Islam, Diplomacy & International Politics (2)

Tulisan ini adalah rangkuman dari bahan bacaan yang dibagikan oleh Pak Umam.

Religion and Islam in Contemporary International Relations

By. Maurits Berger

the year 1979 was a turning point. a post-colonial period where socialism and secularism had reigned dominantly in the Muslim world was abruptly ended, and a new period started where the force of Islam (religiously, politically and ideoligically) gained momentum

one important factor for the appeal of Islam is the fact that those who preach Islam have put action wehre their mouth is- not only religous rhetoric, but social, economic and political action that is undertaken in the name of Islam has given the so-called "Islamists" their credibility and constituency.

a wide diversity remains within islamic though. one of the newer trends is that of "post-Islamism" an Islamic ideology that is inclusive aiming at tolerance and pluralism.

it should be noted that "islamization is not limited to Muslims. the western world is undergoing the same process, althouhg sometimes unwilingly.

the distionction between the two words -Muslim and Islamic-has to do with the value attached to them. A "Muslim country" will in the following be defined as a country with a majority Muslim population regardless of whether religion plays a role in their personal, social or political life. "Islamic" meanwhile, points at a specific use of the religion;

Islamization in the Muslim world is therefore a complex interplay of attributing values, wishful thinking, true beliefs, devotional talk and oppressive instruction.

Foreign policies of Muslim states role in four fields, namely human rights, economics, War & Peace and the protection of Islam.

Human Rights
banyak Muslim yang memandang HAM adalah konstruksi barat yang harus dipertemukan dengan Islam yang asli. saat berbicara mengenai HAM, tidak bisa dilepaskan dari konvensi yang ditandantangani oleh negara-negara termasuk negara Muslim.

Economics
Islamic Finance is soaring. banyak bank di negara barat dan lembaga keuangan yang mengadopsi sistem keuangan Islam. baik terpisah dari kantor maupun bagian dari pelayanan mereka.
All in all, where "Islamic" issues tend to cause friction between the Muslim and Western worlds, Islamic finance is the exception.

War and Peace (and Terrorism)
dapat disimpulkan bahwa aktivitas Islam dalam konsep perang dan damai adalah isu internal antar sesama Muslim. However, it directly affects the west in three ways.
1. ketika negara barat terlibat konflik senjata di negara Muslim, baik pendudukan maupun intervensi, on the national goverment's invitation, or as an international peacekeeping mission, Islam akan digunakan sebagai pertahanan diri
2. beberapa organisasi militan Islam seperti Islamic Jihad dan Al-Qaeda telah mengembangkan konsep "musuh jauh" 
3. membela tanah air Islam telah bercampur dengan pengertian pertahanan Islam. konsep mempertahankan dan melindungi harus dipisahkan.

Protecting Islam

Melindungi Islam adalah aktivitas Islam yang tumbuh sejak awal 1990an baik domestik maupun internsional.
secara domestik, dilakukan dalam banyak cara. mereka yang memproklamirkan diri sebagai pelindung Islam kebanyakan menargetkan Individu yang dituduh menyinggun atau melecehkan Islam, dan mayoritas yang dituduh adalah mayoritas orang Islam sendiri kadang-kadang non-Muslim terutama Politikus, intelektual dan artis.