1) The document discusses the effects of globalization on integrating Muslims into the world, including increased migration, multiculturalism, and cultural integration. 2) It argues that Muslims have failed to realize their potential from Islamic teachings and need to adapt to the 21st century by integrating with other cultures instead of blaming the West for problems. 3) Muslims living in Western countries are called to play a more active role through politics and economics to foster cultural integration and avoid conflicts between Muslim and Western communities.

1. Sharifah Fatin Athira bt Syed Uzir
25 November 2012
INTEGRATING MUSLIMS WITH THE WORLD
The world today is facing mind-blowing changes that are the results of globalization. Effects of
post-globalization such as multiculturalism, immigrations, cultural integrations and even colonization has
brought upon the world a brand new global order where all human beings living in this planet have to
adhere to because no matter how much they deny or even ignore it, there is absolutely nothing that they
can do because it is a process that cannot be stopped and it is changing our world tremendously. Although
the world “globalization” is a new one, its concept and essence has co-existed from the very beginning of
time. In the ancient times, some of great civilizations like the eastern civilizations from India to China
were co-founded and inspired by globalization where people used to migrate and some traveled the world
for various purposes and caused cross-cultural relations or today known as cultural integration. They lived
peacefully regardless of their differences. In fact, they even adopted a few practices from different
cultures to theirs. The best example is the Muslim civilization which used to be an enormous great power
in the past.
Even though that globalization have been said brings the world many positive changes in the
sense that it’s changing the world for the better, yet it also lead the world to new major problems. These
include poverty which is very nerve-racking today. There is not even a single country that doesn’t face
this problem and surprisingly, one of the countries which have incredibly high poverty rates is America,
the world’s largest power acknowledged by everyone especially their military power. Nevertheless, it is a
different story now as the US is surprisingly facing a great decline due to its economics. The Afghan and
Iraq wars costs America US$4 trillion and raised its state debt to US$14 trillion (Muzaffar, 2012).
Chandra Muzaffar (NST, 28 October 2012) also suggest that the US must be prepared and find out how to
comprehend with its fall. Apart from economics, social, political crises are also the cause that has set the
US to fall. Still, America is not going to fall that easily as the country is still strong in industrial
dynamism due to its flooding immigrants and its scientific productivity. However, the US cannot be at
ease as other countries are also rising in their scientific output. China, with the population of more than
1.3 billion is going to beat America in terms of scientific productivity by 2013.
Knowing that America is going to be in decline, should the world be pleased about this? We
should consider the consequences of this is going to happen as it is likely going to affect the whole world

2. in many aspects. A new world could evolve in the future; a world with different rule in economics,
politics and many others. The world might not be controlled by a sole governing power anymore besides,
every single nation depend on each other and true means of globalization could be achieved. Even so,
America is not going to fall in a few years to come in fact, probably in another 100 or 200 years
considering that the country is undoubtedly still the world’s largest military power in spite of its large
debts. Yet, these crises are not only experienced by America alone as most of other countries in the world
are facing it too even Muslim countries. The collapse of family institutions, lack of morality, values
contribute to social crisis in a way when children today are not being taught with these things (Muzaffar,
2012). Parents only give their attention and focus on their children’s education academically and in some
way have made children think that only their grades are all that matters. Eventually, they will learn
everything without realizing the real purpose of learning. This leads to ignorance as they have not learnt
the values of knowledge. Believe it or not, these are the factors leading to social and political and even
economic problems in most parts of the world. When education purposes are solely focused on wealthcreation, only children from well-off families receive decent education and will work a decent job with
high salaries. Meanwhile, the poor will keep living their life and remain in the working class group as
they do not get the opportunity to change their fate like the elites. It’s not that none of them ever
succeeded but it’s very unlikely as it needs a very high effort and luck as well (Michelle Asha Cooper,
2010). However, even though this feudal approach and system is being encouraged by the leaders, we
cannot put all the blame on them as we have the power to escape from this way of thinking. For that to
happen, everyone plays a role especially university students by inculcating the scientific spirit within
them instead of merely following everything from their superiors (Mohd Nazim, 2012).
Put simply, the world today is facing great challenges of social where children today are trained
as wealth creations that indicate the failure of modern education. Besides, the modern technologies cause
people in the globalized world particularly Muslims to be ignorant as everything has been made easy and
laid in front of them. Hence, they tend to just imitate everything from the West and they don’t even bother
to even be curious. This is a failure especially to the Muslim world. As a proof, approximately half of the
world’s illiterate people are those from the Muslim world where two thirds of them are women (Haqqani,
2012). It is sad, yes, but no matter what we have to admit it because it’s a fact. Muslims fail to see their
hidden potential in their cultural practices and perspectives that are mainly taught in the Islamic teachings
itself (Anthony, 2012). If they can really realize and explore the deeper means of those teachings, they
can possibly provide solutions to the problems in the Muslim world like poverty and ignorance. Thus, this
means that Muslims need to adapt to the 21st century and integrate with the rest of the world instead of
continuously putting all the blame of its fall to the West. Instead of just blaming and getting nothing done,

