There is no Ummah

In reflecting on the events unfolding in the world today, we witness conflicts in which Muslim nations stand alone, while others remain hesitant, divided, or dependent. The war between Iran and the United States highlight a broader reality: Iran, the Muslim country faces trials without unified support from other Muslim nations.

Many major Muslim countries remain politically and economically reliant on non-Muslim powers — including nations in the West. This dependency reflects not strength, but fragmentation. It reveals not unity, but vulnerability.

The Qur’an reminds the believers to be cautious regarding alliances that compromise faith and loyalty. Allah says:

“O you who believe, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah a clear case against yourselves?”

(Surah An-Nisa 4:144)

And in another verse:

“O you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies; they are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is one of them.”

(Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:51)

These verses are not a call to hatred or injustice, for Allah also commands fairness and upright conduct. Rather, they are a warning against surrendering moral authority, political direction, and spiritual loyalty to forces that do not share the vision of Islam.

Today, we do not truly have a unified Muslim Ummah. We suffer from the absence of a living and conscious Ummah. There are more than two billion Muslims across many lands, yet the unity of Muslims cannot be measured by numbers alone. An Ummah is not a crowd. It is not a demographic statistic. It is a community bound by one direction, one higher purpose, and one united heart.

An Ummah moves toward a single vision. It stands together in strength and in hardship. When unity is replaced by division, numbers lose their meaning. We become many bodies without one spirit.

Our ranks are fractured — politically, economically, and sectarianly. Some Muslim countries aspire to progress, yet feel compelled to seek approval, protection, or validation from external powers. This is not merely political strategy; it is a symptom of internal weakness. The natural consequence of fragmentation is vulnerability. Where there is division, domination follows.

If we were truly united — heart with heart and hand in hand — we would strengthen one another. Our wealth would support the weak. Our knowledge would uplift the ignorant. Our strength would shield the vulnerable. Unity does not erase diversity; rather, it harmonises diversity toward a common good.

The Qur’an calls us clearly to unity:

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.”

(Surah Aal ‘Imran 3:103)

And Allah warns:

“And do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and your strength depart.”

(Surah Al-Anfal 8:46)

The revival of the Ummah is therefore not a matter of increasing population, but of restoring shared purpose, mutual trust, moral courage, and collective responsibility. It requires leaders who fear Allah more than they fear global powers. It requires communities that value solidarity over rivalry.

Only when we return to sincere faith, principled leadership, and genuine brotherhood will the name Ummah regain its true meaning. Until then, we remain many in number — but divided in spirit.

Professor Dr Zuhaimy Ismail