Ummah is an Arabic word meaning Muslim identity, nation, religious community, or the concept of a commonwealth of the Muslim believers. It is a synonym for ummat al-Islām ; it is commonly used to mean the collective community of Muslim people. In the Quran, the ummah generally refers to a community, people, or group united by shared beliefs. The Quran uses the term in multiple contexts, including nations, religious communities, and communities associated with prophets. The word ummah means nation in Arabic. For example, the Arabic term for the United Nations is الأمم المتحدة al-Umam al-Muttaḥidah, and the term الأمة العربية al-Ummah al-ʻArabiyyah is used to refer to "the Arab Nation".