17.9.07

New Word - Ummatantrik



Alternative spellings - Oummatantrique (Francophonically colonised Ummah), Woma tantric (Nigeria), u ma tan trik-la (malay)....

An Islamophylic consensus that assigns the body of Muslim believers and their advancement an essential value. A value which it is assigned in Islamic scripture and developed through centuries of diverse lived experience, principle and thought. An aspiration affirmed every time someone raises there hands to God and pleads with a dua like 'Allahumma ansuril ikhwana al muslimina fi kulli makkan, fi kulli zaman'.

A value that is dishonoured every time a British Muslim starts peddling Ummah Caramel bars, when an American Muslim posts preachy parochial youtube videos of limited humour under the identity of Ummah Films or when a doubter contends that there is no such thing as the Ummah because the world is pretty screwed up and the allegedly religious do nasty things. A value which is sullied everytime a nutjob does something awful in the name of upholding its dignity.

Not to be confused with nepotism, 'petroislam', naive islamism, religious nationalism, Khalafism or the abdication of rationality from any given action scenario.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to remind you, since you seems to be missing the point.
http://www.maniacmuslim.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=345&Itemid=45
The label is hardly important, it's the impact of the message.

Fuad Ali said...

not sure how deeply you have moved through the ummah and felt its pain and glory anonymous apa. the effect of baba on me was initially amusing (though i mistook him for imranjk). then i didnt like the effect it was having on me and the other people in the room or the born again vibe i was feeling. i mentioned it to the brother, i think he understood where i was coming from.

anyway Ummatontro! is less about the relatively unimportant 'slims in the occident and more about those who inhabit the necklace from the magreb to indonesia.