Navigating Religious Authority in Muslim Societies

Globalisation stands as an indispensable lens through which to analyse current cultural, political, and social transformations. This prevailing paradigm, acknowledged by its advocates and critics, profoundly shapes our environment. Within this global landscape, Islam's position is noteworthy—often perceived as rejecting globalisation and its secular underpinnings. This book offers a perspective of the global resurgence of religion in general and the revival of Islam in particular as crucial features of globalisation. Furthermore, the book deeply explores how Islamist groups strategically challenge religious authority, utilising social media and the internet to reshape their spheres of influence. By exploring these dynamics, the book aims to provide comprehensive insights into the interplay between Islamist strategies, digital platforms, and religious institutions within our interconnected world.

“Mohiuddin’s refreshingly original work delves into the complex interplay between established religious authority, globalisation and the emergence of new information technologies. The book expounds as to how Islamist movements go beyond traditional geographic limitations by harnessing the power of technology to disseminate ideas, attract supporters and mobilise their cause. This remarkable exploration of technology’s transformative role in reshaping religious authority significantly contributes to the field. It offers fresh and informative perspectives on the influence of globalisation on religious dynamics, delivering valuable insights for researchers in the field. This book may be recommended to anyone who seeks to understand the evolving dynamics of the interfaces of religious authority, globalisation and technology.”—Muhammad Hashim Kamali, Emeritus Professor, Founding Chairman and CEO, International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“In this well-researched, nuanced, and very readable work of scholarship, Asif Mohiuddin has made an important contribution to the study of Muslim politics and geopolitics in our current moment. The challenges of writing such a book are as enormous as the regions covered (the Middle East, South, and Southeast Asia) and as diverse as the religious, cultural, and political modes and movements represented by the millions of Muslims who populate them. Complicate these basic characteristics of lands and peoples with variations in institutional authority, the dynamics of individual and group alliances with, and contestations of, that authority, remain mindful of the deep and lengthy histories that shape the present and place constraints on future possibilities, account for the transformative role of cyberspace in all of the above, and do so with a measured understanding and, indeed, appreciation of the difficulties that confront every human being who struggles to find an integral modus vivendi in a rapidly evolving global order—such is the achievement of this book. I highly recommend it.”

—Peter Matthews Wright, PhD, Associate Professor of Religion, Colorado College, United States of America

“Asif Mohiuddin presents an overview of the interplay between Islamist movements and larger processes such as national politics and globalization.  Each of the earlier chapters is solid introduction and analysis of a different body of literature that informs understanding these movements.  These culminate in a thought-provoking analysis of the how different streams of global experiences: capitalism, democracy, Islamism, and others come together to influence the direction of various movements.  Rather than place Islamism in opposition to globalization or see Islamism as a failed enterprise, Mohiuddin presents Islamism as part and parcel of globalization and suggests that its relative success and failures must be understood in that context.”

—Ronald Lukens-Bull, PhD, Professor of Anthropology and Religious Studies, University of North Florida, United States of America

“Amidst the swift and seamless propagation of ideas and the far-reaching impact of global communication, Islamist movements find themselves entangled in a complex dynamic with traditional religious authority, as they strive to assert their influence and navigate the vast expanse of global religious discourse. This thought-provoking book by Asif Mohiuddin delves deep into the dynamic landscape of Islamist movements, meticulously unraveling their adept contestation of religious authority in the face of the transformative impact of information communication technology. Through an analysis of strategies and approaches, the author sheds light on the intricate relationship between religious authority, Islamist movements and the broader impact of globalization.”

—Adis Duderija, Griffith University,Australia

“Reading this book gives readers from Europe a unique opportunity to trace the entire range of reactions developed by the contemporary world of Islam in response to the problem of globalization, which is increasingly affecting it. The author’s merit lies in showing how diverse these attitudes are, determined not only by local cultural distinctiveness or different socio-political conditions, but also by the degree of openness to other value systems accepted in a given country, or even simply by economic wealth, usually subjectively assessed. A closer understanding of the specificity of each of these approaches seems to be a necessary condition for trying to comprehend the currently prevailing relationships, both interpersonal ones built between people, and those of an international scope, when observed from a broad, although formally external, perspective.”

—Prof. Mariusz Masĺak, Cracow University of Technology, Cracow, Poland

“This book offers an excellent insight into the changing dynamics of religious authority in the Islamic worlds, a historical-sociological process that unfolded in response to the technologically-mediated Eurocentric mechanisms of modernization, secularisation, and globalization. By exploring the theoretical and praxeological possibilities of reconciling the regressive and progressive forces both inside and outside the Islamic worlds, this book offers a valuable contribution to the contemporary literature on political Islam, religion and theology, peace and conflict studies, discourse ethics, and global politics.”

—Deepshikha Shahi, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, O. P. Jindal Global University, India

Asif Mohiuddin is an Academic Officer in the Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Human Sciences, Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia.