THE INTEGRATION OF FAITH AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATION: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC PERSPECTIVE ON ISLAMIC ENGLISH AMONG NON-ARAB MUSLIM COMMUNITIES
Keywords:
Islamic English; World Englishes; Sociolinguistics; Non-Arab Muslims; Religious Identity; Lingua Franca; Code-Mixing; Translingualism; Arabic Loanwords; Critical Discourse Analysis.Abstract
The worldwide expansion of English has transformed it from the language of a limited group of native speakers into an international medium of communication used across diverse cultural and religious settings. One significant outcome of this development is the emergence of Islamic English, a variety of English that enables non-Arab Muslims to communicate Islamic concepts while preserving their religious and cultural identity.
This article reviews existing scholarship on Islamic English from a sociolinguistic perspective. It combines Braj Kachru's framework of World Englishes with Ismail Raji al-Faruqi's ideas concerning the adaptation of English to Islamic discourse. The discussion demonstrates how Muslim communities in countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Muslim diaspora societies integrate Arabic religious vocabulary into English communication. These linguistic practices strengthen group identity, facilitate intercultural communication, and preserve authentic Islamic meanings. The review also identifies an important research gap, emphasizing that contemporary digital communication within the global Muslim community remains insufficiently investigated despite its growing influence on language development.
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