At our Utrujj Iftar, we had a full house, not just full of guests but also full of the mercy of Allah, full of happiness, full of love. Alhamdulillah, as Pakistani, Bengali, Lebanese, Iraqi, Palestinian, French, German guests sat side by side, with all their different languages, different cultures, different histories, they were united by one thing. What brought them together? It wes not the food, although we enjoyed it. The real question is: who brought us here? The simple answer, and the deepest answer, is Allah. This gathering was for His sake. We could have eaten elsewhere. We could find better flavours somewhere else. But we did not come for that food. We came for something greater. We eat earthly food throughout the year, but in Ramadan we taste something different – we taste heavenly nourishment.
The Prophet ﷺ once fasted continuously for two days without breaking his fast. His companions wanted to imitate him, but he stopped them and said:
إِنِّي لَسْتُ كَهَيْئَتِكُمْ، إِنِّي أُطْعَمُ وَأُسْقَى
“I am not like you. My Lord feeds me and gives me drink.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
This was not physical food. It was spiritual nourishment – the taste of Jannah. For eleven months we nourish our bodies; for one month we nourish our souls. That is why Ramadan feels different. Something inside us is being fed.
Ramadan also brings the Ummah together, despite the fact that we are divided. This division goes against the clear command of Allah:
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
“Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not be divided.” (Aal ‘Imran 3:103)
Ya Allah, forgive us, because we have allowed ourselves to be divided. Yet even in our weakness, Ramadan reminds us of who we are.
Allah designed this Ummah to be connected
Allah designed our Ummah to be united. We are connected even in ways we do not notice. Every day we say in Surat al-Fatihah:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
“Guide us to the straight path.” (Al-Fatihah 1:6)
Even though, I am speaking to Allah in my salah, when I say “guide us”, who is “us”? Where are they? Who are they? Allah wants you to feel that you are part of something bigger – part of the Ummah. You make dua for them, and they make dua for you. It could have been “guide me” – end of the story. But Allah did not teach us to say “guide me.” He taught us to say “guide us,” so that we feel the Ummah every single day.
At the end of the salah, in the tashahhud, we say:
التَّحِيَّاتُ الْمُبَارَكَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ لِلَّهِ
Then we send peace upon the Prophet ﷺ:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ
And then we say:
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ
“Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah.”
Who is “us”? The Ummah. I am making dua for believers up north and down south, east and west and they are making dua for me. There is a spiritual connection between us even though we do not know each other personally. We are connected on the same wavelength. That is the Ummah. That is the pulse of the Ummah.
Allah is nurturing us to be ready. But we must also take the first step externally. When we go to Umrah and Hajj, we see the different languages, colours, and cultures. Wherever you go, you cannot escape it, Allah wants us to be one Ummah, because that is what makes us strong. Allah says do not be divided. We are commanded to remain connected.
Unfortunately, we have seen what happens when we are not united. And when we break that connection, we become vulnerable. The Prophet ﷺ warned:
إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُ الذِّئْبُ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ الْقَاصِيَةَ
“The wolf only eats the sheep that is separated from the flock.” (Abu Dawud)
Division weakens us. Unity strengthens us. We have seen what happens when we are scattered.
The wolf hunts the one that is alone. When we are divided, we are weak. We are barely waking up to the reality of our situation. Allah created immense potential in this Ummah, in our minds, in our hearts, in our salah, to be one Ummah. That potential needs to be activated.
Yes, our leaders are often a blockage to unity, many shaped by colonial borders and inherited divisions. But the people themselves do not have that problem at heart. Sometimes we allow nationalism and short-sighted thinking to divide us. We argue with one another. We waste energy fighting one another. Allah has warned us not to dispute and weaken ourselves. Yet we are often strong against each other while welcoming our enemies with roses.
Surgery before healing
Despite the atrocities we face, the Ummah is waking up. It is like surgery – painful, but necessary for healing. The Ummah is going through surgery. But after surgery, you need physiotherapy. You need effort, patience, rebuilding. We are in that process now.
I am optimistic. The tectonic shifts are not only happening within our Ummah, they are happening worldwide. Systems are shaking. Powers are shifting. Things are falling and new things are emerging. This is an opportunity for our new generation, our children, to lead toward a better future for the Ummah. We must prepare them. I am optimistic they will be stronger, more courageous, more aware, and more equipped for the challenges of their time.
Allah begins the Quran with:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.”
Alhamdulillah means we are enveloped by His favours. Wherever we go, we are surrounded by His blessings from head to toe. His favours are everywhere. So we remain optimistic, but we must also be practical, pragmatic, and realistic.
We leave the outcome to Allah, but we never give up. This is a new phase in the life of the Ummah, a phase that will take us somewhere better. I am hopeful that we will live to see this change and witness a more united Ummah in our lifetime.
Based on the talk delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim at the Utrujj Iftar 2026, on 28th February.