Role of Muslim Communities and Islamic Institutions
in Highlighting the Image of Islam
The Concept of Islamic Institutions
The notion of “Islamic institution” includes any instrument having regulatory administrative and structural foundations with the purpose of serving the Islamic causes and affairs in any of the fields of Islamic action, be it an organization, an institution, an association, an agency or a corporation. At a second level, the concept of “the Islamic institution” also involves universities, institutes and academies which specialize in Islamic studies and set serving the Islamic culture at the head of their missions.
The Islamic institutions that fall under the first category are a relatively recent practice in the Islamic world; since the Organization of the Islamic Conference was created in 1969 and the majority of subsidiary organizations were established thereafter. On the other hand, the institutions created as early as 1969 are in two categories. The governmental institutions like the Academy of Islamic Research of which the parent institution is Al Azhar Alsharif in Cairo, and the popular institutions like the holy Mecca-based Muslim World League.
This notion is more functional than descriptive or logical, because, in origin and in principle, anything established in the Muslim society should be based on Islamic foundations with Islamic objectives so that it is Islamic in terms of logic, content and intention. Therefore, the institutions established in Islamic countries should, legally and reasonably, be distinguished by Islamic characteristics so that they are Islamic institutions in nature.
This is in principle and as far as the conceptual characteristics and essence of things are concerned. However, for some circumstances, factors and reasons it will take pages to explain, it has become familiar and natural and even conventional to call “Islamic institution” that institution which is concerned about Islamic affairs, devoted to Islamic causes and is specially interested in action related to Islam as a faith, mission, culture, civilization and heritage. Hence, any institution working in this field is an Islamic institution according to this concept on the basis of which Islamic institutions are dealt with both in principle and function.
However, the functional notion of Islamic institutions sets them as institutions undertaking the responsibility of Islamic action, each in its field of interest, within a fixed framework and pursuant to the determined principles, bases and objectives. (2)
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