AllahuAkbar! Across the Muslim world today we are witnessing a painful reality. Conflicts erupt not only because of external enemies but because of internal fragmentation fuelled by nationalism, political rivalry and the pursuit of narrow self-interests. When we look at tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the tragedy in Sudan and the wider crisis involving Israel and Iran, we must ask ourselves a difficult question. Have we allowed ‘asabiyyah to replace the unity of Islam?
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ warned clearly against ‘asabiyyah. He said “He is not one of us who calls to asabiyyah he is not one of us who fights for asabiyyah and he is not one of us who dies upon asabiyyah.” This hadith reported in Sunan Abi Dawud leaves no room for doubt. Loyalty based on tribe, ethnicity, borders or nationalism over the bond of Islam is a disease that tears the Ummah apart.
When Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan clash under banners of national pride, territorial disputes or political rivalry, it becomes a classical case study to understand the reality of man-made boundaries and nationalism. Two nations with overwhelmingly Muslim populations sharing history, culture and creed stand divided by lines drawn on maps by colonists. The Qur’an describes believers as brothers yet here, brother is against brother.
In Sudan the tragedy is even more devastating. Muslim factions battle one another in a brutal struggle for power that has led to mass displacement, famine and the loss of countless lives. Civilians have been killed in mosques, hospitals and markets as rival forces fight for control of territory. Tens of thousands have died and millions have been uprooted from their homes. It is again the same: Muslims shedding the blood of Muslims for power and influence. 
The Prophet ﷺ taught us the sanctity of a believer’s life. In Sunan al Tirmidhi, it is reported that he looked at the Kaa’ba and said, “How pure you are and how pure is your fragrance how great you are and how great is your sanctity. By the One in whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad ﷺ the sanctity of a believer is greater with Allah than your sanctity.” How can we remain silent when Muslims kill Muslims and when internal struggles leave millions without food, shelter or hope?
Now widen the lens. The current confrontation between Israel and Iran has shaken the region. Recently, Israel with the support of the United States carried out “preemptive strikes” on Iranian territory citing Iran’s nuclear and missile programs as an existential threat. Western governments say Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. Yet here is the crux of the contradiction. Pakistan long ago acquired nuclear weapons. This discrepancy reveals that what is presented as concern over nuclear weapons is really concern over who wields them and whether they align with Western strategic interests completely or not.
To be clear, I am not a supporter of the Iranian regime. Iran itself is a national state with its own geopolitical interests and has shown its own forms of oppressive power politics. It is not an example of Islam as a deen. But let us call a spade a spade. The reason Iran’s nuclear program is singled out is because a nuclear capable Iran somewhere represents a power that cannot be easily coerced, contained, or controlled by the United States or its allies. A nuclear Pakistan however is treated with greater tolerance because of its alignment with and submission, in fact slavery, to Western security frameworks and longstanding strategic relationships. 
This uneven treatment shows how global powers operate on the basis of alliances, not principles. It shows that Muslim states are not treated as equals even among nuclear states but are instead judged by whether they serve the interests of powerful states. And connecting this back to the earlier point about nationalism, because Muslim states themselves are fragmented by nationalism and have divided loyalties to different colonial powers, they lack the unity to challenge this order.
Meanwhile fragmentation within the Muslim world deepens. A lot of Muslim governments, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Turkiye, host Western military bases. For instance, the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is the largest United States military base in the Middle East. Others enter formal or informal normalizations with Israel or rely on Western defences. During recent escalations, countries such as Jordan intercepted missiles crossing their airspace amid exchanges between Iran and Israel reflecting their own national priorities. 
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ described the role of legitimate Islamic leadership with profound clarity. He ﷺ said “The Imam is a shield behind whom you fight and by whom you are protected” as reported in Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. This hadith presents a vision of unity and collective defence. The Imam or Khilafah leadership functions as a shield that safeguards the Ummah and prevents internal fragmentation.
Today that shield is absent. Instead of one unified authority governed by Islamic justice accountable to Allah, there are numerous states divided by borders, ideologies and alliances, be it Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or Iran or any other amongst the 57 states. Each pursues its own interest, a lot of times even at the expense of fellow Muslims. When the shield is missing, every nation stands alone. Without unified leadership, the Ummah becomes vulnerable not only to external pressure but to internal decay.
This fragmentation is not accidental. It is the legacy of colonial partitions and borders reinforced by nationalist narratives that teach Muslims to identify first with flags rather than Islam. When nationalism becomes sacred, the Ummah becomes secondary. And when the Ummah becomes secondary the believer’s blood becomes cheaper than it should ever be.
Calling for unity does not mean ignoring complexity or denying political realities. It means returning to prophetic principles. The Prophet ﷺ warned against ‘asabiyyah. He declared the sanctity of Muslim life greater than the sanctity of the Kaa’ba. He described leadership as a shield. These teachings are not abstract ideals but urgent guidance.
If Muslims continue to prioritize nationalism and regime survival over Islamic way of living life holistically (Khilafah) then internal wars will persist and external powers will continue to shape the region according to their interests.
Until these truths move from talks into structures, the absence of the shield will remain visible in every divided land and every innocent believer whose blood cries out before Allah.