The concept of unity in the multi-ethnic diversity: a presentation of the prophetic model

• Main Authors: Gilani, Sayyid Muhammad Yunus, Islam, Tazul
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: BP173 Islamic sociology; HM1 Sociology (General and theoretical)
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/4131/1/The_Concept_0f_Unity_in_the_Multi-ethnic_Diversity.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/4131/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Islam affirms that the universe is a unity emanating from a single Will of the Sustaining Lord; and man himself is a part of this universe, dependent upon and related to all other parts; individuals are as atoms, dependent upon and related to the world, therefore, they must have the same dependence upon and relation to one another. So, the Islamic belief is that the humanity is an essential unity; its scattered elements must be brought together, its diversity must give place to unity. This worldview of unity in diversity or cosmopolitanism is widely seen in the Quran and the Prophetic practices of multi-cultural unification which overwhelmingly focus on freedom of religion, inter-religious symbiosis and reciprocal obligations, religious tolerance, just and equal treatment to the non-Muslim subjects and social security towards them, conflict resolution, developing mutual understanding through dialogue and mutual cooperation in common interest. This paper aims to introduce the Islamic concepts of cosmopolitanism in a theoretical and practical framework by conducting a throughout analytic textual reading of the concerned Quranic verses and a historical survey of the Prophet‟s (pbuh) makings of unity in diversity.