ISLAMIC SOCIETY and

CULTURE
 ISLAM

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after

Christianity, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.
Islam started in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia,
during the time of the prophet Muhammad’s life.
The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.”
Followers of Islam are called Muslims.
Government
• Caliphate – system of government
• Caliph – head of government which means deputy
- successor of Muhammad
PRINCIPAL DUTIES OF CALIPH
 Guard the Holy cities
 To organize the annual pilgrimage to Mecca
 To preserve the religious law or Shari’a
 To protect or to extend the Islamic frontiers of the
Islamic Empire
Muslim are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, who in
Arabic is known as Allah. They believe that nothing can happen
without Allah’s permission, but humans have free will.
Islam teaches that Allah’s word was revealed to the prophet
Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
The prophet Muhammad,
sometimes spelled
Mohammed or
Mohammad, was born in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in
570 A.D. Muslims believe
he was the final prophet
sent by God to reveal the
faith to mankind.
The Quran (or Koran) is the major
holy text of Islam. It contains some
basic information that is found in the
Hebrew Bible as well as revelations
that were given to Muhammad.

The text is considered the sacred

word of God and supersedes any
previous writings.
Mishbaha Beads

Muslim’s prayer beads. The use of

Mishbaha beads in worship reflects
Muslim devotion beliefs about Allah.

There are often two sorts of beads

which are either made up of 33 or 99
beads used for reciting and counting
in a practical way of the many
names of Allah.
 FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

SHAHADA SALAT ZAKAT

SAWM HAJJ
To declare one’s faith in
God and belief in
Muhammad

To pray five times a day

( at dawn, noon,
afternoon, sunset, and
evening)

To give those in need.

To fast during Ramadan

To make a pilgrimage to
Mecca at least once during a
person’s lifetime if the person
is able.
Muslim Population
COUNTRTY POPULATION PERCENTAGE OF MUSLIM
POPULATION

INDONESIA 228, 582, 000 86.1%

PAKISTAN 172, 800, 000 97 %
BANGLADESH 162, 221, 000 89 %
NIGERIA 154, 279, 000 50%
EGYPT 77, 100, 000 90%
TURKEY 71, 517, 100 99.8%
IRAN 70, 495, 782 98 %
SUDAN 39, 379, 358 70 %
ALGERIA 33, 369, 669 99 %
AFGHANISTAN 32, 378, 376 99 %
ISLAMIC
TERMS
Hajj – A pilgrimage made by Muslims to the city of
Makkah (Mecca), the holiest city off Islam. Every
Muslim is expected to make a religious journey to
Mecca .
Halal – A term describing something that is lawful
and permitted in Islam, according to Islamic law.
Imam – A person or religious leader who leads
prayers in mosque.
Qur’an – Religious text of Islam.
Madrassah – The Arabic word for an educational
institution for any kind of learning. Often use to refer to a
Islamic religious school.
Mosque – A Muslim place of prayer.
Ramadan – A ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, durin
which Muslim fast from sunrise to sunset.
Salat – Islamic word for prayer.
Sawm – Islamic word for fasting.
 ISLAMIC
HOLIDAYS AND
FESTIVALS
 Islam has relatively few holidays compared to
most other religions; nevertheless, sacred days
and times are very important to Muslims.
When holidays are being observed, it is common
for routine social activities, such as work and
commerce, to stop temporarily out of respect for
the person or event being remembered.
Most Islamic holidays either commemorate
events in the life of the prophet Muhammad or are
special days founded by him.
MAJOR ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
• AL HIJRA (1 Muharram): The Islamic New Year
• The month of Muharram marks the beginning of
the Islamic liturgical year..
• In the Islamic religion, Al-Hijra - the New Year -
is celebrated on the first day of Muharram, the
month in which Muhammad emigrated from
Mecca to Medina in 622 CE (the Hijra). The
holiday is also known simply as Muharram.
Dates:
On the Western calendar, these are the upcoming dates for Al-Hijra:

October 14, 2015

October 2, 2016
September 22, 2017
September 12, 2018
 MAJOR ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
• Mawlid al-Nabi (12 Rabi 1): Prophet Muhammad's
Birthday
• This holiday celebrates the birthday of Muhammad, the
founder of Islam. It is fixed as the 12th day of the month
of Rabi I in the Islamic calendar. Mawlid means
birthday of a holy figure and al-Nabi means prophet.
• The day is commemorated with recollections of
Muhammad's life and significance. Fundamentalist
Muslims, such as the Wahhabi sect, do not celebrate it.
Ashura
(remembering the Shi'ite martyr Husayn)

