An Approach to Evaluation of Unity in the Islamic Culture

Unity is one of the most important social issues in the holy religion of Islam. Unity makes possible entanglement from dependencies, success in settling social issues, and firmness in confronting conspiracies and invasions. Since Islam is a religion of kindness and brotherhood, it invites its followers to engage in being united, which will, however, never be achieved without resolving conflicts and tensions, putting aside prejudices and disputes, renouncing misguided beliefs, and refraining from perpetuating longstanding hostilities rooted in history. In addition, unity for noble causes is so central and critical in Islam that, throughout the history, many great reformers emerged, following the teachings of the Holy Quran and the tradition of the Prophet, to go down the uneasy path toward unity and to strive for creating a strong religious connectedness and emotional attachment among all Muslims. This article ventures to investigate various aspects of Islamic unity. First, the mutual relationship between the religion and the nation is discussed. Second, benefits of unity and disadvantages of dispersion as viewed by the Law-Giver are addressed. Finally, critical elements of unity and the vital role of leadership in the formation of a sublime society are explored.