Globalization, Issues For Muslim State and Need for The Moderation (Wasatiyyah)

Abstract

Globalization has produced many concerns for Muslim societies and governments including a growing lack of confidence among Muslims in institutions and administrative functionaries. This is creating a major crisis of legitimacy and challenging the "mainstream." This can be countered by strengthening religious authorities and new ways must be found to credential and empower religious authorities. The resolution of this crisis may depend less on ideas than on institutions, and in particular on those institutions which can convince large segments of the Muslim community. Muslims must be persuaded to follow the decisions of established official religious authorities. And people with inadequate credentials must be accorded a lesser standing. GettingMuslims to accept a new authority structure, however, will depend on whether that structure is responsive to today’s political, economic, technological, social, and religious problems.