Wikivahdat

Ummah: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

Ummah (view source)

Revision as of 08:29, 23 February 2021

53 bytes added ,  23 February 2021
no edit summary
imported>Peysepar
No edit summary
imported>Peysepar
No edit summary
Line 13: Line 13:
Immediately after Muhammad's death in 632, Caliphates were established and the Shia emerged. <ref>Nigosian, Solomon A. (29 January 2004). Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices. Indiana University Press. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-253-11074-9. </ref> Caliphates were Islamic states under the leadership of a political successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. <ref>Kadi, Wadad; Shahin, Aram A. (2013). "Caliph, caliphate". The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought: 81–86. </ref> These polities developed into multi-ethnic trans-national empires. <ref>Al-Rasheed, Madawi; Kersten, Carool; Shterin, Marat (11 December 2012). Demystifying the Caliphate: Historical Memory and Contemporary Contexts. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-932795-9. </ref>  
Immediately after Muhammad's death in 632, Caliphates were established and the Shia emerged. <ref>Nigosian, Solomon A. (29 January 2004). Islam: Its History, Teaching, and Practices. Indiana University Press. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-253-11074-9. </ref> Caliphates were Islamic states under the leadership of a political successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. <ref>Kadi, Wadad; Shahin, Aram A. (2013). "Caliph, caliphate". The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought: 81–86. </ref> These polities developed into multi-ethnic trans-national empires. <ref>Al-Rasheed, Madawi; Kersten, Carool; Shterin, Marat (11 December 2012). Demystifying the Caliphate: Historical Memory and Contemporary Contexts. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-932795-9. </ref>  
==Qur'an==
==Qur'an==
There are 62 instances in which the term ummah is mentioned in the Qur'an,[12] and they almost always refer to ethical, linguistic, or religious bodies of people who are subject to the divine plan of salvation.  <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref> The meaning of the term appears to transform throughout the chronology of the Qur'an.[12] When it is first used in the Qur'an, it is hardly distinguishable from the term qawm, which can be translated to 'people'. <ref>Team, Almaany. "Translation and Meaning of qawm (people) in English Arabic Dictionary of terms Page 2". www.almaany.com. </ref> The Qur'an recognizes that each ummah has a messenger that has been sent to relay a divine message to the community and that all ummahs await God's ultimate judgment.[8][13] Although the meaning of the ummah begins simply with a general application of the word, it gradually develops to reference a general religious community and then evolves to specifically refer to the Muslim community.[12] Before it refers exclusively to Muslims, the ummah encompasses Jewish and Christian communities as one with the Muslims and refers to them as the People of the Book.[8][13] That is supplemented by the Constitution of Medina which declares all members of the ummah, regardless of religion, to be of "one ummah".  In those passages of the Qur'an, ummah may be referring to a unity of mankind through the shared beliefs of the monotheistic religions.[12] However, Denny points out that the most recent ummah that receives a messenger from God is the Arab ummah.[13] As the Muslims became stronger during their residence in Medina, the Arab ummah narrowed into an ummah exclusively for Muslims.[13] That is evidenced by the resacralisation of the Kaaba and Muhammad's command to take a pilgrimage to Mecca, along with the redirection of prayer from Jerusalem to Mecca.  The period in which the term is used most often is within the Third Meccan Period, followed by the Medinian Period.  The extensive use of the term during bith time periods indicates that Muhammad had begun to arrive at the concept of the ummah to specify the genuine Muslim community.  Furthermore, the early Meccan passages generally equate ummah as religion, but in the Medinan passages refer more specifically to the relations of ummah and religion. <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref> The final passage that refers to ummah in the Qur'an refers to the Muslims as the "best community" and accordingly led to it being as an exclusive reference to Islam. <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref>  
There are 62 instances in which the term ummah is mentioned in the Qur'an, and they almost always refer to ethical, linguistic, or religious bodies of people who are subject to the divine plan of salvation.  <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref> The meaning of the term appears to transform throughout the chronology of the Qur'an. When it is first used in the Qur'an, it is hardly distinguishable from the term qawm, which can be translated to 'people'. <ref>Team, Almaany. "Translation and Meaning of qawm (people) in English Arabic Dictionary of terms Page 2". www.almaany.com. </ref> The Qur'an recognizes that each ummah has a messenger that has been sent to relay a divine message to the community and that all ummahs await God's ultimate judgment. Although the meaning of the ummah begins simply with a general application of the word, it gradually develops to reference a general religious community and then evolves to specifically refer to the Muslim community. Before it refers exclusively to Muslims, the ummah encompasses Jewish and Christian communities as one with the Muslims and refers to them as the People of the Book.[8][13] That is supplemented by the Constitution of Medina which declares all members of the ummah, regardless of religion, to be of "one ummah".  