From Caliphate to Nation-State: Who Initiated It?

 

From Caliphate to Nation-State: Who Initiated It?

Crumbled caliphate palace turning into national flags planted by Western figures while Muslim leaders stand divided mage on who created the Muslim world’s shift to nation-states


Introduction: A Transition Far from Simple

Many of us today often forget that the idea of the nation-state is relatively new in the long history of the Islamic world. Before the 20th century, Muslims lived under the structure of the caliphate which, although not always geographically unified, was still recognized as a symbol of unity (Source: Bernard Lewis, The Middle East, 1995). As a writer trying to stay neutral, I invite readers to reflect: who actually initiated the shift from a united ummah to the nation-state system?

Caliphate: Unifier or Symbol?

The first caliphate emerged after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ passed away, with Abu Bakr As-Siddiq appointed as Caliph. Since then, this system became both a symbolic and administrative backbone for Muslims. However, from the Abbasid to the Ottoman era, its practice was often fragmented due to ethnicity, locality, and political ambitions of regional rulers (Source: Hugh Kennedy, Caliphate: The History of an Idea, 2016).

Many modern historians note that while the caliphate was seen as a unifier, many sultanates ruled semi-autonomously. This created openings when nationalist ideas began to spread.

The Arrival of Nationalism

The idea of modern nationalism entered the Islamic world through two routes: Western colonialism and internal modernization. In the Ottoman Empire, for example, the Young Turks supported the concept of Turkish nationalism instead of pan-Islamism (Source: M. Şükrü Hanioğlu, A Brief History of the Late Ottoman Empire, 2008). In Egypt, the idea of Egyptianism (misriyya) emerged to assert identity against the Ottomans.

From my perspective, this was the point where the educated elite began to question: which loyalty was more relevant allegiance to the Caliph in Istanbul or to a more tangible local identity?

Colonialism: More than Physical Occupation

It’s undeniable that the idea of the nation-state was also accelerated by European colonial powers. Britain in Egypt, France in Algeria, the Dutch in the archipelago they divided the Islamic world into new administrative units that separated people by territorial borders, not religion (Source: Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities, 1983).

Colonialism introduced maps, censuses, and modern bureaucracy. All these later shaped people’s mentalities to bond with a “homeland” rather than the ummah.

Reformist Movements: Paving the Way

Internal factors also mattered. Reformist movements like Jamaluddin Al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh pushed Muslims to rise through education and science, though they did not explicitly call for dismantling the caliphate (Source: Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1983).

However, the Arab nationalist movement like the 1916 Arab Revolt demanded independence from the Ottomans, with British support. Here lies the paradox: liberation from “oppression” often opened the door to new divisions.

The Fall of the Caliphate: A Planned Moment?

In 1924, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk officially dissolved the Ottoman Caliphate. This marked a new era: Turkey became a secular republic, while Arab lands gradually formed their own nation-states. Some writers blame this on Western engineering, but Turkish historians call it an internal desire for modernization (Source: Andrew Mango, Atatürk, 1999).

In my view, internal and external factors reinforced each other. Muslims then stood at a crossroads: keep the old symbol or accept a new political system.

Sykes-Picot: Borders That Divide

The 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France is often cited as the most decisive moment. Through this secret deal, the Middle East was divided into spheres of influence. Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon all were born from pen strokes, not local consensus (Source: James Barr, A Line in the Sand, 2011).

This was when national identity was imposed over tribal or religious ties. In my opinion, from then on, Muslims gradually grew accustomed to thinking in terms of “nations” rather than the “ummah.”

Nation-State: Blessing or Curse?

For some, the nation-state brought modern political stability: parliaments, written laws, national policies. But on the other hand, it fragmented transnational Muslim solidarity. When one country was colonized, others often watched silently (Source: Rashid Khalidi, Resurrecting Empire, 2004).

I believe this isn’t solely the fault of the West or local elites. The zeitgeist of the 20th century also played a role: the nation-state idea became the dominant political format worldwide.

The Rise of Pan-Islamism: Still Possible?

The question is, could the caliphate or pan-Islamism be revived? In fact, many modern Islamic movements still use this narrative from Hizb ut-Tahrir to the Muslim Brotherhood. But geopolitical realities make it hard to realize (Source: Olivier Roy, The Failure of Political Islam, 1994).

As a writer, I see the biggest challenge is not just military or political but about identity. Today’s Muslim generation is educated within a nation-state framework. Breaking that barrier is not as easy as reunion rhetoric.

Conclusion: Who Initiated It? We All Did

So, who initiated the shift from caliphate to nation-state? In my view, the answer is: a combination of the West, local elites, internal modernization, and the spirit of the age. There was no single mastermind. This system emerged from compromises, conflicts, and the desire to adapt to global trends.

What matters today, in my opinion, is not merely nostalgia for the caliphate era. The real task is how Muslims can build cross-border solidarity in the modern nation-state era without repeating the polarizations of the past.

Lokasi: GWF8+R4 Blodgett Mills, NY, Amerika Serikat

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