The Concept of Religious Globalization and Its Relationship to the Universality of Religion

Abstract

This research aims to address the problem of the relationship between globalization and religion, specifically the relationship between religious globalization and the universality of religion. After numerous human studies that attempted to confine religion to a phenomenon that can be studied and subjected to material methodologies, religious globalization has now turned it into a mere commodity in the market. Religion is required to adapt to market demands, or else something else will take its place. The reason for choosing this topic lies in the emergence of the problematic relationship between globalization and religion, specifically the idea of the universality of religion. The importance of the research lies in its results, as it sheds light on the key points through which globalization has entered the domain of "religion" and commodified it. From this perspective, every sacred value posed by religion is undermined, and religious moral authority loses its power, as people can replace it at any moment. Religious globalization claims that religions share in the truth, which means that no religion can exclusively claim the truth for itself or boast of it over other religions. In other words, there is no concept of right and wrong in the world of religions, as globalization promotes religious pluralism, which negates any judgment on any religion or religious idea. As for the idea of the universality of religion, it has no place in the realm of globalization, as long as all religions share in the truth. This research adopts two methodologies: 1. The inductive method: which I will rely on to gather as many relevant sources as possible, and then analyze them in light of how globalization’s aspects can be applied to the universality of religion. 2. The critical-analytical method: which will assist me, after surveying the sources, in critiquing the position of religious globalization regarding the universality of religion within the Islamic perspective.