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by Kazi Mahmood JAKARTA (Islam Online) - Islamic organizations worldwide expressed wishes that an Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) type of movement would conquer the Internet and evolve as a world body, universally representing Muslims and helping the oppressed nation of Islam in all walks of life. "The advent of the Internet as a medium of information and an interactive center for business, political and social transactions is a 'manna' for the Islamic world of today." Such was the expression of a group of professors and professionals from Indonesia. Responding to the call by various organizations to turn such movements like ISNA into a worldwide-accepted Islamic body that would represent the Ummah, the group of intellectuals said they wished that ISNA and other Islamic movements "penetrated the Internet fully". "With an agenda to capture and dominate the space on the Net, Islam will be strengthened. This will help the Muslims win the battle of the media, and control Islamic type of business online," says the group that call themselves "Followers of Islam". The group does not have a proper name, a registered address, or a committee that runs its affairs. It has a single leader and the rest of the group follows the leader acting as delegates. "Our concept is based on the Shariah. We base our system on the principles of Islam where there is an Amir (leader) and no deputy," the leader of the group, Muckhtar Manaf said. Muckhtar believes that the Internet is here to stay and that the non-Islamic world has planned and so far succeeded in diverting almost everything into the cyber world. Islam, he says, is far behind and is, as ever, disunited in this sector. "ISNA, for example, should become the leader. They have the capacity to do so. They sure have the technology and the expertise. What is now needed is probably the "political will" to act and conquer the Net," he said. The Muslim world certainly has a fair representation of its spiritual and political spectrum on the Internet, yet what is missing is the major part of the Islamic lifestyle. Islam is a complete system. It comes with economy and business. The conquest of the Internet will not be complete if organizations neglect to implement the Islamic principle of business and economy on the Internet altogether. This is the opinion expressed by a large majority of Muslims in an online survey conducted by Segatron Enterprise, a web based organization building a community of Malay entrepreneurs online. "The Muslim world has a lot to catch up on the Net. The Internet in the U.S., for example, has reached its Phase Two and is gearing up for its Phase Three of the development processes." Asiah Tahar of Segatron says. "However, in the Islamic world, Malaysia and other counties like Pakistan, or even Saudi Arabia and Dubai, the Muslims are not strong in Internet based businesses. E-business for the Muslims seems to be a mountain to climb," commented Asiah, clad in her "baju kurung" and her "Hijab" in a release to the Malaysian press. She believes that Islam will gain more if Muslims unite themselves into online communities for business. "My company is striving to build an online community for Malay-Muslims worldwide. There seems to be little concern by the authorities and by the business community at large for the need to build such communities online." The major obstacles faced by Tahar to implement her ideas on the Internet are the lack of funds. "An online community with full e-business and e-commerce facilities takes a lot of funds. Such funds are not available anywhere for Muslims," she said. To counter this problem, and to bring Islamic assistance to the entire world, many believe that organizations like ISNA "which seems to be powerful and capable" could start to "invest" in an online "Bait-Ul-Maal". Segatron Enterprise has been working on a business proposal to implement an online "Bait-Ul-Maal" which would be a funding body for all kinds of Islamic related online and offline businesses and communities. "However since we are currently struggling with our main website, "Warisanmelayu.com", we find it difficult to implement such ideas, not here in Malaysia at least," Tahar said to Islam Online. The online "Bait-Ul-Maal" she says could also implement, with the help of groups like Islam Online and ISNA, an online Islamic Share Market. "I believe there is nothing un-Islamic with trading of shares as long as they are done in the spirit and principle of Islam," Mr. Bahadur, General Manager of Warisanmelayu.com said to Islam Online. Mr. Muckhtar of Indonesia expressed concern on the slow creation of Islam-based online communities. "Such communities will help the Muslims interact among themselves, buy goods online and sell their ideas altogether on the online Islamic shops. Such Internet activities should be based on the Business to Business concept," he insisted, adding that it is never too late to seriously consider an online "Bait-Ul-Maal". "Such an online organization can bring relief to Muslims, be they business people or simpletons who are financially and economically oppressed," adding that, according to his knowledge, ISNA could pick up from there and develop the idea fully. |
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