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Pan Islamism

Pan-Islamism is a political ideology that calls for the unity of Muslims under one Islamic state or caliphate, with allegiance to the Muslim community (ummah) rather than ethnicity or race. It aims to unite Muslims and differentiate them from Western colonial powers. Pan-Islamism finds roots in the early Muslim community established by Muhammad and calls for reviving the unity seen in early Islamic history. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani was a prominent early advocate of Pan-Islamism in the 19th century, promoting harmony among Muslims to oppose Western colonization of Muslim lands. He believed unity was more important than ethnic identities to strengthen Muslims against the West.

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62 views

Pan Islamism

Pan-Islamism is a political ideology that calls for the unity of Muslims under one Islamic state or caliphate, with allegiance to the Muslim community (ummah) rather than ethnicity or race. It aims to unite Muslims and differentiate them from Western colonial powers. Pan-Islamism finds roots in the early Muslim community established by Muhammad and calls for reviving the unity seen in early Islamic history. Jamal al-Din al-Afghani was a prominent early advocate of Pan-Islamism in the 19th century, promoting harmony among Muslims to oppose Western colonization of Muslim lands. He believed unity was more important than ethnic identities to strengthen Muslims against the West.

Uploaded by

AHZAM SALEEM
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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It’s a political ideology recommending the unity of Muslims under one Islamic country or state,
often a caliphate or international organization with Islamic principles. Pan Islamism
differentiates itself from ideologies of nationalism exemplified as Pan Arabism which sees the
Ummat (Muslim community) as the focus of allegiance and militarization, excluding ethnicity
and race as primary unifying factors. It shows that Islam is at adverse direction of racist and
anything that keep Muslims apart. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) tried to build up a sense of
Muslim communal solidarity which surpass the traditional tribal loyalties in the past of Arabs,
can be exemplified as "Constitution of Madina", in which migrants of Makkah and newly
converted Muslims of Madina stated as "A single Ummat apart from all other man". Although
that unity came to its fall after the death of Muhammad (SAW).
It started from mid nineteenth century to twentieth century. The need of a united Muslim
world is felt as an incentive of western interventions and domination in Muslim countries
during the colonial era. All the leaders throughout the Muslim world appealed that to stand
united and strengthen the public's opposition power to foreign operations resulting in gaining
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political independence. The other ideologies like Pan Hellenism, Pan Slavism have same aim and
objective that is to end the nationalist politics. Unlike the European nationalism, Pan Islamism
denies the ethnic identities and emphasized on religious heritage that united Muslims and keep
them apart from western colonist occupiers. However, Pan Islamism can be more clarified by
exemplifying life of Jamal – Ud – Din Afghani, the first advocate who introduced Pan Islamism.
Pan Islamism took early years of Islam under the monarchy of Muhammad (SAW) and early
caliphates. It was quite common in these years and the Muslim world was unified, strong and
free form corruption. After that, it's promoted by Jamal – Ud – Din Afghani who seek harmony
and peace among Muslims to stand against the colonization of Muslim lands. Afghani worried
that nationalism would divide the Muslim unity and have faith that unity was more important
than the ethnic identities. In the post colonial world, Pan Islamism was primarily linked with
Islam. Some of the most prominent Islamist such as Syed Qutb, Abdul Ala Maududi and
Ayatullah Khomeini all emphasized their belief that revival of sharia laws will make Islam united
and strong once again. Yet, the base of all Muslims belongs to single community of believers
(Ummat) which should ideally be one politically as well as spiritually.

Jamal - ud -din Afghani:


He was born in Persia and lived life as a roaming scholar and activist as he got his early
education in Persia, then he studied in India. Afterwards, he worked in Afghanistan, Istanbul.
Egypt and Paris. His experiences gained by traveling through long routes of South Asia to North
African states and to Europe provide him a unique perspective towards the condition which are
affecting the Muslim people. That condition he believed was portrayed by political weakness,
social instability and cultural ignorance. Afghani suggested that the power of west is just
because of the suppressing restriction of Christianity. Similarly, Muslims just have to awake
their faith to overcome the developmental asymmetry that became the cause of differentiating
between western and Muslim societies.
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Bibliography:
1. Abdul Rauf. Pan-Islamism and the NWFP Province of British India.
Perceptions, 2007. Retrieved on: 7th May, 2019.

2. Sohail H. Hashmi. Pan – Islam


Encyclopedia of Islam And the Muslim World. Retrieved on 7th May, 2019.
https://www.encyclopedia.com/places/britain-ireland-france-and-low-countries/british-
and-irish-political-geography/pan-islamism

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