Muslim culture is a term primarily used in secular academia to describe all cultural practices common to historically Islamic peoples. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. As the religion of Islam originated in 6th century Arabia, the early forms of Muslim culture were predominantly Arab. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding However, with the rapid expansion of the Islamic empires, Muslims came into contact with, and assimilated much from, the Persian, Turkish, Mongol, Indian, Malay, Berber, and Indonesian cultures. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia.
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Terminological disagreement
Muslim culture is itself a contentious term. Muslims live in many different countries and communities, and it can be difficult to isolate much that unifies them other than the religion of Islam. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. However, secular academia does not acknowledge this distinction, since it views religion as one aspect of cultural anthropology and history. Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology
The noted historian of Islam, Marshall Hodgson, noted the above difficulty of religious versus secular academic usage of the words "Islamic" and "Muslim" in his three-volume work, The Venture Of Islam. Marshall Goodwin Simms Hodgson (1922–1968 was an Islamic Studies academic and a world historian at the University of Chicago. He proposed to resolve it by only using these terms for purely religious phenomena, and invented the term "Islamicate" to denote all cultural aspects of historically Muslim peoples. However, his distinction has not been widely used, and confusion remains in common usage of these words.
Religious practices
Muslim culture generally includes all the practices which have developed around the religion of Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. A lot of us think of it more as a religion than a culture. Muslim generally includes all the practices which have developed around the religion of Islam. It includes as the Baul tradition of Bengal, and facilitated the peaceful conversion of most of Bengal. Bauls (বাউল are a group of mystic Minstrels from Bengal, which comprises Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang
Language and literature
Arabic
Early Muslim literature is in Arabic, as that was the language of Muhammad's communities in Mecca and Medina. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored Medina mɛˈdiːnə (المدينة المنورة ælmæˈdiːnæl muˈnɑwːɑrɑ or المدينة ælmæˈdiːnæ also transliterated into English as As the early history of the Muslim community was focused on establishing the religion of Islam, its literary output was religious in character. See the articles on Qur'an, Hadith, and Sirah, which formed the earliest literature of the Muslim community. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic alllllspqjqdho
With the establishment of the Umayyad empire, secular Muslim literature developed. See The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. While having no religious content, this secular literature was spread by the Arabs all over their empires, and so became part of a widespread culture.
Persian
By the time of the Abbasid empire, Persian had become one of the main languages of Muslim civilization, and much of the most famous Muslim literature is thus Persian literature. Persian literature ( spans two and a half millennia though much of the pre- Islamic material has been lost See The Conference of the Birds and the poetry of Rumi.
South Asian
In Bengal, the Baul tradition of folk music produced a syncretist poetry which merged Sufism with many local images as well as images from Hinduism. Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang Bauls (বাউল are a group of mystic Minstrels from Bengal, which comprises Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The most prominent poets were Hason Raja and Lalon. Hason Raja ( Bangla: হাসন রাজা literally Hason the king was a mystical Poet and Songwriter in Bengal, now Bangladesh Fakir Lalon Shah ( Bangla: ফকির লালন সাঁই also known as Lalon Shah (c
Modern
In modern times, classification of writers by language is increasingly irrelevant. The Egyptian Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz has been translated into English and read across the world. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. This is a list of Nobel Prize Laureates awarded for their outstanding contributions to Humanitarian causes for Peace, work in Literature Naguib Mahfouz (نجيب محفوظ Nagīb Maḥfūẓ ( December 11, 1911 – August 30, 2006) was an Egyptian Novelist Other writers like Orhan Pamuk of Turkey write directly in English for a wider international audience. Ferit Orhan Pamuk (born on 7 June 1952 in Istanbul) generally known simply as Orhan Pamuk, is a Turkish Novelist and professor of Comparative Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches
Festivals
See articles on Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Ashurah (see also Hosay and Tabuik), Mawlid, Lailat al Miraj and Shab-e-baraat. Eid ul-Fitr or Id-ul-Fitr (عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr) often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim Holiday that marks the end of Eid al-Adha ( Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā, Urdu: بقرعید or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated The Day of Ashura ( ar عاشوراء, Ashura Ashoura and other spellings is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax Hosay or Tadjah is a West Indian Street festival, in which multi-colored model mausoleums are paraded then ritually offered up to the sea or any Tabuik is the local manifestation of the Shi'a Muslim Remembrance of Muharram among the Minangkabau people in the coastal regions of West Sumatra Mawlid ( Eid Milad an Nabi ( Turkish:Mevlid ( Qur'anic مَوْلِدُ آلنَبِيِّ mawlidu n-nabiyyi, “Birth of the Prophet” In Islamic tradition the Isra and Mi'raj (الإسراء والمعراج) are the two parts of a journey that Muhammad took in one night around the year 620 Mid-Sha'ban is the 15th day of the Muslim month of Sha'ban. Laylatul Bara'ah is the night preceding the 15th day of Shaban
Marriage
