Searching for Past Glory

The search for a collective Muslim response to political and defence challenges has continued since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Across Muslim societies, particularly in the West and South Asia, the memory of past unity remains tied to the belief that common challenges require a joint answer.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may be viewed as a pioneer in the latest phase of that effort. In 2015, he helped create the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism. That initiative partly formed the basis for the recently concluded Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

Pakistan, however, has championed such ambitions for much longer. The roots of the idea extend back to the Baghdad Pact, which represented an important milestone in the effort to build a collective response.

The concept has taken different forms over time. It has been expressed through the idea of the ummah, and later through the more structured institution of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Its character has continued to change as shifting political objectives redirected the ideology behind it.