The Umma (Community)
Proposition:-
The Shahadah by which a Muslim enters into Islam is also an oath of allegiance to the Islamic community.
Critic:-
This looks very strange for me. I could not admit it. In the 2 sentences of the Shahadah I do not see any evidence of that. I see it as testifying faith in God as The Unique and In His messenger and message, but no mention of community or ....."allegiance" to this community.
Comment:-
Why is it strange?
It was the mission of the Prophet to form a community. Muslims do form a community, an Umma, owing to the fact that they all accept that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger. All those who submit to Allah are brothers. If they are all joined to Allah then they are all joined to one another. That is the only justification for that community. The abandonment of this idea has led to division among Muslims.
Many Muslims pray five times a day, some less. But during this prayer, when in the sitting position, certain words are uttered sincerely and meditatively, or ought to be so uttered. What is the significance of these words?
However, if you wish to deny it, I will not argue - you must go by your understanding. It is your decision. But consider the following:-
"Surely those who swear allegiance unto thee (O Muhammad) do but swear allegiance to Allah; the hand of Allah is above their hands. Therefore, whoever breaks his faith, he breaks it only to the injury of his own soul, and whoever fulfills what he has covenanted with Allah, He will grant him a mighty reward. " 48:10
"Hold fast, all together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate (divide or part in sects); but remember the favours of Allah towards you, when ye were enemies and He made friendship between your hearts, and on the morrow ye became brothers, by His grace. Ye were on the edge of an abyss of fire, but He rescued you therefrom. Thus does Allah show to you His revelations, perchance ye may be guided; and that there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and bid right conduct, and forbid what is wrong (or indecent); these are the successful." 3:103-104
"And, verily, this your religion (or community or brotherhood) is one religion (or community or brotherhood), and I am your Lord; so keep your duty unto Me." 23:52.
Question:-
Have, I quote, "Muslims ... tended to base themselves on Western political theories and then to "Islamicise" these theories? "What precisely is the Muslim Ummah?" If it is translated as "nation", it is inevitable that some of the connotations of the modern nation-state creep in. Does this embody the Western concept of 'nationalism', and its concomitant, the individual 'sovereign state'? Doesn't this theoretically categorises Muslims by nationality and citizenship undermining the Islamic concept of 'unity'? Or if 'community' is used, doesn't it becomes a purely social concept, something like a undefined social unit without any real political role?
Comment:-
Ummah refers to a community.
But the Islamic community should have the characteristics required of it in the Quran. That is to say, it is people with a common ideology, value system and goal, who "cling to the cable of Allah and do not separate". It is a brotherhood where mutual help, co-operation and consultation take place. It is a community where people exhort one another to good and forbid evil.
It is not a political system, State or Nation in the Western sense, though according to some commentators it is Islam that established the first truly Democratic state and notion of nationhood. But there is nothing formal or dead machinelike about the Islamic community. It is not based on territory. It does not have a rigid organisation or bureaucracy, but ought to be wholly flexible, intelligent, adaptable and human. But nevertheless, it includes all aspects of the society including politics, economics and culture.
Question:-
But this begs the question, was or is, Muslim society a single homogeneous 'community' or a mosaic made of various sociological 'communities' and 'constituencies' that happen to share a 'community of interests'? Isn't there, also, an intrinsic geographical [locality] component implied by the sociological 'community' term, as it is generally used in its modern day sense?
Answer:-
In so far as people are not conforming to Islam it cannot matter what they do - it is irrelevant, (unless of course, their actions affect Muslims).
Islam forbids certain things, discourages others, is neutral towards others, recommends some things and makes others obligatory. Everything that is not expressly forbidden is allowed. But there ought to be a striving to do what is more useful, good, just and true. Given these there is sufficient flexibility within Islam to allow a range of diverse cultures. But in so far as Muslims depart from Islam they are harming themselves and moving towards destruction, personally and collectively.
This is part of the Islamic faith. If this is not believed and striven for then it cannot interest Muslims as Muslims.
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