative Muslims in Detroit and liberal Muslims in Cairo; the question is more about how the individual chooses to adapt his or her spiritual convictions to the modern world. Saudi Arabia offers a particularly striking example. As the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula, it is home to the two holiest places in all of Islam—Mecca and Medina—known together as "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques." Saudi Arabia is also the world's largest exporter of oil, with petroleum accounting for approximately 90 percent of its exports and 75 percent of government revenues, creating what might be described as an Islamic welfare state.
"Regional variation illustrated through Saudi Arabia"
"Marketing, branding, and cultural pressure on Muslim identity"
"Scholars debate distinguishing globalization from Americanization"
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