The Union of Islamic Countries

The Deterrent Elements and Approaches to Progress

Written by: Sayyidd Abbas Poor Hashemi

1- Unity might have intellectual, doctrinal, economical, political and even social birth place; it can also frame and optimize human communities or different people and in result, cut the way of approaching the objectives and intentions under the flag of one Union. The unions are always modeled in shadows of "common interests" which maybe cultural, doctrinal, political or economical. Today, the growing increase of man's needs has been really increased, the growing level of welfare under the shadow of modern technology and the existence of mutual and multi-dimensional dependencies. These mutual dependencies grounds create mechanisms or institutions which are responsible to man's needs.

 

2- Some believe that "Universalization" already necessitates "Regionalization" of the world. Therefore, the creation of great unions among the regional countries results from this same relation. With this perspective, Universalization does not mean to universalize all the regions with various features, but means to generalize the needs, wants and interests of countries that possess the same history. These commons make the way of reaching the" unity" more easier and merges different nations into one union to achieve their common ideals, interests and wants.

 

3- The Islamic nature among the Muslim countries can be regarded as a common good to achieve the unity between Islamic countries; it can assemble all the Muslim countries under the shadow of religious beliefs and values and with the emphasis on the religious commonalities makes the way of reaching the end of " Islamic countries Union" more easier. The element of "nature" has a vital role in establishing most of modern unions. For instance, although the economical needs and wants was an important factor in the establishment of "Europe Union", the element of "nature" had another important place in this establishment which should not be ignored. The sense of "being European" is a common feeling among the European countries, from the weak to the strong ones. In disputes around the annexation of Turkey to Europe Union, they emphasized on this point that Turkey is an Asian country and does not possess European nature; though some party pf its land is located in Europe. Thus, it becomes clear that how much the common feeling and the nature of being European could be influential in the establishment of "Europe Union". Among the Islamic countries, the Islamic nature and feeling is also perceptible. Although the passive publicities of world media to impair the Islamic nature have years attempted to bedim and disparage Islam through aggrandizing the disputes, yet "sense of being Muslim" and "the Islamic nature" growingly increases among the Muslims. This sense of feeling becomes more prominent when faced against non-Muslims. Therefore, the concept of "nature" can be "the Islamic countries Union" objective, provided that verbal, tribal, economical, and even regional disputes not are appeared as an obstacle in the sense of "we" and "Muslim nature". From the other hand, the awareness of Muslims around this nature can provide a good ground for the union of them.

 

4- In addition to the element of nature, the existence of financial and economical fields can be regarded as important factors in establishing "the Islamic countries union". Today, most of Islamic countries have access to effectual practical technologies and can be helpful to other undeveloped countries in the transfer of these technologies. Form the other hand; it is obvious that most of Islamic countries possess rich gas and oil stores whose correct running among Islamic nations would be an effective step in the economical progression of these countries. If the financial and commercial cycle, among the Islamic nations, develops in relation to other countries who could establish a high commercial level among them, then it brings the mutual connections in which the field will be prepared for the complete integration. In fact, the economical integration and the attempt to achieve the financial unity can decrease the economical disputes among the Islamic nations. Without a doubt, among the Islamic countries, there are countries with different economical talents and grounds which are considered as having great economical potentials in the world. On the hand, there are countries that have low economical potentials. Therefore, the development of economical transactions in Islamic countries can be helpful in developing other countries. Considering the proper standards and models, it is possible for every country to move in the direction of progress. While the Islamic countries can utilize the Islamic economical model for the commercial and economical transactions, their accepting the dictated models of World Bank and the International Money Fund which only aim at the development of western capitalism, would inhibit them to reach the unity among Islamic nations.

