Reform Movements in the Islamic World - Assignment Example

College: In recent years, Muslim societies have had a number of reform movements that were completely alien to their historical contexts, like socialism, secularism, and nationalism. These reform movements and programs were imposed on them from the outside world. There is no doubt that it has produced some effects, but they were never able to achieve the initial goals (Wagner, 2007, p. 54). There are several movements that have focused on partial reform but failed to make any real change to Muslim society as a whole. Partial reform movements might be seen as successes in a way but there should be clear, well-defined, and realistic goals, even if those goals are limited to one aspect of life or restricted to one region of the world. The fact is that these movements are able to fulfill their goals (Schulze, 2002). Promote and establish various training programs to educate women and men, Muslim and non-Muslim, on the principles of gender equality and social, economic, and political justice in Islam. The majority of Muslim women are marginalized from the legal and power structures. Thus there are needs and concerns of women arising from their daily struggles to be addressed in local laws and customs. Customs have to be changed in ways that increase women’s life options, the goal of the process by strengthening of the religious and ethnic or national community. Moreover, questions of sexual morality, marriage and family life, divorce, custody, inheritance has to be addressed (Wagner, 2007). There is a change in Attitudes toward Democracy. There are many countries encompassed by Muslim around the globe. Research has shown that Muslim religious and politics are mostly influence by their ideologies, political and legal orientations which is also true to other religions. Muslim preferred forms of government, attitudes toward human rights, community agendas and relations to terrorism have been viewed as tendency for violence. Muslim societies should try to alter this perception and find ways of falling within democratic values spectrum and reject violence by those that oppose democracy. This strategy can help policymakers identify potential partners in the Muslim world who may cooperate in promoting democracy, stability and countering the influence of extremist and violent groups (Schulze, 2002). Muslim societies should discourage radical activities in their corresponding areas. This is because in some nations there are several developments that have been made over time in attempting to intensify Islamic radicalism. For example the Islamic resurgence in the Middle East have been in existence over the past 30 years, the exportation of Arab ideology and religious practices to the non-Arab Muslim world have raised issue with religion. Radical Islamic ideology has spread to tribal societies that lack strong central political authority like in Afghanistan, generating a mix that some observers believe in bin Laden. Moreover, they have succeeded in forming networks that sustain fundamentalist and even terrorist activities through recruitment and funding. Their activities have been difficult to detect or even disrupt because many of the networks provide social services to Muslim communities. Finally, the emergence of satellite regional media such as Al-Jazeera has provided a powerful means to reinforce anti-American stereotypes and narratives of Arab victimization that play into radicals’ agendas (Schulze, 2002). Liberal and moderate Muslims should be formed to counter the effective networks that radicals have. Creation of an international moderate Muslim network is critical to transmitting moderate messages throughout the Muslim world and to provide protection for moderate groups. There should be reform efforts to ensure that madrassas provide a modern, broad education and marketable skills. This can be done by establishing higher education and its accreditation boards. They oversee, monitor and review curricula in both the government and private schools. Policies based on social and economic problems challenges have to be created to counter the radical group. This will become a growing base for support of their politics. Other alternatives to social services in many places might be constructed to help to indirectly undercut the appeal of the extremists. Programs that promote economic expansion and self-sufficiency can help reduce the opportunities for extremists to exploit economic hardship and the negative perception (Schulze, 2002). Muslim democracies should allow Islamist parties that have fully credible democratic credentials to participate in politics. In many cases Islamist party, once in power, may move against democratic freedoms, the inclusion of such groups in open democratic institutions may encourage moderation in the long run. A clear commitment to nonviolence and democratic system should be a must be included. Promote and create awareness of individual reform which starts deep within the individual and then stretches out to the vastness surrounding him. Many people, contrary to this fact, target their surroundings without dealing with themselves first. Their feelings of historical power and glory continue to be an obstacle to their understanding, defining, and determining their priorities (Schulze, 2002). Promote consciousness, tolerance and collaboration between Muslims and non-Muslims. This is done through participation and facilitating the interfaith dialogue. The participants should search for similarities across different cultures before discussing their differences. Through the identification of similar believes the people will find a common ground which come back to if the conversation becomes too personal. Relationship between Muslim and Non-Muslim members Many Muslims in America and in other countries have experienced an increase in discrimination and violence which is made towards them by non-Muslims. On the other hand Muslims and educators have labeled this fear and hatred against Muslims by non-Muslims as terrorism (Wagner, 2007). It loks like an epidemic, fear and hatred against Muslims that is surprisingly spreading and growing at an alarming rate. There is an urgent need to address the existence the issue and come up with ideas which will enable social change through appreciative inquiry from a programmatic perspective. The September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers in New York City brought a lot of fears among different nations especially in western nations. To many Americans it was a beginning of changed on their lives and how they live forever. A mixture of fear and anger spread quickly throughout the United States, which left many Muslim and other ethnic groups living in America to protect themselves against aggression and discrimination. Mosques and other religious temples that resembled a Mosque were vandalized or burned to the ground throughout the United States (Wagner, 2007). This unfortunate event left Muslims not only scared, but also very annoyed towards non-Muslims. A general fear spread throughout the U.S like an epidemic. Many Muslims felt that people were out to get them and many non-Muslims felt that all Muslims were terrorists and that Islam preached terrorism and anti-Semitic ideas. More than ten years after the horrific event of 9/11, Muslims are still being discriminated around the world because of their faith, traditions and ethnicity. There are several news reports of Muslims being discriminated in the workplace or denied access to employment opportunities, abuse allegations against Muslims in Guantanamo Bay and Muslims being abducted from their families and denied due process based on secrete evidence are still growing and getting national attention. As a result, many people believe that the occupation American troops in countries like Iraq will only intensify the discrimination of Muslims in America in the near future (Schulze, 2002). For generations many Americans perceive Muslim as foreigners. Non-Muslim Americans view Muslim as people who are out to destroy the United States. These believe is perpetuated by media. Many argue that these negative images of Muslims in the media have contributed to the increase in verbal and physical assaults made against Muslims people living in America. References N Karagiannis; P Wagner, 2007, Varieties of world-making: beyond globalization, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press R Schulze, 2002, A modern history of the Islamic world, London: I. B. Tauris Read More