Dhana ya utaifa haiwezi kueleweka bila kuchunguza jinsi wanadamu wanavyojitambulisha na kuhusiana wao kwa wao katika jamii. Utafiti huu utawezesha kufanya utofautishaji kati ya aina mbalimbali za makundi na utaifa.

The concept of nationalism cannot be understood without studying the way humans identify and relate to each other in society. This study will enable a differentiation to be made between various forms of grouping and nationalism.

Binadamu wanaweza kujitambulisha au kuungana pamoja kwa msingi wa:

Human beings can identify or group together on the basis of:

• Upendo kwa nchi fulani au taifa fulani - uzalendo • Kabila, ukoo au rangi - utaifa • Dini - uhusiano wa kiroho • Suala fulani mahususi - uhusiano wa maslahi • Itikadi - uhusiano wa kiitikadi Uzalendo huibuka pale watu wanapokusanyika kwa sababu ya upendo kwa nchi. Ni aina ya umoja unaotokea wakati nchi hiyo mahususi iko chini ya tishio la nje, kwa mfano migogoro ya kijeshi na mataifa mengine. Matokeo ya uhusiano huu ni kwamba watu wenye asili tofauti huweka tofauti zao pembeni na kuunda safu moja ya pamoja kuiunga mkono serikali. Mfano wa kawaida wa uzalendo ulionekana wakati wa kile kinachoitwa uvamizi wa Visiwa vya Falkland na Argentina. Maoni ya umma nchini Uingereza yalihamasishwa dhidi ya Argentina kupitia vyombo vya habari, na kuunganisha vyama vya kisiasa vya kila aina katika mchakato huo. Ujumbe ulikuwa rahisi: "Tunapigania Malkia na nchi." Umoja huu, uliojengwa juu ya uzalendo, ulitoweka haraka baada ya Visiwa vya Falkland kutwaliwa kutoka Argentina.

• Love of a particular land or a country - patriotism • Tribe, lineage or race - nationalism • Religion - spiritual bond • A particular issue - bond of interest • A creed - ideological bond Patriotism arises when people come together due to the love of a country. It is a form of unity that comes about when that particular country is under external threat e.g. military conflicts with other nations. The effect of this bond results in people of different backgrounds setting their differences aside to form a common front in support of the government. A classical example of patriotism was found during the so-called invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina. Public opinion in the United Kingdom was mobilised against Argentina through the media machinery, uniting political parties of all shades in the process. The message was simple: “We are fighting for Queen and country.” This unity, based on patriotism, soon evaporated after the Falkland Islands were captured from Argentina.

Udhaifu wa asili wa uzalendo, kama msingi wa kuwaunganisha watu, ni kwamba unawaunganisha watu kwa muda tu, na hata hivyo ni pale tu tishio la nje linapoonekana karibu kwenye upeo. Kwa hiyo, uzalendo hauna nafasi yoyote wakati wa amani, na kwa hivyo hauwezi kuwa msingi wa umoja wa kudumu.

The inherent weakness of patriotism, as a basis of uniting people, is that it unites people temporarily, and only then if an external threat is looming in the horizon. Hence, patriotism has no role to play during peace time, and it cannot, therefore, be a basis of a permanent unity.

Utaifa ni uhusiano kati ya watu unaotegemea ukoo wa kifamilia, kabila au ukoo mkubwa wa kikabila.

Nationalism is a bond between people that is based upon family, clan or tribal ties.

Utaifa huibuka miongoni mwa watu pale fikra kuu wanayoibeba ni ile ya kutaka kutawala. Huanzia katika familia, ambako mwanafamilia mmoja hujidai mamlaka yake ili kupata uongozi katika mambo ya familia. Mara tu anapofanikiwa hilo, mtu huyo huupanua uongozi wake hadi kwa familia pana zaidi. Kwa njia hii, familia nazo hujaribu kupata uongozi katika jamii wanamoishi. Hatua inayofuata ni ile ya makabila kushindana wao kwa wao, kila moja likijaribu kuwatawala wengine ili kufurahia haki na heshima zinazokuja pamoja na mamlaka hayo.

Nationalism arises among people when the predominant thought they carry is that of achieving domination. It starts from the family, where one member asserts his authority to achieve leadership in the affairs of the family. Once this is achieved, the individual extends his leadership to the wider family. In this way, the families would also try to achieve leadership in the community they reside in. The next stage is that of tribes competing with each other, all trying to dominate others in order to enjoy the privileges and the prestige that comes with this authority.

Utaifa hauwezi kuwaunganisha watu kwa sababu umejengwa juu ya kutafuta uongozi. Hamu hii ya uongozi huzaa mapambano ya madaraka kati ya watu, na hilo huleta migogoro kati ya tabaka mbalimbali za jamii. Mifano ya mapambano ya madaraka inaweza kuonekana wazi katika nchi nyingi za Kiislamu, kama vile Saudi Arabia ambako familia ya Saud imejipatia uongozi juu ya wengine kwa nguvu, na katika Sind, Pakistan, ambako familia ya Bhutto imejipatia ushawishi mkubwa kupitia ukabaila.

Nationalism cannot unite the people because it is based on quest for leadership. This quest for leadership creates a power struggle between the people and this leads to conflicts among various strata of society. Examples of power struggles can be clearly seen in many Muslim countries, such as in Saudi Arabia where the Saud family has achieved leadership over others by force, and in Sind, Pakistan, where the Bhutto’s have secured massive influence through feudalism.