In those passages of the Qur'an, ummah may be referring to a unity of mankind through the shared beliefs of the monotheistic religions. However, Denny points out that the most recent ummah that receives a messenger from God is the Arab ummah. As the Muslims became stronger during their residence in Medina, the Arab ummah narrowed into an ummah exclusively for Muslims. That is evidenced by the resacralisation of the Kaaba and Muhammad's command to take a pilgrimage to Mecca, along with the redirection of prayer from Jerusalem to Mecca.  The period in which the term is used most often is within the Third Meccan Period, followed by the Medinian Period.  The extensive use of the term during bith time periods indicates that Muhammad had begun to arrive at the concept of the ummah to specify the genuine Muslim community.  Furthermore, the early Meccan passages generally equate ummah as religion, but in the Medinan passages refer more specifically to the relations of ummah and religion. <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref> The final passage that refers to ummah in the Qur'an refers to the Muslims as the "best community" and accordingly led to it being as an exclusive reference to Islam. <ref>Denny, Frederick Mathewson (August 1975). "The Meaning of 'Ummah' in the Qur'an". History of Religions. The University of Chicago Press. 15 (1): 34–70. doi:10.1086/462733. S2CID 162244982. </ref>  
A verse in the Qur'an also mentions the ummah in the context of all of the messengers <ref>"Surat Al-Mu'minun [23:51–52] – The Noble Qur'an – القرآن الكريم". legacy.quran.com. </ref> and that their ummah (nation) of theirs is one, and God is their Lord entirely:  
A verse in the Qur'an also mentions the ummah in the context of all of the messengers <ref>"Surat Al-Mu'minun [23:51–52] – The Noble Qur'an – القرآن الكريم". legacy.quran.com. </ref> and that their ummah (nation) of theirs is one, and God is their Lord entirely:  
O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing. And indeed this, your ummah (nation), is one ummah (nation), and I am your Lord, so fear Me. [Qur'an, Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) (23:51–52)]
O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing. And indeed this, your ummah (nation), is one ummah (nation), and I am your Lord, so fear Me. [Qur'an, Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) (23:51–52)]
Line 21: Line 21:
After Muhammad and the first converts to Islam were forced to leave Mecca, the community was welcomed in Medina by the Ansar, a group of Pagans who had converted to Islam. Despite Medina already being occupied by numerous Jewish and polytheistic tribes, the arrival of Muhammad and his followers provoked no opposition from Medina's residents. <ref>Ye'or, Bat (1985). The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians under Islam. Cranberry, NJ: Associated University Press. </ref> Upon arriving in Medina, Muhammad established the Constitution of Medina with the various tribal leaders in order to form the Meccan immigrants and the Medinan residents into a single community, the ummah. Rather than limiting members of the ummah to a single tribe or religious affiliation as had been the case when the ummah first developed in Mecca, the Constitution of Medina ensured that the ummah was composed of a variety of people and beliefs essentially making it to be supra-tribal. <ref>Goitein, S.D. (1968). Studies in Islamic History and Institutions. Leiden, Netherlands: E.J. Brill. </ref> Islamic historian, Tabari, suggested that Muhammad's initial intentions upon arriving in Medina was to establish a mosque, however this is unlikely  Tabari also claimed that Muhammad observed the first Friday prayer in Medina. <ref>Watt, W. Montgomery; M.V. McDonald (1987). "The History of al-Tabari: The Foundation of the Community". VII. Albany: State University of New York. </ref> It occurred on Friday because Friday served as a market day in Medina to enable Jews to observe the sabbath. <ref>Watt, W. Montgomery; M.V. McDonald (1987). "The History of al-Tabari: The Foundation of the Community". VII. Albany: State University of New York. </ref> Membership to the ummah was not restricted to adhering to the Muslim faith but rather encompassed all of the tribes as long as they vowed to recognize Muhammad as the community and political figure of authority.[21] The Constitution of Medina declared that the Jewish tribes and the Muslims from Medina formed 'one ummah.'  It is possible that the Medinan ummah was purely secular (compared to the later transformation of the ummah in Mecca) due to its variety of beliefs and practices of its members.  The purpose of the Constitution of Medina was to uphold political obligations and social relations between the various tribes. <ref>Peters, Francis E.; Esposito, John L. (2006). The children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12769-9. </ref> The community members in Medina, although not derived from the same faith, were committed to each other through a desire to defend the common good of the community.  In other words, the community was united according to preserve its shared interests. <ref>Peters, Francis E.; Esposito, John L. (2006). The children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12769-9. </ref> The people of other religious beliefs, particularly those that are considered to be "People of the Book" were granted the special protection of God through the dhimmah contract.  These other religious groups were guaranteed security by God and Muhammad because of their common religious history as being the "People of the Book." The dhimmah served as a sort of alliance between Muslims and non-Muslims. In the earlier treaties of the dhimmah, both groups were viewed as equal in status and both were obligated to help the other. However, in later treaties, after Islam had gained more power throughout Arabia, the dhimmah was perceived as the fulfilment of the religious duties of Muslims along with the payment of zakat. With the new contract of dhimmah, non-Muslims' protection by God and Muhammad became dependent on their payment.  
