The authors of the article consider the culture of Islam in the context of the two contradictory tendencies of contemporaneity: globalization and localization. Rather, globalization may be perceived as an ideal construction with the optimistic myth of progress embedded in it. At the same time, it represents empirical and ideological uncertainty which indicates the insufficiency of our knowledge and, accordingly, the understanding of the contemporary globalizing space. The coexistence and interpretation between globalization and localization, as well as the strengthening of the role of traditions, force us to go beyond mentality in the either-or dichotomy because today there is an increasing contradiction between globalization as a theory of modernization and globalization as an empirical process. Globalization has called into question the preservation and development of cultural and civilizational diversity. The authors consider it important to answer and address following issue: what do we know about Islam, Muslim civilization and Muslim cultures in the context of globalization and localization processes? The authors outline and put into context the issue from the point of view of the problem of understanding the Muslim civilization.