Hasara nyingine ya utaifa ni kwamba unazaa ubaguzi wa rangi. Hili linatarajiwa iwapo watu wataruhusiwa kushindana wao kwa wao kwa msingi wa rangi zao. Baadhi ya watu weupe, kwa mfano, wanaweza kujiona kuwa bora kuliko watu weusi, au kinyume chake, jambo linalosababisha mgawanyiko wa rangi na jamii iliyogawanyika.

Another drawback of nationalism is that it gives arise to racism. This is expected if people are allowed to compete with each other on the basis of their race. Some whites, for example, may see themselves as superior to the blacks, or vice-versa, leading to polarisation of the races and a divided society.

Hukumu ya Kiislamu kuhusu utaifa imewasilishwa mwishoni mwa kitabu.

The Islamic verdict on nationalism is presented at the end of the book.

Uhusiano wa kiroho ni kundi la watu lililojengwa juu ya 'imani ya kidini', ambayo si imani kamili inayogusa kila nyanja ya maisha. Mfano wa uhusiano wa kiroho ni pale watu wanapojitambulisha kwa wenzao kwa msingi wa kuwa Mkristo, Mhindu au Myahudi.

The spiritual bond is a grouping of people based on their ‘religious belief’ which is not a comprehensive belief covering every aspect of life. An example of a spiritual bond is when people identify with each other on the basis of being a Christian, a Hindu or a Jew.

Uhusiano wa kiroho haumuunganishi watu katika mambo mengine isipokuwa masuala ya imani na ibada; kwa sababu hiyo ni mdogo na hauwezi kuwa msingi wa umoja wa kudumu.

Spiritual bond does not unite people on issues other than matters of belief and worships, hence it is limited and cannot be the basis of any lasting unity.

Njia nyingine ambayo watu hujikusanya pamoja ni kwa msingi wa maslahi fulani ya pamoja. Vikundi vya shinikizo ni mfano wa makundi kama haya, ambapo watu huungana kuhusu suala fulani linaloathiri maisha yao. Mifano ya vikundi kama hivyo ni Suffragettes wa zamani na, hivi karibuni zaidi, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Anti-Nazi League, Farm Animal Welfare Council na kadhalika. Kwa kawaida, suala likishatatuliwa, aina hii ya kundi hutoweka.

Another way people group together is on the basis of some common interest. Pressure groups are an example of such groupings, where people unite over a particular issue which affects their life. Examples of such groups are the Suffragettes from the past and, more recently, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Anti-Nazi League, Farm Animal Welfare Council and so on. Normally, once the issue has been resolved this type of grouping disappears.

Kuungana kwa sababu ya maslahi ya pamoja hakutoi msingi wa umoja wa kudumu, kwa sababu suala likishatatuliwa, watu watatawanyika. Zaidi ya hayo, watu wanaweza kuwa na maoni tofauti kuhusu suala lile lile, jambo ambalo husababisha mgongano. Kwa mfano, baadhi ya watu wanaweza kuunga mkono kupelekwa kwa silaha za nyuklia kama njia ya usalama, huku wengine, kama wanachama wa CND, wakitaka silaha za nyuklia ziondolewe. Kwa hiyo, mambo ya pamoja hayatoi msingi wa umoja wa kudumu.

Uniting over common interest does not serve to unite people permanently because when the issue is resolved, people will disperse. Besides, people can hold different opinions over the same issue, thus leading to a clash. For example, some people may support the deployment of nuclear weapons as a means of security whilst others, like members of CND, will call for nuclear disarmament. Hence, common issues do not provide the basis of a permanent unity.

Njia ya mwisho ambayo watu wanaweza kukusanyika pamoja ni kwa msingi wa itikadi. Itikadi ni imani inayotoa seti ya kanuni na sheria ambazo mwanadamu anaishi kwazo na ambazo anazirejea ili kutatua matatizo yake. Hii inajulikana kwa kawaida kama uhusiano wa kiitikadi. Huzingatia imani tu na hakuna kingine isipokuwa imani.

The final way in which people can group together is on the basis of an ideology. An ideology is a creed that provides a set of rules and regulations according to which man lives and which he refers to in order to solve his problems . This is commonly known as an ideological bond. It only takes into account the creed and nothing but the creed.

Rangi, jamii na jinsia havina umuhimu. Aina hii ya uhusiano inapatikana miongoni mwa Waislamu, Wakapitalisti na Wakomunisti.

Colour, race and gender are irrelevant. This type of bond is found amongst Muslims, Capitalists and Communists.

Uhusiano wa kiitikadi ni uhusiano wa kudumu kwa sababu unatokana na itikadi, ambayo ni imani ya kiakili inayohusu maana ya maisha. Itikadi haiathiriwi kamwe na rangi, kabila, lugha, mapenzi ya nchi au masuala ya kienyeji. Kwa hiyo, ndiyo msingi pekee wa umoja wa kudumu. Uislamu unatoa wito wa aina hii ya umoja, kama itakavyoonekana baadaye katika kitabu hiki.

Ideological bond is a permanent bond because it arises from a creed, which is an intellectual conviction pertaining to the meaning of life. The creed is never influence by colour, race, language, love of a land or local issues. Hence, it is the only basis for permanent unity. Islam calls for this type of unity, as it will be seen later in the book.