Islamic 21st Century Superpower.

From: http://www.islam21stcenturysuperpower.com/page10/page10.html


By: Steven. R. Watts.


THIS ARTICLE DOES not argue that Islam will take over all countries and replace Western civilization with Islamic civilization. Individual, non-Islamic countries will continue to exist, but they will be in the shadow of the dominant socioeconomic model of the Islamic Union. There may indeed continue to be sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shiite communities. But the universal law of economics and the theological teachings of the Qur’an in relation to stewardship will be the dominant conversation going forward and the driver of international relations between communities.The hypotheses presented here is that ISLAM will gain a significant and strategic economic and cultural advantage via the development of a global Islamic Union. Although becoming a superpower is not the intention of this progression, it will be the end result. Islamic cultural consciousness is and will continue to increase geometrically. The potential and promise for a reduction in global poverty and corruption in the areas that are currently target rich environments for the recruitment of radicalized youth, will be realized. New conflict resolution models based on evolving cultural understanding education methodologies will greatly decrease the current conflict scenarios around the world. International relations will become more dependent on theological models of economics designed to benefit more people equally. The Islamic Union, along with its dominant global currency will become the economic equivalent of a military superpower with the critical exception that it will truly span the globe and be multicultural in every sense of the word.The greater objective here is to introduce a possible future where Islam can serve as a stabilizing and peaceful force through the systematic spread of justice and economic opportunity for people that currently and for the foreseeable future have none. Regardless of the outcome of these theories, the world needs to take note of the emergence of a strong Islamic cultural identity and economic engine. The window of opportunity for collaboration between what remains of the Western economic miracle following World War II and the emerging economic superiority of an inevitable Islamic Union is closing fast. The military option to forcing an American or Western solution on people in foreign lands, especially Islamic is gone. If nothing has been learned from Iraq and Afghanistan it is that weapons and war do not promote sustainable long-term economic opportunity and alternatives to extremist actors. The commonly held belief in the West that only Washington, London, Paris, Moscow, or even Beijing can solve the socioeconomic issues facing the world today is outdated at best and insulting in the extreme. Inviting the opinion or ideas of the Islamic world may be a good idea, but it is also not a serious or viable alternative since it once again does not give equal standing or serious consideration to the weight that Islamic leadership can play in forming alternative, peaceful solutions to the ongoing conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The sudden success of so-called anti-capitalist, anti-globalization movements of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia and Alfredo Palacio in Ecuador is another example of the willingness of select countries and communities to try something other than the purely capitalistic model promoted by the West. The success of the Clerics in Mogadishu, in direct response to the desperate attempt by the people of Somalia to try anything other than the constant state of warlord driven chaos, is on the opposite spectrum of alternative public policy and economic alternatives to the status quo. Both the developments in Africa and South America dictate the need for an alternative to the current practices and methodologies of globalization in its current form. The economic interest of countries and corporations will be directly impacted by development of an Islamic Union and the question will not be if it will be successful but what organizational models will need to be developed to provide the proper roadmap for corporations to become a part of this emerging global superpower and engine of economic and cultural growth.Instead of resource wars between countries there will be resource stewardship and sharing. Companies will still exist and make a profit for shareholders, but they will not be allowed to promote and protect corrupt organizations or corrupt models of business. The marketplace will grow globally due to the elimination of poverty and there will be more opportunities for new ideas based upon the increase in and incorporation of intellectual capital from people and communities that have been denied access to the global economic community due to the artificial but very real barriers of fear and ignorance. Instead of free trade or even fair trade there will be just trade. Based on a Theology Economy of Islamic Economics the world engine of creativity and shared services for the good of all mankind will finally be realized. The supply chain of terrorism will be replaced with the supply chain of ideas and peaceful collaboration between cultures and communities.The success of this Islamic vision and strategic investment of human capital presents to the Muslim world today a strong and economically viable alternative to the West. Muslim companies headquartered in Dubai, Emaar and Emirates for example; and others headquartered in other nations like Petronas in Malaysia are demonstrating how they can not only compete with the West but are actually establishing a new corporate business model based on the Qur’anic teachings of stewardship and responsibility to all people. It is not a question of developing a military capable of matching the West, that is so yesterday. They realize, or soon will, that all they need to do is tap into the embedded economic and cultural strength of a new union of Muslims; an Islamic Union. The long-term international economic and cultural trajectory is already in place. Islam will continue to grow demographically, economically, culturally, and theologically. Dubai is successfully demonstrating to the Islamic global community an Islamic Economic model of resource management and community collaboration that is uniquely different from any Western models. The opportunity is and will continue to be there for Muslim and non-Muslim alike to engage in serious and equal partnership on the important matters of the human race; poverty, corruption, and peace. The Islamic Union and its impending superpower status will both enable and challenge it to succeed in a time of great change where there is a desperate need for a truly global cultural and economic transformation that will see peace and prosperity for all people in our time.