CONCEPT AND CHARACTERISTICS

OF UMMAH
NATION AND DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN NATION AND UMMAH
Maryam Khalid (1362)
Sahlah Abdul Khaliq (1354)
Areeba Zulfiqar (1343)
Amna Jabeen (1353)
 UMMAH
• ‘Ummah’ is an arabic word and is derived from
the word ‘amma’ which means ‘to go’ or ‘to go
and see’.
• Ummah is a community of believers bound
together with a common purpose, to worship
God and with a common goal to advance the
cause of islam.
• Ummah is something beyond geographical
boundaries.
 QURANIC CONCEPT OF UMMAH
• Before Quran there was no concept of ummah, Arab
communities were typically governed by kingship.
• There are almost 62 instances in which this term,
‘ummah’ is mentioned in Quran.
• The meaning of this term evolved from refering a
general religious community to specifically refering to
Muslim community.
• In passages of Quran, ummah may be referring to a
unity of mankind through the shared beliefs of the
monotheistic religion.
 CONT…
• In Quran Allah often uses the term Ummah to refer a
group of people who share common religious beliefs.
• This term also refers to the communities with their
own messengers.
• In Quran HE says;
“To every Ummah (was sent) a messenger…”
(Quran 16:36)
• Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to educate an
ummah for the benefit of humanity.
 CONT…
• In Quran Allah refers to the ummah of
Muhammad (PBUH) as the best community;
“You are the best community (ummah) raised up for
(the benefit of) humanity; enjoying what is right
and forbidding what is wrong and believing in
God…” (Quran 3:110)
 CONT…
• Muslims are connected with an indestructible
tie, the tie of brotherhood, between all the
Muslims.
• Allah says; “surely all believers are brothers…”
(Quran 49:10)
• Practical application of this brotherhood was
the incident of immigrants and supporters.
 CONT…
• According to Islam; ummah or Muslim
community, is a group of people from diverse
backgrounds, ancestry, locations and
nationalities.
• “And verily this ummah of yours is one ummah and I
am your Lord and Cherisher, therefore fear Me and
no other.” (Quran 23:52)
• And every member of Ummah is regarded as
equal before Allah.
 CAHARACTERISTICS OF UMMAH
• One ummah in islam means the muslims must have some specific
traits or characteristics which are explained below.

• MONOTHEISM:
The Oneness of Allah, worshiping Him only, obeying Him only is the
most prominent feature of the Islamic nation(the nation that
accepted message) means UMMAH.

• PROPHET MUHAMMED AS ROLE MODEL:

Singling the Prophet (SAWS) as the role model of the whole nation
because he is the prophet, the messenger, the leaders, the teacher
and the Imam Allah chose for us.
 CONT…
• MIDDLE NATION:
Allah says, “Thus We have made you a middle nation, so
that you may act as witnesses for mankind, and the
Messenger may be a witness for you…” (TMQ, 2:143)

• SUCCESSFUL UMMAH:
It is the nation that enjoins virtue and forbids vice according to
the verse, “Let there be a group among you who call others to
good, and enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong:
those who do this shall be successful.” (TMQ, 3:104).
 CONT…
• PRESERVANCE OF PROPHETHOOD:
It is the nation that preserves the legacy of
prophethood in compliance with the verse that
says, “The Book which We have revealed to you is the
truth confirming previous scriptures. Allah knows and
observes His servants. We have bestowed the Book on
those of Our servants whom We have chosen. Some wrong
their own souls, some keep half-way [between right and
wrong]; some, by Allah’s leave, excel others in good deeds.
This is a great bounty of Allah.” (TMQ, 35:31-32).
 CONT…
• GLOBALISM:
 If we take a close look at the Islamic Sharia and it rulings we
will clearly see it globalism, comprehensiveness, openness
and inclusiveness for the various times, places and peoples.

