In the name of Allah the One and Only;
Allah, the eternal, Absolute;
He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
And there is none like unto Him.
(Tajweed Qur’an. 2001, Sura Ikhlas, or Purity of Faith)
Allaho a’alam bis sawab – truth is known to Allah.
(Engineer 1990 in Kurzman. 2002, 133)
Introduction
In the past few years, characterized by transnationalization of media, we could witness creation of certain “sphericules” that have been vested to allow communication among certain communities. “Sphericules” are to be understood as kind of public spheres (Gitlin. 1998).
One of these, in fact major sphericule, can be observed among Muslim community.
What is the Role of Computer Mediated Communication on Muslims living in Western countries and what Influence does it have on Traditional Muslim Values?
Widely people seem to cerebrate in the same manner; the ability to puzzle our common sense of conception may be extremely contributive. As of today people living in the Western countries became aware of the trend often called Globalization. The post-modern world seemingly brings us all together as living in one shared globe. On the other hand it became perceptible that Globalization in the West but as well in general means also Americanization and unification of societal values. Without question in different parts of the world we may observe different sorts of homogenization tendencies, as described by Appadurai (1990), but it is without question that the bigger orders aim at absorbing of the smaller orders. Unfortunately, it seems that behind the newly adopted values which lead to the homogenization is not morality, whatever one imagines behind this term, but rather interests of selective and in Western sense powerful packs.
Living in the “globalised world” largely influenced by the TNMCs we may follow the trend of struggle to build and secure identities much distant from the values on which TNCs in general are built. One example of such identity is the ummah, the traditional model of Islamic world community. World Wide Web, originally the link between intellectuals, plays crucial role in creating the “updated” version of the ummah and actually creating the crevices to the “globalised” world and to the way of life it represents.
We may invigilate what is presented as modernity in the post-modern world. But still when modernity jousts with traditionalism we may see that traditionalism is what offers much stronger base for existence. The ummah, the traditional model of Islamic world community, is seemingly great challenge for the purpose of Americanized society. As Appadurai writes homogenization can be also employed within nation-state and minorities of such a nation-state (1990). This can have further implications. Such a homogenization is easier to catch out than the overall homogenization; it touches specifically practical everyday lives of individuals, and therefore is often dealt with quite instantly. Such a reaction to the small scale homogenization is useful source of inspiration and as an impulse for large scale response to large scale homogenization. As an example we may imagine different moving groups such as immigrants or refuges and the sort of environment they start to create in a nation-state.
Islam is a great example of a traditionalist society dealing with its self-identity within global borders or within nation-state. The struggle seems to be extremely successful and to homogenization threatening. A traditionalist society can be creating great question marks within so called modern societies. The centrifugal tendencies of globalization can be debilitated by the resurgence of different sphericules within the global. Example of creation of such sphericule is the Islam community within the Western civilization.
The cyberworld and World Wide Web create the possibility to fulfill ones dreams and fantasies when they are not apt to happen in the offline mode. Internet has important social implications. One of them is the fractionalization of world audience but in another sense than is the nation – state fragmentation and in a complete opposition to globetrotting. With the implication that our virtual selves can transform our offline selves or at least lead to discussion about raise of offline sphericules.
This research paper aims to see how the globalization from bellow – the virtual ummah – comes to its erection.
Further, we should examine the de-homogenization effects of the new authorities within Western Islam community. This is important in order to understand how the traditional values can have challenging effect on West identity and modernization idea as is presented by Western authorities. Such traditional values can in some cases also create crevices to the current rooted mediascape. Overall, what is interesting is how the traditionalism and the non-materialistic, represented by Islam, employ the symbol of modernity to reach their means. The re-intellectualization of Islam proves that traditional is nothing against modern.
Further we have to ask what the effects of the cyber on the Islam are. Bearing in mind that Islam was in fact the first known idea about globalization it may be crucial to actually see how and if the moral – represented by Islam – can deal with the profitable – represented by homogenized. It is possible that such ideas which are functioning based on deterritoralization may advance the discussion of the importance of the form of the media and form of the message.
To understand better we need to examine how such sphericules function in the computer mediated communication, what effect they have on the values on which they are based on and what effect they can have on the inner balance of communication within the globe.
This research paper is not to do any definitive and absolutist conclusions or statements. This would be exactly in opposition to the idea behind – we need to reread, rethink, re-evaluate and discuss. Rather, this research paper aims for a refreshing outlook on some facts and observation made in the ‘modernized’ world of 21st century. The objective is to arouse some questions which could be a good source for reflection for any one.
The paper is structured as follows. Firstly, we need to have a closer look at the event of the Internet which is crucial for our story. Is religion present online? And how it has happen, why? In the chapter discussing the Internet we will as last investigate into possible roles of the Internet. Secondly, we need to analyze how and in same importance why the Islam got to be represented online and to what effect. Lastly, we will link the Islam with the globalization and actually see the reasons why Islam is to certain degree resurging, how just divers can Islam be and what is currently happening within the traditional Islamic community ummah.
Still, we should mention the numerous scholars whose works were a great inspiration and on whose thoughts this research paper stands. It is crucial to pay attention to all the authors listed in the Bibliography and I hope I may at least to some mediate the way to their valuable thoughts.
