Islamic Resurgence and the Twenty-First Century

Abstract

The Image and Impact of Islamic Resurgence The global phenomenon of Islamic resurgence (or Islamic revival­ism). which has caught the attention of Muslims and non-Muslims, has impacted the world community in many different ways. Much of this reassertiveness of the Islamic ethos has been discussed and published.' Feeling somewhat threatened by the "rise of Islam" as it were, the gen­eral non-Muslim and western attitude has been one of suspicion and awe: such Muslim "fundamentalist" behavior and trends, it was argued, had to be checked or even thwarted, or else Muslims would make life difficult for others. There were some exceptions to such a negative atti­tude and response. but by and large such a wariness had permeated the thinking of many non-Muslims, including western powers and the non­Muslim world generally. This mindset lingers until today as the world approaches the arrival of the twenty-first century-manifest, for instance. in the "clash of civi­lization" thesis postulated by the well-known Harvard professor, Samuel Hun-tington recently. Even more recent was the declaration by both the French Defense Minister and the NATO secretary-general that the world today is facing a new threat after the fall of communism, that of Islamic fundamentalism, and their call for the West to bolster support only to what he called moderate Muslim regimes.2 The behavior and actions of fanatics and extremists, both Muslim and non-Muslim, the world over, have exacerbated the problem and, consequently, worsened the poor image that people have of Muslims and Islam ...