After Muhammad and the first converts to Islam were forced to leave Mecca, the community was welcomed in Medina by the Ansar, a group of Pagans who had converted to Islam. Despite Medina already being occupied by numerous Jewish and polytheistic tribes, the arrival of Muhammad and his followers provoked no opposition from Medina's residents. <ref>Ye'or, Bat (1985). The Dhimmi: Jews and Christians under Islam. Cranberry, NJ: Associated University Press. </ref> Upon arriving in Medina, Muhammad established the Constitution of Medina with the various tribal leaders in order to form the Meccan immigrants and the Medinan residents into a single community, the ummah. Rather than limiting members of the ummah to a single tribe or religious affiliation as had been the case when the ummah first developed in Mecca, the Constitution of Medina ensured that the ummah was composed of a variety of people and beliefs essentially making it to be supra-tribal. <ref>Goitein, S.D. (1968). Studies in Islamic History and Institutions. Leiden, Netherlands: E.J. Brill. </ref> Islamic historian, Tabari, suggested that Muhammad's initial intentions upon arriving in Medina was to establish a mosque, however this is unlikely  Tabari also claimed that Muhammad observed the first Friday prayer in Medina. <ref>Watt, W. Montgomery; M.V. McDonald (1987). "The History of al-Tabari: The Foundation of the Community". VII. Albany: State University of New York. </ref> It occurred on Friday because Friday served as a market day in Medina to enable Jews to observe the sabbath. <ref>Watt, W. Montgomery; M.V. McDonald (1987). "The History of al-Tabari: The Foundation of the Community". VII. Albany: State University of New York. </ref> Membership to the ummah was not restricted to adhering to the Muslim faith but rather encompassed all of the tribes as long as they vowed to recognize Muhammad as the community and political figure of authority.[21] The Constitution of Medina declared that the Jewish tribes and the Muslims from Medina formed 'one ummah.'  It is possible that the Medinan ummah was purely secular (compared to the later transformation of the ummah in Mecca) due to its variety of beliefs and practices of its members.  The purpose of the Constitution of Medina was to uphold political obligations and social relations between the various tribes. <ref>Peters, Francis E.; Esposito, John L. (2006). The children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12769-9. </ref> The community members in Medina, although not derived from the same faith, were committed to each other through a desire to defend the common good of the community.  In other words, the community was united according to preserve its shared interests. <ref>Peters, Francis E.; Esposito, John L. (2006). The children of Abraham: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-12769-9. </ref> The people of other religious beliefs, particularly those that are considered to be "People of the Book" were granted the special protection of God through the dhimmah contract.  These other religious groups were guaranteed security by God and Muhammad because of their common religious history as being the "People of the Book." The dhimmah served as a sort of alliance between Muslims and non-Muslims. In the earlier treaties of the dhimmah, both groups were viewed as equal in status and both were obligated to help the other. However, in later treaties, after Islam had gained more power throughout Arabia, the dhimmah was perceived as the fulfilment of the religious duties of Muslims along with the payment of zakat. With the new contract of dhimmah, non-Muslims' protection by God and Muhammad became dependent on their payment.  
