Ummatic Unity: Challenges and Strategies

Ummatic Unity: Challenges and  Strategies

Jamil Farooqi
Professor
Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
Faculty of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences,
International Islamic University, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Muslims are  an  ideological  rather  than  ethnic  and  cultural group. They are organised into one strong community to achieve the ideals which they cherish and which determine their lives, actions and operations in the world. The integrity and solidarity of Muslims as a community entirely depends upon its commitments to the ideology on the basis of which all elements, organisations   and   institutions  are   integrated   together   and blended into a comprehensive system which we call Islam. The Madinan society is an example where we find exemplary unity and fraternity among the members. In due course of time Muslims faced  numerous  challenges  within  and  outside  the group which drifted them from their basic traits and weakened their commitment to their ideology. As a matter of fact, they, by their  thinking and  actions,  began  to  give preferences  to  the factors  that  divided the Ummah into groups  and  cliques and shattered  their unity. We should devise adequate  measures to remove our weaknesses and regain the vitality of the Ummah. We have to be the true embodiment of ideological fraternity and brotherhood  which are  the  bases  of Islamic  sociability.  We should  be  patient  with our  brethren  and  accommodate their views as far as possible. A person of wisdom with higher moral qualities should be selected a leader  (Ameer) in every region. He should form an advisory committee consisting of knowledgeable and  committed persons.  Muslims should establish institutions of high standard  and run them strictly by rules  and  regulations  and  not  by whims and  their  personal relations. We  should   try   our   best   to   produce   excellent professionals in every walk of life. The knowledge of science and technology should  be  promoted.  A world  council  should  be established  which should study problems of Muslim societies and devise adequate strategies to solve them.