The Concept of Ummah in Modern Geopolitical Thought: Intellectual Reinterpretations from Colonialism to the Contemporary Middle East

Abstract The concept of the Ummah – the global community of Muslims – has been a central theme in Islamic intellectual traditions, embodying both spiritual unity and political imagination. In the modern era, colonialism, nationalism, and global geopolitics have reshaped its meaning and function. This article traces the intellectual reinterpretations of the Ummah from the late 19 th century to the contemporary Middle East. Beginning with reformists such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh, it examines the Ummah as an anti-colonial ideal, later challenged by the rise of nation-states and competing ideologies of Arab nationalism and pan-Islamism. Thinkers like Hasan al-Banna, Abul A‘la Mawdudi, and Ayatollah Khomeini further reimagined the Ummah as a political and religious venture. The study concludes with an analysis of its contemporary expressions, from institutional forums like the OIC to radical and digital reinterpretations, underscoring the Ummah as a contested yet enduring geopolitical discourse.