Just take a look at how Ibrahim became a submitter (muslim), which was narrated to the Messenger to Quran as follows:
[Q. 2:131] “When his Lord said to him, “Surrender/Submit (aslim أَسْلِمْ),” he said, “I have surrendered/submitted (aslamtu أَسْلَمْتُ )to the Lord of all the realms.”إِذْ قَالَ لَهُۥ رَبُّهُۥٓ أَسْلِمْ ۖ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
So, Ibrahim became amongst the submitters (muslimi’n-مُسْلِمِينَ). So, now see what God talks about him as follows:
[Q. 22:78] “And strive for God with the striving due to HIM. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the DEEN any difficulty — the characteristics (millata مِّلَّةَ) of your father, Abraham. HE named you “the Submitters (Al-Muslimi’n الْمُسْلِمِينَ) before and in this that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So, establish the communication (Al-solaa’t ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ) and maintain/bring the purification (al-zakāta ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ) and hold fast to God. HE is your protector, and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper”.وَجَـٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ ۚ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَـٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ
The word مُسْلِمَةً (muslimatan) is an adjective, so as to mean: ‘submissive‘. It is not an abstract noun, so as to mean: ‘submitting’. Therefore, أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ (ummatan muslimatan laka)is to mean: …“submissive nation to YOU”…’
It was what Ibrahim did and called upon God, which contextually values as in Q. 2:127-128 as follows:
[Q. 2: 127-128] “And so Abraham and Ishmael elevated ( yarfa-u يَرْفَعُ) the Rules (al-qawa-e’da ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ) of the Institution (al-byet-e ٱلْبَيْتِ): “Our Lord, accept from us. Surely, YOU are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord and make us submitting (muslimai-ne مُسْلِمَيْنِ) to YOU and from our descendants a submissive (muslimatan مُّسْلِمَةً) nation to YOU. And show us our refuge (ma-na’sika-na مَنَاسِكَنَا) and accept our repentance. Indeed, YOU are the Sustainer of repentance, the Merciful”.وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ ٱلْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ ٱلْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلُ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ — رَبَّنَا وَٱجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Ibrahim’s prayer was for a nation submissive to God alone. He did not pray for a nation called Muslim to rule over the world like Umayyads, Abbasids, Ottoman, House of Saud, Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, Lebanese Hizbullah, Jamaati Islami, Tabligi, Deobondi, Ahl-e-Hadith, Ahl-e-Jama’t and so on and on…..!
So, which Muslim Ummah do Islamic narratives refer to? There was no trace of any so-called slogan Muslim Ummah found until Caliph Abd-al-Malik on towards 795 CE. Before that, the people used to call themselves: The BELIEVERS — AL MU’MINU’N ( ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ), not AL-MUSLIMU’N. Even, in the Quran, God never called as “O’ you who are Muslims” Ya’ ayyuha al-muslimu’n‘, instead God addressed the people as: “O’ you who believe” Ya’ ayyuhalazina’manu” (يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُو)..
No such Muslim Ummah to rule the world, in so far, as the words of God are concerned, because the submitters or the submissive nations are all about as reclining to God alone. Thus, isn’t Islamic Muslim Ummah a mythical daydream?
Great discussion. Informative articles