We aim to empower Muslims toward the realization of a unified Islamic civilization for the benefit of the Umma and humanity at large.
In contrast to the common implications of “politics,” however, ummatics is about upholding the divine message (iqamat al-din), being stewards of the earth, and establishing justice and prosperity in a way that fulfills the divine imperative. Ummatics therefore pertains to the collective affairs of the Umma of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and acts as an umbrella term for the discourses, beliefs, and practices in which the Umma, its divine mission, and its sociocultural, political, ethical, and religious affairs are envisioned, felt, addressed, and managed.
to conceptualize and help realize the reintegration of Muslim regions into a prosperous and virtuous civilization.
Foster Dialogue
Foster dialogue through colloquia, seminars, and conferences to explore novel ideas for the benefit of the Umma.
Cultivate Research
Cultivate Research on ummatic thought and practice according to the highest scholarly standards of the Islamic and human sciences.
Galvanize Participation
Galvanize Participation of the ummatic-minded everywhere to actualize our vision for the future.
Encourage Collaboration
Encourage collaboration among individuals and institutions interested in the study of ummatic thought and practice.
Provide Training
Provide Training and professional services for institutions and policy makers seeking to develop a more meaningful ummatic ethos.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ أُمَّةًۭ وَسَطًۭا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًۭا ۗ
“And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.”
We believe a comprehensive unity of Muslim societies is essential for the confident spiritual renewal, intellectual development, and economic prosperity of the Umma.
At the same time, we claim the Umma is inherently ummatic in its ways of thinking, feeling, and being. The Umma is therefore naturally at the center of our work as a unit of analysis, as an aspirational ideal, and as a potentially powerful and productive agent capable of changing the world.
Tradition
Our motivation and methods are grounded in the Quran, Prophetic model, and Islamic tradition.
Dynamism
Groundbreaking scholarship must utilize multiple sources of knowledge and be resilient in the face of changing times.
Diversity
Muslim unity is strongest when it is ummaticly inclusive and pluralistic.
Practicality
Real problems call for concrete solutions that take into consideration the world and its people as they are.
Courage
Reshaping the status quo requires brave and pioneering approaches.
Transparency
We are committed to openness and accountability in all aspects of our work.
Cooperation
Reshaping the status quo requires brave and pioneering approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Ummatics” is an umbrella term for the discourses, beliefs, and practices in and through which the Muslim Umma and its divine mission are envisioned and expressed, its solidarity is felt, and its sociocultural, political, and ethical affairs are addressed and managed. “Umma” being a key Qur’anic concept, as a term, “ummatics” has the advantage of focusing our attention to concerns indigenous to Islamic tradition and Muslim history. For a detailed elaboration, see our paper, “What is Ummatics?” The Ummatics Institute is a research institute for the study of ummatic thought and practice that aims to empower Muslims toward the realization of a unified Islamic civilization. We view ourselves not as an exclusive vanguard, but one among many efforts that contribute to the development and mainstreaming of an ummatics discourse—of Muslims thinking about their affairs as Muslims—in a manner that is transparent, dialogical, and grounded in Islamic tradition and history. For more on the Institute, see the “About Us” page.
The Ummatics Institute publishes research papers and essays, holds regular colloquia and conferences, develops and publishes educational curricula in addition to other related initiatives. The publications on our website are broadly of two types: research papers and guest contributions. The research papers are produced or solicited by Ummatics and undergo a thorough process of review and editorial oversight, representing the positions and views of the Institute. Guest contributions by external authors are published in the spirit of our commitment to fostering dialogue and cultivating discourse on ummatic thought and practice. Our public forums aim to convene academics, scholars, thinkers from a range of universities and think tanks worldwide to ideate on pertinent topics. They are discursive spaces designed for dialogue, deliberation and debate with the aim of testing new ideas and revisiting old ones. Ideas expressed in these forums and by guest contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of Ummatics.
We are neither an activist organization nor affiliated with any movement. We are an independent research institute focused on knowledge production and discourse development. Generations of Muslim scholars, institutions, and popular movements, including political, academic, and spiritual movements across the great variety of Muslim societies have defended the Islamic Umma against foreign threats and internal decay and advanced the cause of Muslim unity and Islamic flourishing. We stand on their shoulders and seek to constructively critique and build on their contributions, placing them in conversation with each other and with the broader bodies of contemporary human knowledge.
We believe that sound knowledge of Islam as well as Muslims’ lived reality is necessary for an Ummatic renaissance, and there is nothing more practical than good theory. Muslim discourse needs to be grounded in the knowledge of timeless revelation yet also be dynamic, academically rigorous, open, and responsive. To that end, we provide a platform for the thinkers, doers, and visionaries of the Umma to learn from its past, diagnose its present, and conceptualize its future on its own terms. We also believe that no organization can single-handedly revive the Umma. While multiple efforts are required for positive change to take root, we seek to contribute in the domain of discourse and knowledge production.
We fully appreciate the challenges involved. This is precisely why we start by studying these challenges, bringing together existing resources, and examining the constructs through which we think about them as Muslims. We are also confident in Islam’s relevance, beneficence for humanity, and bright future. Propelled by this optimism, in keeping with Prophetic guidance, we believe that learned helplessness is the key obstruction that prevents many of us from purposive, unified action. The Umma has immense material and spiritual resources to live up to its divine mandate, and the Ummatics Institute provides a platform to envision and delineate a better ummatic future. With a long-term horizon in mind, we therefore believe that by expanding the capacity of the Umma over time, we can effectively identify, analyze, and share knowledge about these challenges, ultimately working towards practical solutions.
At the Ummatics Institute, we believe that an independent funding model––one that is 100% donor based––is critical to maintaining the integrity of our research and serving the cause of the Umma. This means that we do not receive any governmental funding or any funding from special interests. As a registered non-profit based in the United States, the Ummatics Institute relies solely on individual donations to advance its work.