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This paper seeks to examine the relationship between globalization and Islam. Globalization’s focus on market forces, new technology and new discources of democracy and human rights have different impacts on parts of the Muslim world. It has become evident that globalization has created two contradictory processes, namely homogenization and fragmentation (localization) of global values, democracy, ethnicity and identity. Islam, as a rich and diverse fiber, empowers Muslims to cope with these issues in different ways. What are major historical, socio-political and economic factors that shape the understanding and manifestation of Islam in different parts of the world? It is asserted that there are different zones of Islam, each of which are framed by their respective national culture and diverse historical experiences. This paper will focus on Iran (as the representative of the Persian Zone) and Saudi Arabia (as the representative of the Arab Zone) and elaborate on the diferences between those two zones in regards to coping with the forces of globalization. The main question is: What significance do reactions of both zones to the forces of globalization have to our understanding of ‘globalization’ per se? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]