Barriers and Bridges between the Ummah and the West: Global Socio-economic and Politico-strategic Issues, and the Re-organising of the OIC

Abstract

Throughout civilisational history, faith has been, and still is, a very important as well as a sensitive issue in local, national and global affairs. Presently, at the dawn of the 21st century, the events of 9/11 have changed the course of history. This transformed the global situation in general and that of the Muslim World in particular, and raised various questions, e.g., what are the causes and consequences of the widening gulf between the Ummah and the West? What is the way forward to initiate a process of mutual trust between these two main global communities? In the context of the contemporary global situation, what specific measures are required at the Ummah's level to bridge this gap? This paper attempts to explore possible answers to these and similar questions. This researcher strongly believes that some approaches, e.g., use of the media and encouraging dialogue between civilisations, would surely bring some positive results, but may not be able to serve as a comprehensive long-lasting strategy to root-out the problem of mistrust, violence and global instability. It can safely be said that the main cause of the present unfortunate global situation is that the difference between the 'developed' and the 'underdeveloped' worlds, and 'the haves' and 'the have nots' has increased enormously. By creating barriers between the Ummah and the West, this is the root cause of a network of contemporary problems. Thus, a comprehensive strategy would be required to bridge the gap between the Ummah and the West. As the title indicates, on the basis of the analysis of the situation, this paper attempts to tackle various relevant issues and suggests possible measures for improvement