3. Muslims must think of the reasons why these conflicts aroused and think of the solutions. Other than that,
they should look back in the past and learn from the mistakes and avoid them from happening again
where young Muslims today must be educated with Islamic history. In other words, politicians have to be
proactive in dealing and solving these crises of humanity. They need to actually come out with effective
solutions rather than just arguing and discussing on the same issues all over again without any actions and
move away from this political gridlock which will not bring any good to them.
Apart from that, the migration of Muslims to the West is one of the post-globalization effects that
started a new phenomenon called multiculturalism that has started a new global order to the world. The
migration of people from East to has brought upon changes to the West that they have to look upon to.
Immigrants, especially from the Muslim world have been long living in Western countries since the very
beginning. In fact, they have been already regarded as part of those countries. Yet, many conflicts have
been arising between the Muslims and the Western people. Even though that Muslims in the West are
growing large in numbers, yet they do not have a voice. Most of them merely live unnoticed. This need to
change as Muslims plays a vital role in helping to make the world a better place by integrating with others
and participating actively through certain platforms especially in politics and economics. Rather than just
following everything that the Western have decided for the, Muslims in Western countries need to play
roles like for instance holding a political posts in the political world of their occupied countries and make
changes or adjustments that will benefit both the Muslims and the non-Muslims in that particular country.
Hence, conflicts particularly cultural and social can be avoided as Muslims and the others live together
harmoniously where Islamic and Western communities work together in finding solutions to problems of
post-modernism because if these cannot be done, it will result in more conflicts that may be no longer
incomprehensible to us. If these are to be done, it will lead to a new Multicultural Europe.
Nonetheless, Muslims need to prepare both physically and mentally in facing these challenges of
globalization and integrate with the rest of the world in adapting in the 21 st century. Moreover, Muslims
who have made the West their home need to reciprocate by making cultural integration priority. Failure to
do so will result in more cultural conflict. People everywhere, particularly the Muslims simply cannot live
just among themselves in their own world.
People of different religions and cultures need and
complement each other and in some way they are inseparable. As a proof, there is not even a single
country in this world that live among their selves without any other culture or religion and even now,
every country depend on one another. Hence, there will be no more one single dominant country in the
future where every country have equal powers and plays different role. Even though the relationship
between the Muslims and the West are complicated, yet somehow they are inseparable that they both

