Abstract

Drawing on the work of historians of Muslim experience as well as analysts of globalisation, this article traces the forces of uniformity and diversity that have been present in the global community of Muslims, the Ummah, since its early formation and explains how modern-day globalisation impacts and enhances these forces. From this discussion, it draws out a challenge – the challenge of pluralism – that is being pressed again, and probably more urgently and rapidly, due to impacts of globalisation and what this challenge means for Muslim contexts and the choices that they face.