Opening Address

Abstract

The year which has just ended has presented the Muslim world with a major challenge: the bipolar world order which provided some kind of balance between the East and the West disintegrated and was replaced by a unipolar one. How will this affect us? The new world order is an order controlled by a single superpowex which has its own philosophy, thought, and culture. If we look closely, it seems that its philosophy stands on a collection of what appears to be mutually opposed dualities which both necessitate the various elements of conflict and make all attempts to end the resulting polarization and conflict futile. But the recent demise of the opposite pole and the end of the Cold War does not mean that the world is about to witness a period of peace, tranquility, and security in the shade of this so-called new world order. hther, the inherently belligerent nature of this entirely Western-controlled civilization precludes such a development, for such an order requires an opponent, either real or imagined. In other words, if one is not readily available it will have to be created, so that the fight can be carried on elsewhere. While many are now saying that the nature ofthe conflict may shift from military to economic power, this does not automatically mean that positive developments will occur or that the world can expect true and constant security, tranquility, or peace from this civilization. It is thus all the more disconcerting that the Islamic world finds itself in a state of unpreparedness and disarray unprecedented in all of its lox history, and that the collapse of the Soviet Union, the other Western pole, leaves the role of adversary to the Islamic world. All of this suggests that the Islamic world, which is now infirm, divided, and unable to protect its own resources, will be faced with the prospect of becoming a battleground over the course of the next few decades. It is therefore essential that Muslim scholars, thinkers, research institutes, universities, and enlightened political elites undertake the responsibility of ensuring that the Islamic world passes through this coming period of crisis successfully ...