Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Muslim Cultural Profile
Muslim Cultural Profile
(Muslim)
Patricia Mae Bawi-in, Darren Danico, Alexa Jill Febrio, Peachy Maryant Lauvina,
ABM 11-A
I. History
Mindanao and Sulu are the original homeland of the Philippine Muslims. These areas are now the third political
subdivision of the Philippines. They are located at the southern part of the country, and lie around hundred miles
north of equator. The areas occupy a strategic position at the center of shipping line between the Far East and the
Malayan world. They are situated north of Sulawise and to the west is the state of Sabah. However, the main
concentration of the Philippine Muslim population is confined largely to the western side of Mindanao down to the
Sulu Archipelago. In mainland Mindanao, the Muslims are dominant only in Lanao and Maguindanao provinces.
While the rest of the Muslim populations are scattered in nearby provinces such as Zamboanga peninsula, North
Cotabato, Sultan Qudarat, South Cotabato, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Sarangani island. In the Sulu
Archipelago, the Muslims are all dominant in three island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
MALE
The beard is the natural God given sign of manhood, and the universal distinguishining mark of masculinity
from femininity. This is why all prophets of God like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, may Allah’s peace
be upon them all, had beards and ordered their followers to keep their beards. Shaving the beard entirely or shaving
the beard partially and prolonging the mustache, is only a recent innovation in mankind originating among the pagans
and polytheists and then spreading among others and blindly aped by some of the believers of monotheism – the
professed faith of many. Muslims seek to maintain the way of the prophets in this aspect of the God given appearance
of masculinity. Its as simple as that. And yet it has become much more, like the modest covering of faithful women as
mentioned below. There are specific commands of the Prophet Muhammad, may the salutations of peace and
blessings be upon him and his family and followers, that order the believers to maintain their beards and to trim their
mustaches, and these commands are reported in authentic narrations in various phrases that make the command one
of religious obligation not voluntary choice. since there are lengthy papers and books on the subject which any diligent
search will reveal, it is not necessary here to enumerate them.
FEMALE
The Muslim woman does not neglect her appearance, no matter how busy she is with her domestic chores
and the duties of motherhood. She is keen to look good, without going to extremes, because a good appearance is an
indication of how well she understands herself, her Islamic identity, and her mission in life. The Muslim woman
takes good care of her body, promoting its good health and strength. She is active, not flabby or overweight. So
she does not eat to excess; she eats just enough to maintain her health and energy. The Muslim woman does not
forget to maintain her physical fitness and energy by following the healthy practices recommended by Islam. But she
is not content only with the natural, healthy diet referred to above: she also follows an organized exercise program,
appropriate to her physical condition, weight, age and social status. The Muslim woman who truly follows the
teachings of Islam keeps her body and clothes very clean. She bathes frequently, in accordance with the teachings of
the Prophet (PBUH), who advised Muslims to take baths, especially on Fridays for as it is written: "Have a bath on
Fridays and wash your heads, even if you are not in a state of janabah (impurity, e.g. following marital relations), and
wear perfume." "Whoever attends Friday prayer, man or woman, should take a bath (ghusl).
2. Language
Arabic, the classical form of the language, is the language of the Qur’an. When Muslims from all over the
world recite the Qur’an, they do it in Arabic. Since the classical form of Arabic is a liturgical language, many
Muslims will study it on some level in order to pray and read the Qur’an itself and other Islamic texts. In the
Arabic-speaking countries of the world, in addition to the religious realm, the standard form of the language
continues to be the language of poetry, much of the literature, news, and basically anything formal.
While there are spoken forms of Arabic that are specific to each country and even city, many people
hold the standard form of Arabic in high esteem because of its connection to the Qur’an. In some
Arab countries, writers who push to use the colloquial form of Arabic in the place of standard Arabic
face a challenge because of the connection that the latter has to the Qur’an.
3. Clothing
Hijab - This word is sometimes used to generally describe a Muslim women's modest dress. More
specifically, it refers to a square or rectangular piece of fabric which is folded, placed over the head
and fastened under the chin as a head scarf. Depending on the style and location, this
may also be called a shaylah or tarhah.
Khimar - A general term for a woman's head and/or face veil. This word is sometimes
used to describe a particular style of scarf that drapes over the entire top half of a
woman's body, down to the waist.