 

5- "Common Money" among the Islamic countries van decrease the historical dominance and financial hegemony of Dollar. Based on the contract of Woods Breton which recognized the Dollar formally, and with the appearance of European Money Unit from 2002, the existing universal order of finance was damaged greatly. Although the Dollar is used in all of Islamic nations' commercial and economical transactions, its instability in price would increase these countries' economical difficulties in future. However, it seems that the desired condition is provided to announce "the Islamic Money Unit". Therefore, the Islamic countries have found a new ground to put an end to America's Dollar domination on the economics of the world countries. In addition to the above-mentioned issues, the Muslim countries can create the grounds of economical affluence between themselves through investing and commercial transactions. The benefits are more than the harms since they would avoid the calamities and side effects of foreign investment, they would bring the economical unity among the Muslim countries and finally the birth of economical institutions among the Muslim would move in economical directions which will achieve the universal financial-economical unity.

 

6- "Foreign policy" is another influential element in the establishment of "Islamic countries union". On the basis of American pragmatist ideology, which utilizes political trial and error and attempts to make other countries to pay for it, the world peace establishment can not be a good model for foreign and international relations. On the other hand, the unity in opinion is one of the basic principles of political convergence in foreign policy among different countries. The member counties of Europe Union were looking for a design to common foreign policy-makings, before adopting the "order of Money Unit". They used a mechanism to harmonize the great foreign policies among the members. In the Islam world, there are issues on which most of Muslim countries have some opinions; however, since they are not presented integratively and universally, they seem to be in-effective. There are issues which can be placed in the framework of foreign policy-making, such as, Israel, the tyrant government, the American interloping policy, supporting the oppressed nations…

 

7- Agreement among the theological and juristic sects in Islam World reduces the traditional disputes of Shiite and Sunni (Hanbali; Maleki) and defines the Muslim under the concept of Islam. The convergence of Islamic religions does not mean the ignorance of the existing differences among the religions but the most important point is to find an approach and mechanism for the Islamic countries interactions. Some of the wicked against Islamic nations try to take the advantage of religious and juristic disputes among the Muslim and in this way destroy the Islamic unity. However, the awareness of Muslim can reduce the distance and the mentioned gap and I a calm environment without any tribal disputes and traditional bigotries, they can adopt a unit common place in front of Islam's future. Therefore, it seems necessary to find a way which can link the Islamic religions together and emphasizes on the commonalities among religions and reduce the level of theological and juristic disputes. Without a doubt, one effective way of removing the mis-interpretations and the traditional impressions of them is to find the cooperative ways among the Islamic religions; therefore, it would be helpful in the establishment of "Islamic countries Union".

 

8- If the Islamic countries relations turn to the intellectual agreement, unity in Kiblah, the holy Quran, and other related things, the separation issues and disputes would be reduced. Most of these disputes have roots in nature, geography, native language, and culture and natural differences. Therefore, these natural diversities should not be a subterfuge for the separation and the behavior of these countries should not be interpreted as hostile. More important than other things, is this fact that I the international cooperation of Islamic countries turn to good intents and deep understandings of needs and wants, it can be effective in the establishment of international harmony and integration. The experience of regional union establishment indicates that the first step in establishing these unions is to arrange the friendly relations and mutual cooperation among these countries; therefore, under the shadow of multi-dimensional cooperation, the difficult way of Islamic union establishment would be easier.

9- In conclusion, in a world that bipolarity and one-polarity both had a negative reaction to universal changes, and the project of universalization has become an alternative way to traditional ones, the attempt to create "the Islamic countries union" would be a brilliant attempt. Therefore, the ideals of Islamic thinkers who expected them for a long time would be achieved. The world of today, with universalization characteristics, has extended the competition fields from the political and economical ground to the social and cultural grounds. Therefore, to stay and progress in these complex competitions requires unity and attempt to the creation of Islamic countries union is a positive reaction to the intellectual, spiritual and material needs of Islam world.

 

* Imam Khomeini had called on all the Muslim nations and the world broad-minded people in his will, toward the establishment of an Islamic government with independent republics:
"And thou the poor! Thou! The Islamic countries and Muslims of the world! You should stand against the enemies and take back your rights! You should never be afraid of the super-powers propagandas and their authorities; and the felon governors who surrender you to the enemies; you should drive them away from your country; you, yourselves, or the liable servants should take the reins of power. You should defend the oppressed and stand against the enemies of Islam under the honorable flag of Islam; you should move toward an independent Islamic government" (Sahifeh-ye Imam, vol. 21, p. 448).