KARACHI, Aug 31: Muslim nations and their leadership must change themselves so as to be in a position of strength, discarding anything that is incompatible with authentic values.
This has been stated in a paper circulated during the two-day international seminar on Middle East which concluded here on Tuesday, after discussing US policies in Middle East, particularly vis-a-vis Iraq and Israeli.
The paper — A New Phase of International Interaction with Arab and Muslim Countries— stresses that response to the evolving situation in a unipolar world, in which Muslim countries and Islam are being demonized by the Western media and societies, must be rational and in accordance with political realities.
The co-authors of the papers, Mohammad bin Jassim Al Ghatam and Dr Noman Galal of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research, maintain that with feeble nations, disintegrating states and bickering governments, components of strength are transformed into weaknesses and tools of pressure against them, rather than a means to ward off pressure.
The paper, in response to the conclusions reached in the “International Values Poll” by the Michigan University, provides an alternate paradigm in view of the new challenges being faced by the Muslim people and civilization. The study expresses concern over the findings of the poll which reflect extreme bias.
The study concludes that “the poll is a manipulated study in the sense that it has a specific objective to reach the results already determined. Hence, the selection of suggestive questions with predetermined indicative value. The political objective of the study can hardly be missed or overlooked due to its focus on the deep and significant differences of cultural outlook between Islamic and Western states.”
Regardless of the findings and conclusions of the poll, says the paper, Muslims societies need to deal with their problems through a realistic, detached and impartial perspective, and they must build a new value system to develop themselves.
The paper notes that the process of change taking place in the various corners of the world is hindered in the Arab and Islamic countries that put up the fiercest resistance to change in the upper structure, i.e. political and cultural systems and values and traditions, as a result of several factors which include tribal and clan influence, religious beliefs, level of cultural and social development.
The study opines that research centres must be involved in formulating modern response to new challenges, and universities and research centres must be responsible for application of contemporary thinking in a way that reflects economic, scientific, social and political evolution.
The paper mentions the “Arab Report on Human Development” issued in 2002, which enumerates the factors hindering progress of the Arab region.
The factors include lack of scientific thinking, lack of democratic practices and lack of empowerment of women.
The paper stresses that various institutions and organizations must promote in a positive way proper trends of change, or else others will impose the change on Muslims societies.