• Ashura (also spelled Aashurah, ‘Ashurah or Aashoorah),

is an Islamic holiday observed on the 10th of Muharram,
the first month of the Islamic year. The word Ashura
means "10," denoting the date of the holiday.
• Shortly after the Hijira in AD 622, Muhammad designated
Ashura as a day of fasting from sunset to sunset,
perhaps patterned on the Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom
Kippur). Traditionally, Ashura commemorates two events:
the day Nuh (Noah) left the ark and the day Musa
(Moses) was saved from the Egyptians by Allah.
 When Jewish-Muslim relations became strained,
however, Muhammad designated Ramadan the
Muslim month of fasting, making Ashura a voluntary
fast, as it has remained among Sunnis. Among
Shi'ites, however, Ashura is a major festival, the tazia
(ta'ziyah). It commemorates the death of Husayn (also
spelled Hussein), son of Imam 'Ali and grandson of
Muhammad, on the 10th of Muharram, AH 61 (October
10, 680), in Karbala, Iraq. The event led to the split
between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam, and it is of
central importance in Shia Islam.
• Ashura in Shia Islam
• For Shi'a Muslims, rituals and observances on
Ashura consist primarily of public expressions of
mourning and grief. Some Shi'as express mourning
by flagellating themselves on the back with chains,
beating their head or ritually cutting themselves. This
is intended to connect them with Husayn's suffering
and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of
Judgment.
ASHURA FESTIVAL
 MAJOR ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS
• Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal): The Celebration concluding Ramadan
• Ramadan, the month of fasting, ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr.
Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the
two most important Islamic celebrations (Eid al-Adha is the other). At
Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with
lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with
friends and family.
• A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although
charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have
special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a
close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the
poor and making contributions to mosques.
 Ramadan is not a holy day to Muslims, but
a holy month. It is the ninth month of the
Islamic year, in which "the Quran was sent
down as a guidance for the people" {1}.
Ramadan is similar to the Jewish Yom Kippur
in that both constitute a period of atonement;
Ramadan, however, is seen less as
atonement and more as an obedient
response to a command from Allah.
 During Ramadan, those who are able must
abstain from food and drink (including water), evil
thoughts and deeds, and sexual intercourse from
dawn until dusk for the entire month. Because the
holiday cycles through the solar year, this fast can
be much more challenging in some years than
others. When Ramadan falls in the summer
season, the days of fasting are longer and it is a
greater hardship to do without water.
 Fasting during Ramadan
•Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and
increased devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more
effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins
at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating
and drinking, Muslims also increase restraint, such as abstaining
from sexual relations and generally sinful speech and behavior.
•The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly
activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from
harmful impurities. Ramadan also teaches Muslims how to better
practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for
those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of
generosity and compulsory charity (zakat).
 Suhoor and Iftar in Ramadan
• Each day before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called
suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the
first prayer of the day, the Fajr prayer. At sunset, families hasten for
the fast-breaking meal known as iftar. Considering the high diversity
of the global Muslim population, it is impossible to describe typical
suhoor or iftar meals. Suhoor can be leftovers from the previous
night's dinner (iftar), typical breakfast foods, or ethnic foods.
• In the evening, some dates are usually the first foods to break the
fast; according to tradition, Muhammad broke fast with three dates.
Following that, Muslims generally adjourn for the Maghrib prayer,
the fourth of the five daily prayers, after which the main meal is
served.
Rituals
• Rituals and practices of 'Id al-Fitr are characterized by joyfulness,
togetherness and thankfulness. They include the following:
• communal (mosque) prayer at dawn on the first day
• social gatherings and official receptions
• gift-giving
• eating sweets
• wearing new clothes
• visiting graves of family
• the greeting 'Id Mabarak ("May God make it a blessed feast"). {2}
Increased prayer and recitation of the
Quran
In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to
read the entire Quran. Some Muslims perform the
recitation of the entire Quran by means of special
prayers, called Tarawih. These voluntary prayers are
held in the mosques every night of the month, during
which a whole section of the Quran (Juz', which is 1/30
of the Quran) is recited. Therefore, the entire Quran
would be completed at the end of the month. Although it
is not required to read the whole Quran in the Salatul
Tarawih prayers, it is common.
• Eid al-Adha (10 Dhu'l-Hijjah): The celebration
concluding the Hajj
• Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, commemorates
the prophet Abraham's willingness to obey Allah by
sacrificing his son Ishmael. According to the Qu'ran,
just before Abraham sacrificed his son, Allah replaced
Ishmael with a ram, thus sparing his life.
• One of the two most important Islamic festivals, Eid al-
Adha begins on the 10 day of Dhu'l-Hijja, the last
month of the Islamic calendar. Lasting for three days, it
occurs at the conclusion of the annual Hajj, or
pilgrimage to Mecca.
• Muslims all over the world celebrate, not
simply those undertaking the hajj, which for
most Muslims is a once-a-lifetime occurrence.
• The festival is celebrated by sacrificing a lamb
or other animal and distributing the meat to
relatives, friends, and the poor. The sacrifice
symbolizes obedience to Allah and its
distribution to others is an expression of
generosity, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Eid al-Adha Observances
• On Eid al-Adha, families that can afford it sacrifice an animal such as a
sheep, goat, camel, or cow, and then divide the meat among themselves,
the poor, friends and neighbors.
• In Britain, the law requires that this be done in a slaughterhouse.
• The sacrifice is called Qurban. During the sacrifice, the following prayer is
recited:
• “In the name of Allah And Allah is the greatest O Allah, indeed this is from you
and for you O Allah accept it from me. Eid al-Adha is a public holiday in Muslim
countries. Like 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id Al-Adha begins with communal prayer at daybreak on
its first day, which takes place at the local mosque. Worshippers wear their finest
clothes for the occasion. It is also a time for visiting friends and family and for
exchanging gifts.”
• Lailat al-Qadr (Night of Power)
• The night in which the prophet Mohammed received the first
revelation from God. The Night of Power is one of the odd-
numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. A portion of
this night is spent reading the Qur'an and making special
prayers.
• Id Ul-Ghadir
• This festival in Shia communities around the world celebrates
the anniversary of the Holy Prophet Mohammed's completion of
his final message to humankind with regard to his succession.
Ghadir-e-Khun is the famous place where this event took place
during the month of Hajj in the 10th year of the Hijra, or
migration, of the Prophet Mohammed from Mecca to
Medina.
CLOTHINGS
• Influence by religion
• Modesty