4. need one another regardless of their differences in creating a new multicultural community. This new
order of the world is one of the effects of globalization.
Take Germany as an example; even though the country is struggling from cultural integration, the
Germans today has finally regarded Islam as part of their large integrated multicultural society (The Star,
5th October 2010). They finally acknowledge the existence of four millions Muslims in the country and
give them equal rights as others of the country. Hence, like Germany, other countries in the West also
need to start acknowledging the existence of people of different cultures and religions especially the
Muslims. The Muslims in the West are now growing large in numbers. Not only that, they are also
gradually making their way up in terms of economic and political. Even now, Muslims in the West have
almost equal rights as other citizens and they are somehow needed in the Western society. This could no
longer be denied as it is a natural effect of post-modernism.
Even today, the immigrants in the US are getting more influential as they have the power in
determining the future (Ved, 2012). For instance, the election that took place in the US very recently
shows the immigrant power in choosing the leader of the nation. The whites are no longer dominating and
controlling the country as America is now a multiculturalized one and the immigrants are now getting
equal rights which is very concerning the “original” Americans that they are gradually being outnumbered
by the rainbows; immigrants from all over the world of different cultures. Even though they need this
diversity in their world, but the fact that the power of immigrants are overcoming theirs intimidates them.
So, they start to take a few approaches in securing their power over these “newcomers”. However, these
approaches could not only be positive as negative approaches like the most obvious one that is regarding
Muslims as terrorists. It has started long ago since the case of 9/11 where Muslims were accused as
masterminds of the raid and America has done a fairly good job in making the world believe them. From
there, people started to label Muslims as terrorists have been giving them a really hard time especially
Muslims in America. Fortunately, it is a different story now as Muslims rights are starting to be
acknowledged by people of the world even that they are still some who still believe that Muslims are
based on terrorism. These people are ignorant as they used to believe that and they still though even when
the whole world are starting to question this baseless accusation. They just turn a blind eye, refuse to find
out the truth and keeps on living in that belief. Therefore, ignorance is a very dangerous thing and it could
be fatal as it is in the case of poverty in the globalized world.
Nevertheless, all these crises affecting the Muslim world cannot be blamed on the West alone.
Muslims themselves also contribute to these problems. Looking back in the past, most couldn’t help but
wonder how these happened when Muslim civilization used to be a very influential power in the world
back then. The most significant cause causing the great Muslim civilization to collapse is the global

5. recession. Again, it is caused by the process of globalization which gives a great impact on the economics
of the Muslim world. Plus, the leaders are not really helpful as they are more into channeling the
Muslims’ anger to the West rather than finding the solutions. According to Husain Haqani (Newsweek,
8th October 2012), Muslims are being treated as manipulative objects by the leaders to achieve their own
agendas. They manipulate facts; make the people believe the false when the truth remains hidden.
Muslims are also to be blamed though not all, some of them believe in everything that they see without
really investigating to the root of that matter. For instance in Pakistan, thousands of them received a text
message informing something called as “miracle” where an earthquake has destroyed a movie theatre in
Washington D.C that screened the film Innocence of Muslims. They made a big fuss about the movie and
have shown their anger and rage to the world causing even death in the process. Apparently, there wasn’t
an earthquake at all and the movie was not even screened. Although it is very painful to say this, but this
makes Muslims, though not all, appear stupid and emotional to the eyes of the world when they held
chaotic demonstrations which is a very unintelligent way of dealing with the problem. They should’ve
thought of a smarter and peaceful way in handling that matter instead of going for violence. No wonder
some still believe that Islam are based on terrorism. It is very heart-breaking as the matter could’ve been
settled peacefully without involving any death in the process.
Though the rage of the Muslims regarding the film is understandable, but the true reason why
Muslims should be angry is that they are being toyed by others in achieving their goals. In other words,
Muslims have every right to be angry and it is definitely not because of a video on Youtube but it is far
more than that (Haqqani, 2012). Like that video posted on Youtube were not only meant to trigger the
Muslims’ anger but the hidden agenda is to polarize Muslims from the West when Muslims indirectly
perceive that all the Western people have the same ideologies as the film-maker. Same goes for the
polarization of the Hindus and the Muslims when a Hindu wrote a book insulting Prophet Muhammad
entitled “Rangeela Rasool” that caused the region of Punjab to be parceled out between the two religions.
Those mentioned above are most of the challenges that Muslims in today’s globalized world has
to face. The hardest challenge is obviously in integrating with the rest of the world when some group of
people still could not accept Islam as part of their world. This is where Muslims should play a role in
proving whatever bad things that the West perceives Islam as is wrong. To make this more realistic,
Muslims should speak out to the world through a bigger medium like the politics and show the world
what Islam and how Muslims truly are. Therefore, when Muslims are integrated with the world, it could
lead to not only to a new multiculturalized world, but also a peaceful and better world where Muslims
help in making the world a better place by practicing the Islamic teachings that can provide solutions to
world problems like poverty and ignorance as the Islam itself teaches Muslims to be moderate and live a

6. life based on moral values and practices the concept of a strong brotherhood not only among Muslims but
also with the whole world.
REFERENCES

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