What was Prophet Muhammad's view on Patriotism?

Answer 1

Answer 1

Muhammad was born in the City State of Makkah but was forced to take an exile to the City State of Madinah. He lived much of his productive life at Madinah. When his followers conquered Makkah, Muhammad talked about his birth place as the following (narrated by Ibn Abbas)

Oh Makkah, you are my most beloved city, had my people not forced me to leave you, I would never live away from you.

But few days after completing his pilgrimage at Makkah, the Prophet left for Madinah and he died there soon thereafter. He was buried in Madinah.

Certainly the Prophet was a patriot but he was realistic. He managed to make Makkah (the city of his forefathers Adam and Abraham) the destiny, i.e. the qibla toward which all Muslims face to pray, but he gave himself to his adopted city of Madinah.

Thus his patriotism was not to undermine any other parts of the world. His actions transcended to his followers, who conquered much of the globe but created civilizations at those places, instead of exporting the valuables of the conquered lands to Makkah or Madinah.

To his followers, the entire globe is the motherland.

Answer 2

Mohammed had a strongly antagonistic view towards patriotism and partisanship (except, of course, patriotism and partisanship on his behalf). He considered the only worthy division of people was between those who submitted to God (i.e. Muslims) and those who did not (i.e. Non-Muslims). Loyalty to any other cause, such as regional autonomy, nationalism, etc. was explicitly or implicitly prohibited.