Abaya - Common in the Arab Gulf countries, this a cloak for women that is worn over
other clothing when in public. The abaya is usually made of black synthetic fiber,
sometimes decorated with colored embroidery or sequins. The abaya may be worn
from the top of the head to the ground (like the chador described below), or over the
shoulders. It is usually fastened so that it is closed. It may be combined with a head
scarf or face veil.
Chador - An enveloping cloak worn by women, from the top of the head to the ground.
Usually worn in Iran without a face veil. Unlike the abaya described above, the chador is
sometimes not fastened in the front.
Jilbab - Sometimes used as a general term, quoted from the Qur'an 33:59, for an over-
garment or cloak worn by Muslim women when in public. Sometimes refers to a
specific style of cloak, similar to the abaya but more fitted, and in a wider variety of
fabrics and colors. It looks more similar to a long tailored coat.
Niqab - A face veil worn by some Muslim women which may or may not leave the eyes
uncovered.
Burqa - This type of veil and body covering conceals all of a woman's body, including the
eyes, which are covered with a mesh screen. Common in Afghanistan; sometimes
refers to the "niqab" face veil described above.
Shalwar Kameez - Worn by both men and women primarily in the Indian
subcontinent, this is a pair of loose trousers that are worn with a long tunic.
Thobe - A long robe worn by Muslim men. The top is usually tailored like a shirt, but it
is ankle-length and loose. The thobe is usually white but may be found in other colors,
especially in winter. The term may also be used to describe any type of loose dress
worn by men or women.
Ghutra and Egal - A square or rectangular head scarf worn by men, along with a rope
band (usually black) to fasten it in place. The ghutra (head scarf) is usually white, or
checkered red/white or black/white. In some countries, this is called
a shemagh or kuffiyeh.
Bisht - A dressier men's cloak that is sometimes worn over the thobe, often by high-
level government or religious leaders.
4. Religion
In the seventh century, Muhammad claimed the angel
Gabriel visited him. During these angelic visitations, which
continued for about 23 years until Muhammad's death, the
angel purportedly revealed to Muhammad the words
of Allah (the Arabic word for “God” used by Muslims). These
dictated revelations compose the Qur'an, Islam's holy book.
Islam means “submission,” deriving from a root word that
means “peace.” The word Muslimmeans “one who submits to
Allah.”
A Muslim's entrance into paradise hinges on obedience to these Five Pillars. Still, Allah may reject them.
Even Muhammad was not sure whether Allah would admit him to paradise (Surah 46:9; Hadith 5.266).
Compared to Christianity, Islam has some similarities but significant differences. Like Christianity, Islam is
monotheistic. However, Muslims reject the Trinity—that God has revealed Himself as one in three Persons:
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Muslims believe that paradise can be earned through keeping the Five
Pillars. The Bible, in contrast, reveals that sinful man can never measure up to the holy God (Romans
3:23; 6:23). Only by God’s grace may sinners be saved through repentant faith in Jesus (Acts
20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). Because of these essential differences and contradictions, Islam and Christianity
cannot both be true. The Bible and Qur’an cannot both be God’s Word. The truth has eternal consequences.
5. Food
6. Culture
1. One God: ‘Allah’; Prayer Customs at Home, during Travel, and In the Mosque
2. Role of Imam, or Prayer Leader
3. Prayer protocol and Pets
4. Drawing visual depictions of prophets
5. Dietary Restrictions
6.Celebrations: Eid-ui-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha
7. Wearing the Hijab
8. Politeness and Respect for Elders
9. Emergency Treatment
10. Shaking Hands
11. Social Distance
12. Eye Contact
13. Sitting with soles of feet or shoes facing a person sitting close by/accidental touching of feet
14. Removing shoes when entering the home
15. The “Namaste” greeting common to some Indian-Hindu groups
16. Passing an item to someone with the left hand
7. Practices
Certain sacred practices and rituals are very important to Muslims.
They are a significant way that followers of Islam remember history,
express conviction, and grow in devotion.
Some rituals are practiced daily, like prayer; others are practiced
annually, like those aligned with specific Islamic holidays. The religious
practices and rituals of Islam are relatively few in number, but great in
importance. The Five Pillars of Islam are five practices regarded by all sects
of the Islamic religion as essential to the Muslim faith.
References:
Boyd, D. (2011). Why do Muslim Men have beards and Muslim Women wear head and face coverings? Retreived from
https://supportdanielboyd.wordpress.com/about-islam/why-do-muslim-men-have-beards-and-women-wear-head-and-
face-coverings/