Professor James Piscatori has been working extensively on pan-Islamism and Islamic transnationalism, specifically investigating the contemporary meaning of a globalized form of Islam.
Speaking at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, Piscatori described an almost universal search for global solidarity that is not only present in Islam, but crosses nation-state divisions, ethnicity and even religion itself:
"One of the hidden agendas of the argument is that many people don't think that a globalized version of Ummah, or that truly unifying collective brotherhood even exists anymore. But for those who acknowledge it, often it can get misinterpreted as being something hostile and aggressive. It is in fact a communitarian idea, in that there is almost an abstract membership, or feeling of solidarity based on a set of shared principles and an assumed domain of knowledge that also has significant historical relevance."
'Populist Propaganda Tool'
A thriving, commercial Ummah industry now exists, where a number of NGOs with large global networks digitally spread their transnational message, according to Piscatori. However, the use of a unified message to resonate nationalistic ideals is something said to be manipulated as a form of soft power by state leaders, he added.
"Whilst some argue that a sense of Muslim global unity is strong, many also believe that a more ambivalent sense of community exists in reality today. It's almost as if there are now sub-groups of Ummah, and even discontent micro-Ummahs worldwide, with many geographically displaced, and often in civil conflict with others."
Responding to the question of whether he felt groups such as Daesh (also known as ISIL) and al-Qaeda represented some of the many discontent sub-groups of a global Ummah, Piscatori said:
"I cannot speak on behalf of all Muslims, but I will say that all interpretations of solidarity need proper guidance due to the potential of abuse. It can be used as an instrument of political and social control by many, and turns into a kind of populist propaganda tool."
Piscatori mentioned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who many call a modern day 'Sultan of the Ummah', with his use of nationalistic language and manipulating propaganda.
Erdogan can be seen as one of leaders of states and tribal groups who similarly use the concept of 'an interconnected community spirit' to spread their own rhetoric and to promote the replacement of a long-lost caliphate from as far back as the 7th century.
There are references beyond Islam even that describe a mobilization of people in a unitarian sense. In Sikhism it is described as 'Khalsa' and in Buddhism it's reflected in the concept of collective evolution of individuals. In Christianity, the history found in the book of Genesis also refers to everyone as belonging to one human race.
"The reality is that we are all seeking for a new world order which works for us all collectively. We are all seeking ideals and ways in which we can all fit with other interconnecting communities peacefully. What we must also seek however, is a way of accepting the fact that all others have the right to believe in their own perspectives and this requires acceptance of other peoples validity to co-exist," Professor Piscatori said.