The Relationship Between English and Culture in an Islamic Context: Islamization of English or Westernization of Muslims?

The study is an attempt at analyzing the cultural authenticity of the course contents of English as a foreign language. This study assumes that these course contents increase cultural barriers for the learners who belong to a different set of cultural values and religious and educational background. It traces the limitation of foreign textbooks writers because of their unawareness of the local culture and the social, educational and religious environment. The study on the one hand questions the suitability of such textbooks for the learners (mostly from religious institutions) and on the other hand gives proposals for the development of English textbooks based on indigenous or Islamic culture.