By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz
       
“Hold fast to the Rope of Allah, altogether, and do not be divided.” (Holy Qur’an 3:103)
This is indeed a clear commandment to all believers to knit ranks, override differences, and present to the world the picture of unity in diversity in order to mould into a monolithic Ummah Muslims of various ethnicities, wearing their own decent traditional clothes, and speaking their respective mother tongues.
The fundamentals of faith in Islam are testimony to the Oneness of the Almighty Creator and testimony to the universal mission of His Last and Greatest Messenger to all humanity, while acknowledging the missions of the prophets of the past. 
Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) who during his 23-year mission assembled on a single platform not just the fratricidal Arab tribes but also seekers of truth of various nations, such as Salman the Persian, Bilal the Abyssinian, Soheib the Roman, and an Indian as well, invited adherents of all creeds to the path of Islam.
“Say (O’ Muhammad): “O mankind! I am the Prophet of Allah to you all [of Him] to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; there is no god except Him. He gives life and brings death; so have faith in Allah and His Prophet, the uninstructed prophet, who has faith in Allah and His words, and follow him so that you may be guided.” (Holy Qur’an 7:158)
Prophesied since the dawn of creation by the prophets of the past to their nations, he emerged in the full limelight of history as the Seal of Messengers who spared no efforts to bring hearts together under the shade of monotheism.
He moulded them into Muslims, that is, those who live in peace, lead a morally sound life, and submit to none but the Almighty Creator.
Then towards the end of his mission and before departure from the mortal world, the “Mercy unto the creation” (holy Qur’an 21:107) spelt the supreme formula for a monolithic Muslim Ummah by saying: 
“I am leaving among you the two weighty things; the Book of God (Qur’an) and my progeny the Ahl al-Bayt. Hold fast to them and you will never go astray for the two will never part with each other even when they return to me at the Pool (of Kowsar on Judgement Day).”
What a wonderful legacy did the Prophet leave behind! It is now for us to do some real soul-searching and find out whether we have remained loyal to the instructions of our Prophet. If not, what has made us drift away, whether from the Holy Qur’an or from the Infallible Ahl al-Bayt? 
Unfortunately, today the Ummah presents a fractured appearance due to sectarianism, cronyism, terrorism, and undue submission to the seemingly powerful non-Muslim powers. 
This appalling situation needs to be resolved through fostering of amity, peace, solidarity, and the spirit of fraternity amongst Muslims.
Today the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal marks the start of the Islamic Unity Week initiated forty-seven years ago, following the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, by that Sage of the Age, Imam Khomeini (RA), in order to bring Muslims of all denominations on a common platform.
Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) is the perfect role model for us. He removed all ethnic, lingual, colour, and class barriers, saying there is no difference between a Qurayshite nobleman and a black African slave. 
The birth anniversary of the Messenger of Mercy affords us the opportunity to bridge the gaps that have emerged in the body politic of the Ummah over the past 14 centuries. All it needs is courage to evaluate our beliefs to determine their authenticity – whether these are in accordance with what the Prophet had decreed, or we are stumbling in the dark by blindly following the path of those that had deviated from the explicit instructions of the Messenger of God.