Would it be right to assume that Islamic bloc commands the importance that its population and economic stature demands in today’s world? The Islamic bloc here refers primarily to the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) that was formed in 1969 in Morocco. Despite being in existence for more than three decades, it member-states are acutely aware that they are miles from what they had apparently set out to do. They have not been able to withstand division within their bloc or combat pressure from outside nations. The Iran-Iraq conflict, Iraq’s intrusion into Kuwait, the US-led attack on Afghanistan and Iraq are just a few reminders of this harsh reality. As if to underline it, OIC’s share in world trade is less than 10 per cent.Against this backdrop, OIC members seem acutely concerned about the new importance being given by the West to democracy and modernity within Islamic states. In fact, apart from terrorism and economic issues, this was the one big theme voiced by around 100 intellectuals and academics from around the world who had been invited by the OIC to Mecca last week. It has even been propagated at certain levels that the only option available for Muslim world is modernity.But there are problems in this approach. Modernity cannot be suddenly imposed. Besides, with practically each member-state having a different socio-cultural and political system, prospects of their agreeing to a common system is as good as non-existent. Be it Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, or any other OIC-member, the prevailing system cannot be de-linked from the distinct ethnic and historic background of each country. Also, from no angle can even countries such as US or UK be held as exemplars of democracy, secularism or even “modernity”. Hurricane Katrina has also exposed the fragile nature of American democracy, for instance. The French ban on headscarves and the fact that Australia has asked those who wanted to uphold Islamic values to get out of the country indicate, in their own way, anti-democratic sentiments.The question is, should not the OIC call for a debate on these issues and take on the anti-Islam mindset that prevails in the West? This will not be possible if the OIC confines itself to cosmetic diplomatic exercises. In fact, if it continues to remain apathetic, it may not be long before it becomes an inconsequential body, just as the Non-Aligned Movement has become. It is time, then, for the OIC to exert itself and ensure that nations within its bloc do not end up like Iraq.
