“The reconstruction of the concept of “Ummah” and “Mellah”(Nation) in  the political thought of Imam Khomeini”

Any political thought has got its own terms. Understanding those terms precisely entails examining and grasping prominent concepts of that thought. Of the most deeply rooted and key terms in the political thought is the term “Ummah” and “Mellah”(Nation). “Mellah” is an Arabic terms  that has changed hrough time and nowadays is considered in the framework of Nation-State as a political  tmatter. “Ummah” is also an Arabic  and of course Islamic term that has got a special relation with the term “Mellah”(Nation) in its modern sense. The quality of the link between “Mellah” and “Ummah” present a special political and thought construct.

In the first chapter the terminology of “Ummah” and “Mellah”, their other close concepts and historical changes of the above mentioned matters in the both western and Islamic political thought are examined. Expressing different Islamic and western attitudes toward the mentioned topics,  a clear theoretical framework is provided to examine these matters in the thought of the most significant Islamic thinker, i.e. Imam Khomeini.

The second chapter is dedicated to examine the concepts of “Ummah” and “Mellah” in the political thought of Imam Khomeini. He as an Islamic thinker who would think in the universal view of Islam, always would look at the political matters in an “Ummah-oriented” approach both in theory and practice. He was to realize “Islamic Ummah” by establishing a government. On the other side, the Islamic nation as a political unit was in the center of his attention. Understanding the political realities existing in societies(Mellah) he adopted a certain policy and related it in a special way to the political ideal of Islam. In two chapters we examine the theoretical origins of  “Mellah” and “Ummah” and introduce the supra-national view of Imam Khomeini. His efforts for “Ummah” building and changing the political equations  ruling over the whole world, have been refered to show the high position of “Ummah” in his thought.

In the last chapter we discuss the practical influence of Imam’s approach toward “Mellah” and “Ummah” in the foreign policy of Islamic Republic of Iran. In this chapter we clarify that how theoretically in his thoughts the two concepts of “Ummah”  and “Mellah” go together. We also elaborate on its practical consequences. I have done my best to clarify the practical impact of Imam’s theoretical attitude toward “Ummah” and “Mellah”. To fulfil it, the last chapter discusses this matter.

Imam Khomeini, Politics, Government, Islam, Ummah, Mellah(Nation)