Marriage in Islam is considered to be of the utmost importance. In Islamic law Marriage ("ʿurs" عرس is a legal bond and Social contract between a man and a woman as prompted by the Shari'a. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The final prophet of Islam, Muhammad, stated that "marriage is half of religion"; there are numerous hadiths lauding the importance of marriage and family. Muslims regard as Prophets of Islam ( Arabic: نبي) those non-divine humans chosen by Allah as Prophets IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic
In Islam, marriage is a legal bond and social contract between a man and a woman as prompted by the Shari'a. Social contract describes a broad class of republican theories whose subjects are implied agreements by which people form Nations and maintain a Social order Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. There are two types of marriages mentioned in the Qur'an, the Nikah in verse 4:4 and the Nikah Mut'ah in verse 4:24. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Nikah, or nikkah, ( النكاح) is the contract between a Bride and Bridegroom and part of an Islamic marriage, a strong covenant Nikāḥu l-Mut‘ah (نكاح المتعة marriage for pleasure) or sigheh, is a time-delimited Marriage contract according to the Usuli
Art
Islamic art, a part of the Islamic studies, has throughout history been mainly abstract and decorative, portraying geometric, floral, Arabesque, and calligraphic designs. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual This is a sub-article to Religious education, Academic discipline, and Islam. The arabesque is an elaborative application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants and animals Calligraphy (from Greek kallos "beauty" + graphẽ "writing" is the art of writing (Mediavilla 1996 17 Unlike the strong tradition of portraying the human figure in Christian art, Islamic art does not include depictions of human beings. Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. The lack of portraiture is due to the fact that early Islam forbade the painting of human beings, including Muhammad, as Muslims believe this tempts them to engage in idolatry. A portrait is a painting, photograph, Sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person in which the face and its expression is predominant IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Idolatry is usually defined as Worship of any Cult image, Idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. This prohibition against human beings or icons is called aniconism. Aniconism is the practice or belief in avoiding or shunning the graphic representation of divine beings or religious figures or in different manifestations any human beings or living Over the past two centuries, especially given increased contact with Western civilization, this prohibition has relaxed to the point where only the most orthodox Muslims strongly oppose portraiture.
Islamic art is centered usually around Allah, and since Allah cannot be represented by imagery ["All you believe him to be, he is not"], geometric patterns are used. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for ' The patterns are similar to the Arabesque style, which also involves repeating geometric designs, but is not necessarily used to express ideals of order and nature. Geometry ( Greek γεωμετρία; geo = earth metria = measure is a part of Mathematics concerned with questions of size shape and relative position
Forbidden to paint humans and taught to revere the Qur'an, Islamic artists developed Arabic calligraphy into an art form. Islamic calligraphy, equally known as Arabic calligraphy, is the art of writing and by extension of bookmaking The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Islamic calligraphy, equally known as Arabic calligraphy, is the art of writing and by extension of bookmaking Calligraphers have long drawn from the Qur'an or proverbs as art, using the flowing Arabic language to express the beauty they perceive in the verses of Qur'an. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language
Martial arts
Architecture
Elements of Islamic style
Islamic architecture may be identified with the following design elements, which were inherited from the first mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, as well as from other pre-Islamic features adapted from churches and synagogues. Muslim Chinese martial arts have a long history in China, and many Muslims have participated at the highest level of Chinese martial arts. Silat is an umbrella term used to describe the martial art forms practiced throughout the Malay Archipelago. varzeš-e pahlavānī ورزش پهلوانی meaning the "Sport of the Heroes" also known as Varzesh-e Bastani ( Persian varzeš-e bāstnī Islamic architecture has encompassed a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day influencing the design and construction IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics Medina mɛˈdiːnə (المدينة المنورة ælmæˈdiːnæl muˈnɑwːɑrɑ or المدينة ælmæˈdiːnæ also transliterated into English as
- Large courtyards often merged with a central prayer hall (originally a feature of the Masjid al-Nabawi). The Mosque of the Prophet (or Prophet's Mosque) ( Arabic: المسجد النبوي) /mæsʤıd ænːæbæwı in Medina, is the second holiest
- Minarets or towers (which were originally used as torch-lit watchtowers for example in the Great Mosque of Damascus; hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning "light"). For the mountain formation see Minarets (California. Minarets ( Arabic manara (lighthouse منارة but more usually مئذنة The Grand Mosque of Damascus, also known as the Ummayad Mosque' ( Arabic: جامع بني أمية الكبير transl
- a mihrab or niche on an inside wall indicating the direction to Mecca. A mihrab (محراب pl محاريب is a niche in the wall of a Mosque that indicates the Qibla, that is the direction of the Kaaba Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored This may have been derived from previous uses of niches for the setting of the torah scrolls in Jewish synagogues or the haikal of Coptic churches. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ History of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Apostolic foundation Egypt is identified in the Bible as the place of refuge that the
- Domes (the earliest Islamic use of which was in the eighth century mosque of Medina).