===Constitution of Medina===
===Constitution of Medina===
The Constitution of Medina is a document created by Muhammad to regulate social and political life in Medina. <ref>Esposito, John L. (2004). ""Ummah"". The Islamic World: Past and Present. Oxford: Oxford University Press. </ref> It deals with various tribal issues such as the organization and leadership of the participating tribal groups, warfare, blood money, ransom of captives, and war expenditures. It is at the beginning of the document that the Muslims from the Quraysh (those from Mecca) and the Muslims from Yathrib (those from Medina) are declared to be an ummah or one community. <ref>Lecker, Michael (2013). "Constitution of Medina". Encyclopedia of Islam. Three. </ref> The word ummah appears again when the document refers to the treaty of the Jews and states that the Yahūd Banī ' Awf, or Jews, are an ummah that exists alongside the ummah of the Muslims or may be included in the same ummah as the Muslims.[23] The document does state that the Jews who join the Muslims will receive aid and equal rights.[23] In addition, the Jews will be guaranteed security from the Muslims, and are granted to maintain their own religion just as the Muslims will maintain theirs.  This implies that the ummah is not strictly a religious community in Medina. The Constitution of Medina lists the various Medinan tribes derived from the Aws and Khazraj as well as the several Jewish tribes that are granted to keep their tribal organization and leadership. The document also reveals that each group, the Muslims and the Jews, is responsible for its own finances except during time of war, when the two are able to share expenses.  <ref>Lecker, Michael (2013). "Constitution of Medina". Encyclopedia of Islam. Three. </ref>
The Constitution of Medina is a document created by Muhammad to regulate social and political life in Medina. <ref>Esposito, John L. (2004). ""Ummah"". The Islamic World: Past and Present. Oxford: Oxford University Press. </ref> It deals with various tribal issues such as the organization and leadership of the participating tribal groups, warfare, blood money, ransom of captives, and war expenditures. It is at the beginning of the document that the Muslims from the Quraysh (those from Mecca) and the Muslims from Yathrib (those from Medina) are declared to be an ummah or one community. <ref>Lecker, Michael (2013). "Constitution of Medina". Encyclopedia of Islam. Three. </ref> The word ummah appears again when the document refers to the treaty of the Jews and states that the Yahūd Banī ' Awf, or Jews, are an ummah that exists alongside the ummah of the Muslims or may be included in the same ummah as the Muslims. <ref>Lecker, Michael (2013). "Constitution of Medina". Encyclopedia of Islam. Three. </ref> The document does state that the Jews who join the Muslims will receive aid and equal rights. In addition, the Jews will be guaranteed security from the Muslims, and are granted to maintain their own religion just as the Muslims will maintain theirs.  This implies that the ummah is not strictly a religious community in Medina. The Constitution of Medina lists the various Medinan tribes derived from the Aws and Khazraj as well as the several Jewish tribes that are granted to keep their tribal organization and leadership. The document also reveals that each group, the Muslims and the Jews, is responsible for its own finances except during time of war, when the two are able to share expenses.  <ref>Lecker, Michael (2013). "Constitution of Medina". Encyclopedia of Islam. Three. </ref>
==Back to Mecca==
==Back to Mecca==
After the Muslim takeover of Mecca, membership in the ummah required a commitment to Islam.  This happened as a result of Islam beginning to distinguish itself not just from Paganism but also Judaism and Christianity by emphasizing a model of community based on Abraham. <ref>Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1974). The Venture of Islam: Conscience and History in a World Civilization. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago. </ref> The membership of the ummah was now based on two main principles; the first is to worship God alone and secondly, in order to worship God properly one must be in a guided community.   
After the Muslim takeover of Mecca, membership in the ummah required a commitment to Islam.  This happened as a result of Islam beginning to distinguish itself not just from Paganism but also Judaism and Christianity by emphasizing a model of community based on Abraham. <ref>Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1974). The Venture of Islam: Conscience and History in a World Civilization. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago. </ref> The membership of the ummah was now based on two main principles; the first is to worship God alone and secondly, in order to worship God properly one must be in a guided community.   
The essentials of the new society were the new relations between human beings and God and between human beings and one another. The society was held together by the Prophet. Feuding among Muslim clans was forbidden.  Muhammad's community was designed to transform the world itself through action in the world. <ref>Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1974). The Venture of Islam: Conscience and History in a World Civilization. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago. </ref>  
The essentials of the new society were the new relations between human beings and God and between human beings and one another. The society was held together by the Prophet. Feuding among Muslim clans was forbidden.  Muhammad's community was designed to transform the world itself through action in the world. <ref>Hodgson, Marshall G. S. (1974). The Venture of Islam: Conscience and History in a World Civilization. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago. </ref>  
==Notes==
==Notes==
Anonymous user
Retrieved from "https://en.wikivahdat.com/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/771"