Feasibility of Proximity of Islamic Denominations Based on the Concept of the Unified Ummah in the Contemporary Era; Capacities, Obstacles, and Solutions

This research tries to show the religious capacity of the concept of “The Unified Ummah” for the proximity of Islamic denominations, considering the irreplaceable position of denominations in Islamic civilization and the inadequacy of all modern pluralistic approaches. Paying attention to the fact that in the modern world, the realization of denominations’ teachings has additional complications, the necessity of discussing the obstacles to the development of this idea and the solutions to overcome them doubles. Therefore, in line with the aforementioned three points (the religious potential of this idea, the obstacles and solutions to its realization), this research first tries to overcome some conceptual challenges with the concept of “The Unified Ummah”; In the following, by examining the major obstacles to the realization of this religious ideal, it deals with the ways out of them. The findings of this research show that the formation of The Unified Ummah has been a strategic goal that, on the one hand, the political/power relations during the middle Islamic civilization and on the other hand, the considerations and structure of the modern world, have prevented its realization in some way. The most important solution that is close at hand is to adopt a critical approach towards tradition (not religious tradition) and modern rationality, which can provide the conditions for the possibility of this idea in the future.