Chandra Muzaffar's Islamic Critique of Globalisation: A Malaysian Contribution to Global Ethic
Working Paper 2006/3
David L. Johnston
This paper seeks to elucidate how Chandra Muzaffar leverages central aspects of Muslim theology in order to construct an inter-faith vision of the unity of humankind, with the aim being to confront and transform the current western-led forces of globalization. The first part highlights Muzzaffar's critique of the international flow of capital, goods, services and even labour, powered by transnational corporations and accompanied by the diffusion of western ideas, tastes and values. Against this backdrop, Muzaffar would like to see a coalition of world faiths uniting around the unassailable dignity of the human person and thus providing the needed inspiration and guidance behind the movement of human rights and democratic governance that has floundered until now in its secular incarnation. Islam, in particular, is organically connected to the divine mission entrusted to humankind to foster justice, equality and freedom in global politics, and in the micro dimensions of human society, to spread the virtues of love, compassion and restraint. An analysis of Muzaffar's Islamic theology of humanity displays a hermeneutic of ethical priority over traditional scripturalist concerns, showing that he has placed his thought at the centre of contemporary Islamic reformism.
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