Communicating Islamic Values in A Globalized World: The Role of English as a Lingua Franca

Abstract

The dominance of the English language in the modern globalized world has consequences for presentation of cultural and religious values including that of Islam. As the medium of expressing the Islamic values through has been set in English, this paper discusses the prospects and complexities of the said ideology in the global world. Through globalization, where English has become an international language for communication in social interaction, Muslims have been given an opportunity to pass on the knowledge of Islam to other people of the world. This linguistic link assists in the Muslim’s ability to engage in interfaith dialogue as well as help the Non-Muslims to understand more about the Religion of Islam , which they would have otherwise not acknowledged for the mere reason that it goes against their conception of what is right. In this manner, Islamic scholars, educators and various other leaders can therefore effectively address the non-English speaking audiences, thus encouraging more understanding about people of other faiths and practices across the globe. Nevertheless, there is no denial that there are some issues with the use of English as well. There are inevitable pitfalls in the process of translating and interpreting religious terms from one language to another, especially by losing some of the nuance and meaning of terms in the original language. In this paper, several case studies are evaluated concerning the use of English that was incorporated in teaching Islamic values and the approaches used, and the result that was achieved. It also highlights about the instructional methods student in Islamic education use to embrace English with an intention of producing Muslims with capabilities of interacting within global forums. In addition, to understand the engagements of digital media and social media in enhancing Islamic voices in the English-speaking cultures, the availability and usage of digital media is also under consideration, along with the pros and cons of digital media. In conclusion, it is possible to note that though English as a lingua franca can indeed be an effective means for spreading Islamic values to the peoples of the world, the translation process must be considered as a rather delicate and meticulous one to avoid losing such valuable information as well as distorting it.

Keywords: Islamic Values, Globalization, English Language, Lingua Franca