Groupings

You know,

human variety is so vast that the closest they can get to unifying

is to join together into groups that self-identify

as somehow different from all others,

a group with differences of opinion,

personal preferences,

dislikes and objections.

Groupings form around

ideas and understandings that are at variance,

the variety that is part of the human condition,

against which the urge for unity is set in opposition.

Unity takes the destructive aspect of difference and makes it creative.

But divisions between humans can include those most destructive differences,

those that involve fear war and power,

greed and politics, winners and losers,

an approach to life that when writ large

can lead to groupings of tribes and nations, gathering together to slaughter each other.

Many would say that they are only defending their way of life.

Then again, often both sides feel the same way.

But while each is trying to vanquish the other,

neither side enjoys their own casualties,

so even between combatants there are usually some accepted rules of war,

agreed limits,

and avenues will be left for coming together in negotiation,

a return to a greater shared living space,

and in some way re-unification and regrouping.

At the time of the Messenger, battles were highly formalised,

could begin with poetry battles before individual challenges,

and were quite brief with few casualties.

But humans actually prefer their battles to have no casualties at all,

so they turn them into play

in the ritualised warfare of games of competition,

distinction between us and them a matter of choice,

but loyalty committed for bad times as well as good,

no changing sides.

Now, grouping together as a giant family of fans

can be exhilarating, but does carry with it

a temptation to believe in "my side right or wrong"

which can lead back to violence between fans,

and occasionally even back to war between nations.

Of course there are also games of co-operation,

teams not in combat,

but trying to co-ordinate with each other,

in movement or dance,

or choral song,

or playing music together,

or acting out a dramatic reflection of life,

coming together to give insight and create beauty.

Human variety springs from their interests and imagination,

with people coalescing into groups with others whose imaginations have led them to similar interests,

a limitless variety

interweaving back on itself into a pattern of united shared interests.

So what integrates all the varied cultures of the world of Islam?

Always the unifying core of the ideas, understandings, and worldview of Islam itself,

the unified setting for the universe of infinite variety,

the oneness of Tauhid,

the Oneness of God.

Say God is One

Political groupings through history

Imagining alternatives

Attraction towards knowledge

Remembering God together