Voices of Harmony: Islamic Communication and Decolonization

Afifa  Shahid; Fouzia  Sadaf; Faiqa  Rashid

Afifa Shahid University of Punjab, Lahore
Fouzia Sadaf National University of Modern Languages, Lahore Campus
Faiqa Rashid National University of Modern Languages, Lahore Campus

Keywords: decolonization, digital resistance, epistemic justice, interfaith dialogue, islamic communication ethics, mutual recognition (Taʿaruf), postcolonial media

Abstract

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This paper explores the relationship between Islamic communicative ethics and decolonial theory, with a view of establishing a paradigm shift in global communication. While Eurocentric strategies focus on persuasion, efficiency, and control, the Islamic perspective values moral accountability, compassion, justice, and mutual recognition as fundamentals. This research, under the influence of the ideas of Allama Iqbal, Maulana Maududi, and Maulana Fazl ur Rahman, situates Islamic communication as a part of an integrated spiritual and ethical process that is within the scope of Islamic epistemology. The study further integrates the work of the decolonial theorists Aníbal Quijano, Walter Mignolo, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o’. Through case studies, including Muslims of the World, A Common Word, and the documentary Salam Neighbor, the study traces how Islamic ethical principles are implemented in contemporary media and interfaith discourse. This research affirms Islamic communicative ethics as a decolonial alternative that reclaims narrative autonomy, and facilitates inclusive exchange among diverse groups. By presenting Islamic ethical discourse as a relevant response to global communicative incommodities, this work contributes to the field of decolonizing communication research.

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