Ummah
[3] In the Quran, the ummah typically refers to a single group that shares a common religious beliefs, specifically those that are the objects of a divine plan of salvation.
[6] Ummah is distinguished from shaʻb (شَعْب [ˈʃæʕb], "people"), which means a nation with common ancestry or geography.
Ummah can be a supra-national polity with a common history and identity based on religion.
[2] The phrase Ummah Wāhidah in the Quran (أمة واحدة, "One Nation") refers to all the Islamic world as it existed at the time.
The Quran says: "You [Muslims] are the best nation brought out for Mankind, commanding what is righteous (معروف Ma'rūf, lit.
[4] Unlike earlier messengers, who had been sent to various nations in the past (as can be found among the Prophets in the Old Testament), Muhammad sought to develop an ummah that was universal and not only for Arabs.
[14] There are 62 instances in which the term ummah is mentioned in the Qur'an,[15] and they almost always refer to ethical, linguistic, or religious bodies of people who are subject to the divine plan of salvation.
[11] In those passages of the Qur'an, ummah may be referring to a unity of mankind through the shared beliefs of the monotheistic religions.
[16] The extensive use of the term during both time periods indicates that Muhammad had begun to arrive at the concept of the ummah to specify the genuine Muslim nation.
[Qur'an, Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) (23:51–52)]Initially, it did not appear that the new Muslim nation would oppose the tribes that already existed in Mecca.
[19] The first Muslims did not need to make a break with traditional Quraysh customs since the vision for the new nation included moral norms that were not unfamiliar to the tribal society of Mecca.
[21] Islamic historian, Tabari, suggested that Muhammad's initial intentions upon arriving in Medina was to establish a mosque, however this is unlikely.
[23] 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 nation and political figure of authority.
[22] 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 nation.
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.
[26] 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.
[22] 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 nation based on Abraham.