- Use of iwans to intermediate between different sections. An iwan (إيوان eyvān) is defined as a vaulted hall or space walled on three sides with one end entirely open
- Use of geometric shapes and repetitive art (arabesque). The arabesque is an elaborative application of repeating geometric forms that often echo the forms of plants and animals
- Use of decorative Arabic calligraphy. Islamic calligraphy, equally known as Arabic calligraphy, is the art of writing and by extension of bookmaking
- Use of symmetry.
- Ablution fountains.
- use of bright color.
- focus on the interior space of a building rather than the exterior.
Interpretation
Common interpretations of Islamic architecture include the following:
- The concept of Allah's infinite power is evoked by designs with repeating themes which suggest infinity. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for '
- Human and animal forms are rarely depicted in decorative art as Allah's work is matchless. Foliage is a frequent motif but typically stylized or simplified for the same reason.
- Calligraphy is used to enhance the interior of a building by providing quotations from the Qur'an. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran
- Islamic architecture has been called the "architecture of the veil" because the beauty lies in the inner spaces (courtyards and rooms) which are not visible from the outside (street view).
- Use of impressive forms such as large domes, towering minarets, and large courtyards are intended to convey power.
Music
Islamic music is Muslim religious music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions. Islamic music is Muslim religious Music, as sung or played in public services or private devotions Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. The classic heartland of Islam is Arabia and the Middle East, North Africa and Egypt, Iran, Central Asia, and northern India and Pakistan. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Because Islam is a multicultural religion, the musical expression of its adherents is diverse. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The indigenous musical styles of these areas have shaped the devotional music enjoyed by contemporary Muslims:
- Arab classical music
- Religious music in Iran
- North Indian classical music. Arabic music or Arab music ( Arabic: موسيقى عربية;) includes several genres and styles of Music ranging from Arabic classical Religious music in Iran is rich in melodies and genres Iran is a multi cultural land where various faiths exist Hindustani Classical Music ( Hindi: हिन्दुस्तानी शास्त्रीय संगीत Urdu: ہندوستانی شاستریے سنگیت
The Seljuk Turks, a nomadic tribe that converted to Islam, conquered Anatolia (now Turkey), and held the Caliphate as the Ottoman Empire, also had a strong influence on Islamic music. The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish See:
- Turkish classical music. The music of Turkey includes diverse elements ranging from Central Asian folk music and music from Ottoman Empire dominions such as Persian music,
Sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the southern Philippines also have large Muslim populations, but these areas have had less influence than the heartland on the various traditions of Islamic music. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP
South India: Mappila Songs, Duff Muttu
All these regions were connected by trade long before the Islamic conquests of the 600s and later, and it is likely that musical styles traveled the same routes as trade goods. South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Mappila Paattu or Mappila Song is a Folklore Muslim devotional song genre rendered to lyrics in Arabic -laced Malayalam, predominantly Duff Muttu ( also Dubh Muttu) is an art form prevalent among Muslims in Kerala state of South India However, lacking recordings, we can only speculate as to the pre-Islamic music of these areas. Islam must have had a great influence on music, as it united vast areas under the first caliphs, and facilitated trade between distant lands. Certainly the Sufis, brotherhoods of Muslim mystics, spread their music far and wide. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفیگری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Mysticism (from the Greek grc μυστικός mystikos, an initiate of a Mystery religion) is the pursuit of communion with identity
References
- The culture of hey changing aspects of contemporary Muslim life, by Lawrence Rosen (University of Chicago Press, 2004) (ISBN 0-226-72615-0)
- Studies in Islamic culture in the Indian environment, by Aziz Ahmed (Oxford India Paperbacks, 1999) (ISBN 0-19-564464-6)
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