GEOPOLITICS, ISLAM, AND GLOBALIZATION: A CRITIQUE OF RADICAL INTER-PRETATIONS

Abstract This article explores the interconnection between Islam, globalization, and geopolitics, while offering a critical analysis of radical interpretations that erroneously associate Islam with extremism and terrorism. Historical factors—such as colonial legacies and the superpower rivalry during the Cold War—contributed to the politicization of religion and made Islamic communities vulnerable to ideological manipulation. Terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and ISIS use religious rhetoric to achieve political goals, which contradicts the theological and ethical foundations of Islam.