• MODERATE NATION:
Its moderation! Allah says, “Thus We have made you a middle
nation, so that you may act as witnesses for mankind, and the
Messenger may be a witness for you…” (TMQ, 2:143).
Prophet (SAW) interpreted the word ‘middle’ as ‘moderate’.
 CONT…
• BEING CHARITABLE:
Anas Ibn-Malek also narrated that the Prophet (SAWS) said, “My
nation is like the rain; you never know if the goodness will come in
its beginning or its end.” (Ahmad) So as much as we believe and
obey Allah and His prophet there will always be goodness in us. This
goodness goes exclusively to the nation that accepted the message.

• PROSTRATING:
Allah says, “You who are true believers, kneel and prostrate
yourselves, worship your Lord and do good works, so that you may
succeed.” (TMQ, 22:77), and, “No indeed! Do not obey him, but
prostrate yourself and come closer to Allah.” (TMQ, 96:19). 
 CONT…
• DAWA-INVITATION:
It is a pivotal task and as well as the characteristic of ummah that
all the people (muslims) should give invitation to other people and
preach Allah’s message. Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom
and fair exhortation and reason with them in a way that is best…”
(TMQ, 16:125).

• KNOWLEDGE:
It is the nation of knowledge by proof of the very first verse
revealed. “Read by the name of thy Lord, who created.” (TMQ,
96:1). Reading is the first order ever delivered by the revelation,
reading is the portal to realizing the nation’s values and perspective. 
 CONT…
• LAST SURVIVING:
Muawia also narrated that he heard the
Prophet (SAWS) as saying, “If Allah wants to do good
to a person, He makes him comprehend this religion. I
am just a distributor, but the grant is from Allah. (And
remember) that this nation (true Muslims) will keep
on following Allah’s teachings strictly and they will
not be harmed by any one going on a different path
till Allah’s order (Judgment Day) is established.” (Al-
Bukhary)
 NATION
• A large body of people united by common
descent, history, culture, or language,
inhabiting a particular country or territory.
• The idea that people of a nation are
connected to each other is called nationalism.
 WHAT ARE NATIONS FOR?
• Modern nation-states were created by nations to
give people sharing a common language and
cultural characteristics the right to govern
themselves as they choose.
• Nations provide protection against external threats
and can ask their citizens to perform tasks, such as
military service, in return.
• The more powerful a nation’s military and economic
power, the more it can promote its own interests.
 HOW DO NATIONS FORM?
• Throughout history, nations have formed in several
ways. Some were established as a result of
geographic isolation, such as England.
• Others were created as the result of emigration, such
as Australia, often displacing existing nations.
• And still others were created from the breakup of
larger empires or from peace treaties, such as Croatia.
• Some nations, such as the Kurds or the Palestinians,
are still fighting to create their own nation-states.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF NATION
• Define borders
• Governing authority
• Sovereignty
 Power to make and enforce its own law
 Power to deal with other nations
 Trading agreements Who may enters in its
border
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UMMAH AND NATION

UMMAH AND NATION

Ummah is an common Arabic word meaning “people
group”i.e community.
• It is distinguished from shab which mean a nation with
common ancestry or geography.
• Thus, it can be said to be a supra-national community
with a common history.
• The term ummah takes on a religious connotations in
the Qur'an where God is said to have sent to each
ummah its own messenger.
 CONT…
• Umat -o- qaum i-e ummah and nation are
synonyms. Both mean group or class.
• But the word nation means the group or class
of those people who has the similarity in cast,
language and time.
• And the word ummah is class which is based
on one belief.
 CONT…
• The word ummah is especially used for the
Muslim religiousness.
• The word nation mean such a group of people
which came into being after passing through
long-time progressive steps.
• There must be a similarity of time in a nation
 CONT…
• Any person can be the member of Muslim
ummah any time after accepting the Kalma
toheed but cannot be the member of a nation
and get out of it atonce,for this he has to pass
through the long progressive process.
• The nation is a strictly political concept.
 CONT…
• To the Muslim way of thinking, the only
ummah that counts is the Ummah Islamiyah,
the Islamic Community, an entity that
theoretically comprises all Muslims
throughout the world, whatever their national
origin.
THANK YOU!