Unity of the Ummah

Malaysian is quite well known as a multiracial country governed by Muslims. Its developments and achievements in recent years have propelled it towards becoming an Islamic country or should I say a force that should reckoned with. Furthermore, Malaysia’s outspoken stance and its active participation in the global issues regarding Islam have earned itself to be recognised as the champion of Islam. Unfortunately, if an impartial individual were to judge that, they will simply say that it is just overrated.

One could see from the present excitement of the General Election that we could hardly classify the Muslims in Malaysia as one Ummah. Instead they are more likely partisan, nationalistic, and inclined to discriminate others (minorities). For instance, if one is to be introduced as a Muslim, one has to be Malay or else they would just be recognised as Muallaf or in other words converts. According to Ustaz Ridhuan Tee, a religious preacher, this is inaccurate as the term Muallaf only applies to individuals whom had just embraced Islam, not for a lifetime and to be passed on to their offspring. Consequently they have been treated as second degree Muslims even though some are more knowledgeable of Islam than those who are born as a Muslim.

Another aspect that we could discuss is the relationship between the government and the opposition. Generally we know that there are Muslims on both sides and each of them cooperate arguably very well with non-Muslims which they call allies. While it is possible for Muslims and non-Muslims to work together for a common goal why is it so difficult for Muslims from the government and the opposition to collaborate for the greater good of the Ummah? Although one might argue that this is as such to provide check and balance to the government, in reality the damages are quite severe. Throughout the years of such practice, some have opted to use slander towards their Muslim brothers and some would go to great lengths to undermine the other. As Professor Dr. Yusuf al-Qardhawi would put it, it is not an Islamic society if the passion towards race, hereditary and nationalism exceed Ukhuwah Islamiah.

Now let us move on to a bigger scope, Muslims throughout the world. Though there is about 6 billion Muslims altogether, they are merely as prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. said, like bubbles floating on the ocean surface, plenty but insignificant. Today, the situation of Muslim countries in the world is slightly similar with the situation of Muslims in Malaysia. Muslims are fighting amongst themselves. It is a shame to see internal strives in Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Palestine plus the degrading feeling to see Muslim countries engage in war like what happened between Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. As these conflicts persist, the never-ending issue of an independent Palestine is far from reaching a resolution. The brokers of peace consisting of United States of America (US), United Kingdom (UK), European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) who are allegedly mediating the peace talks have constantly act partially siding with the Israel, thus delaying the process.

It is hard to comprehend how the great Islamic civilization sank to this current state. From the one who produces and criticizes ideas to the one who follows them blindly. From the one who invents and creates to the one who consumes and reproduces. This phenomenon, I believe, can be offset by understanding the following Hadith.


Narrated Anas (radhiallahu anh): The Prophet p.b.u.h said, “None of you will have faith till he likes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” [1:12-OB]


It has occurred to me that during the golden period of Islam, the Muslims have something that they do not have now which is the unity of the Ummah. Even from the very beginning when the Prophet p.b.u.h. preached to the infidels in Makkah, the unity amongst them exists albeit the small numbers of individuals who pronounce Islam as their religion. As a result, their faith, the way they stand united as one enjoining ma’ruf (good) and discouraging munkar (bad) and the steadfastness of its followers to live by the teachings of Islam had drove Islam to its height. While unity is an important factor that consolidates the Islamic Caliphate, disunity on the other hand caused every caliphate’s downfall from the Khulafa Ar-Rashidun, Umayyad Caliphate, and Abbasid Caliphate and to the dissolution of the Caliphate as a whole at the end of Ottoman Caliphate. Enemies from within and out would take this chance when the Ummah is at its vulnerable to their advantage. A perfect example is when the deteriorating condition of the Ottoman Caliphate and disunity among Muslim paved way for the enemies to abolish the caliphate, one of the most important system in Islam that promotes unity of the Ummah once and for all in 1924 through the means of nationalism.

Prior to the abolition, nationalism spread to other Muslim countries and resulting their request for independence from the caliphate. As you can see the spirit of nationalisms had been sown in every Muslims’ minds to undermine the concept of Ukhuwah Islamiah. A series of subsequent events gave us the structure of Muslim countries as we see it today, separated by invisible boundaries and no longer stand united as one great body. This notion is feasible based my observation on Pakistan’s action to give US its full cooperation during the controversial War on Terror campaign to attack Afghanistan a Muslim brother. The reluctance of some Muslim countries to step up on behalf of their brethrens clearly proves my point. OIC has been said to be the nearest form of modern day caliphate there is however since its inception, there has yet to be any sort of significant impact on the Ummah.

The Muslims have a lot at hand if they intend to move forward and achieve more than their past achievements. The great explorers, inventors, mathematicians and scientists used to be Muslims and they could be repeated in the future if the unity of the Ummah is there. Any bickering with one another will only cause the dormant or worse, lagging behind state of the Muslim entirely. This tendency of infighting gives me a chance to ask a simple question. How is one expected to win when one does not know who is one’s real enemy?