Dress code, clothing requirements

1. Body parts to be covered (men & women)
2. Looseness
3. Thickness
4. Overall appearance
5. Cross dressing
6. Decent but not flashy
 For men
• Thobe - a long
robe worn by
muslim men which
ankle lenght and
loose.
• Ghutra - a square
or rectangular
headscarf
• Egal - a rope band
• Bisht - a dressier
men's cloak that is
sometimes worn
over the thobe.
For women
• Jilbab / Abaya -
long loosely fitted
garments worn by
muslim women
MARRIAGE
TEMPORARY MARRIAGE ( MUTAH )
Shiah Law also permits temporary marriages. It
has the same rights and obligations as a
permanent marriage except that the marriage will
terminate by the effluxion of time.

POLYGAMY
A marriage with up to four wives is permitted.
 Islamic marriages require acceptance, in qubul of
the groom and the consent of the wali of the
bride.
 A marriage should be conducted through a
contract and a mandatory sum of wealth provided
to the bride, which is called mahr (dowry)
 Spoken Consent of the woman is only required if
she is not a virgin, but a virgin may not be
married off without her permission, if she is so
shy to express her opinion her silence will be
considered as yes.
Prohibited Marriages
 It is lawful for men to marry Jewish or
Christian women but not a Polytheist
woman.
 Marriage between people of the same sex
 Marriage between of a Man with a woman
who are stepsister.
Divorce
In Islamic culture, divorce is permitted, but
first there must be a process of reconciliation
in which the elders of both parties as well as
the community must strive to get the parties
reconcile.
HALAL & HARAM
Halal is a Qur'anic term that means
permitted, allowed, lawful, or legal.

Haram means forbidden, unlawful or illegal

 Haram
• Drinking alcohol
• Eating meats
• Eating with your left hand
• Showing hair or skin in public
• Slaughtering an animal without saying"
Bismillah"
• Wearing silk cloth, gold and silver
jewelry(men)
• Marrying a Non Muslim man
• Tattoos
 Halal
• Friends and Family Gatherings
• Joking
• Travelling and Camping
• Digital Games and Movies
 Halal Foods
Meat:
• Cows • Seafoods
• Goats • Vegetables
• Chickens • Fruits
• Deer
• Ducks
• Geese
• Sheep
Meat to be considered halal:

• Certified meat and poultry

• Must sacrificed according to islamic
rites
• Correct slaughtering of animals
 ISLAMIC
SYMBOLS
 Colors
1.The color white is universally known to symbolize
peace and purity. Many Muslims wear white for Friday
prayers. Black is a symbol of mourning in many
cultures around the world, but in Islam it symbolizes
modesty. Red, although not particularly significant for
Muslims, is common on the flags of Muslim countries.
2.These four colors green, black, white and red are the
dominant colors found in the flags of most Arab
states.
Star and Cresent
 The Star and Crescent
1. The star and crescent is actually the best-known
symbol for Islam. It adorns the top of Muslim
mosques and is featured quite prominently as the
major element in many Islamic flags, as in the
national flags of Turkey and Pakistan. Many
historians point out that this symbol actually
originated from the Ottoman Empire and is not of
Islamic origins at all. It is considered a case of
cultural diffusion.
2. "Star and Crescent" was used as a metaphor for the
rule of the Islamic empires (Ottoman and Persian) in
the late 19th century in British literature.
Rub el Hizb
• In Arabic, ‘Rub’ stands for quarter or one-fourth,
while the meaning of ‘Hizb’ is a party or a group. It
is used in Arabic calligraphy to mark a chapter’s
end and appears in the Quran at the end of
passages. The Quran is divided into sixty ‘Hizb’
which are 60 equal-length portions and these are
further divided into ‘rub’ or quarters.

• The Rub el Hizb symbol can be seen on several

flags, emblems and coat of arms such as those of
Morocco, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.