ABSTRACT
Many Muslims, I am sure, would agree that Islam is in need of purification, as would many Westerners. But exactly what should it be purified of? What should be purged and why? Not only Muslimhood is profoundly affected by this question. Globalization has made it a truly global issue. In a causal mutuality of global proportions the “crisis of Islam” — as it has rather sweepingly been referred to — for which possibly globalization has been responsible, must now be of global concern because of the repercussions it has on the whole world. The processes of globalization have had — and still have — an enormous impact on this religion and on the direction it is taking, on the characteristics it assumes and on how it shapes daily sociopolitical life on a collective as well as individual plane. And now, through the increasing interlocking of the world, this process must be of intense interest worldwide. Whether radical, conservative or moderate versions of Islam set the tone in the world or in a specific region or country de rigeur has to be of concern to the rest of the world. Even the version of Islam adopted by a small group of individuals may have repercussions reverberating around the world. This points quite clearly to one reason why the West should have an abiding interest in Islam and why specifically the Western academic enterprise is tasked closely to follow developments in this religion. In the conveyance of information and knowledge about Islam and Muslim society, the tertiary education sector and academic research play (or should play) an important role in informing the intellectual and political discourse of the respective country. 1 It is vital that this task not be left to journalism and the media. In this chapter I am attempting to address some salient issues regarding the task at hand for Islamic/Muslim studies.
