The Origins of Islamic Culture - Essay Example

? Islamic Culture Submitted to, Submitted By, of the Submitted on, [April 1st, MANIFESTATION The human society has evolved incredibly since the advent of man. It has passed through several phases and has modified itself over the years. Culture is the way the norms of a society shape themselves with respect to the people living in it. These may include the conceptual beliefs, the norms the living styles and the preferences if the people concerned with the society. As a subsidiary the very basics like the values, language spoken, institutional setups and residential arrangements are all settlements done in line with the prevalent ways and are all summed up into the community with which they are associated. Throughout the human society classifications among humans are made on the basis of ethnicity, religious influence and political affiliations etcetera. RELIGUOUS INFLUENCE The current study revolves around one of the groups of people who pose their specific significance with respect to their religious affiliation. The human perceptions, understandings and acts are affected greatly by religious influence in great amounts. This eventually affects every level of the human being’s lives whether they may personal, financial or corporate in nature. Thus organizational decision making and the performance of individuals all come under the influence of the religion to which they belong. ISLAM Islam is one of the most widely followed religions in the history of mankind. Being the second largest religion of the human society it has millions of followers. Thus the Islamic culture is quite prevalent in the world. Islam is the religion that believes upon the sovereignty of one God. The name that God is termed with in the religion Islam is Allah. The belief that the religion establishes is that Islam is the religion of Allah for the Entire Humanity. It is the religion that preaches kindness and equality with mercy and tolerance. Evidence to this is the following teachings of Islam that are quoted in the Holy Book of Allah i.e. the Holy Quran as follows: “Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned”  [al-Baqarah 2:286 - Quran]  The religion preaches utmost simplicity and piety. It does not want any individual to bear any load that he may not think of himself to be capable of. Allah- The Lord, with respect to the teaching of Islam, has spared His followers of any hardships or difficulties. At another place the Almighty Lord says (interpretation of the meaning) : “He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islamic Monotheism to mankind by inviting them to His religion of Islam), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship”  [al-Hajj 22:78 - Quran]  The above lines are directly addressed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) and then via him to the rest of the mankind. The Quran, the boom of Allah that contains all the codes of conduct and commandments is the final word for Mankind from the Almighty Lord. The Divine books that precede this last and final word are the Psalms, the Bible, and the Testament. THE HISTORY OF ISLAM Islam is a global religion. The birth of the foremost and final Prophet of Islam Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) in the year 570 A.D led to the beginning of an Era that was eventually to lead to the formal birth of the religion of Islam. He was born to an Arabian family named the family of “Quraish” which was the then ruling tribe of the Holy city of Mecca. Mecca was the center of trade of the entire Arab and was later trademarked as the Holy Mecca that housed the house of the Lord, Allah swt. After the era of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) Islam spread out from Arab into various other regions. Fellows from the most trusted companions of the Prophet were appointed as caliphs. The kingdom of Islam was henceforth termed as Caliphate that revolved around nothing but the religion itself. Caliphs were the rulers of each subsequent Islamic society. The conquests led by Caliphs conquered regions like North Africa, Spain, Central Asian regions like Herat, Kabul and Bokhara. (Waddell, 2004) Caliphate then finally centered itself in Turkey where it breathed its last. ISLAM AND CULTURE The impact of the religion of Islam is substantial on the people who follow it. The religion itself is actually a complete code of life which emphasizes each and every aspect of the human living and even after death. The feeling that all the Muslims that they worship their One God and are subservient to Him only, is the binding factor amongst all the Muslims and lays the basis for a unified and strong cultural heritage that these individuals possess. It is for this steadfastness and strength of thought that the Muslims have been renowned for the richness of their beliefs and heritage since times immemorial. The culture of Islam unfolds as being rich in historical aspects and also possesses immense socio-cultural background. The respective nations in the Islamic world have very few differences in them. As the Muslim world shares the same rich traditional and religious background their binding force is universal. It is this unified cultural and social binding that differentiates the Islamic Society from the rest of the world and makes them stand out. The richness of the culture of Islam is beautifully narrated by Hicham Ben Abdallah El Alaoui in his scholarly work titled, ‘the split in Arab Culture’ as follows: “Indeed, an aspect of Islam’s grandeur has been its ability to absorb myriad cultural influences. The Muslim world protected, studied, and developed the great traditions of classical literature and philosophy. It was not a milieu for burning books, but rather one in which libraries were built to preserve them. “ (Alaoui, 2011) ISLAMIC LAW The Islamic law is primarily based on the ideology of the religion itself. It is very little different from the universal laws of brotherhood. The law itself may well be termed as dominated by the theology of the religion itself. The main point regarding Islamic culture is that it does not signify any differences among the prayers places and the government itself. All the laws and regulations are centered within the mosque itself The religion of Islam, unlike the religion of Christianity, does not work upon the Sovereignty of an individual living amongst them. There is no hierarchal set of priests that would govern the law making in the religion. Instead a set of religious scholars constitute a combined body that looks after all the aspects of the entire Islamic society. The political factors that emerge within the society also fuse into the same religious council that is initially formulated by the scholars. Islamic law may therefore be termed as the dominating force of the Islamic culture. Since Islamic law is such an integral factor in the culture of Islam it is detailed below so as to clearly realize what would be the basic principles behind the overall culture of the society. Main Principles The Islamic nations that have adopted the Islamic law safeguard its interests both in domestic and international dealings. When dealing with international treaties and trade agreements the international laws are settled in terms with the international laws. However, if not applicable the Islamic states theoretically subside from such agreements. Mohammad F. A. Nsour quotes I his research paper titled ‘International Trade Law and Culture… is it “Culture” by the way? The Case of International Trade Law and Islamic Law’ about the significance of Islamic law as compared to international law as follows: “The rules of interpretation and preponderance in the public international law such as the specialis derogat legi generali, Lex posterior derogat lex prior principles are not recognized as methods to resolve conflict of norms between Islamic law and non-Islamic law. This leads to the conclusion that an international agreement or treaty (i.e. international law) that is inconsistent with Islamic traditions will have no effect whatsoever even when such international law is more specific or current than Islamic law.” The reason why Islamic law cannot be strictly implemented when dealing with international transactions is as follows: The basis of Islamic culture, characteristics and hence Islamic law are different. The Islamic norms nullify the legal norms of any other tradition or mode of thought. Islamic traditions and hence laws are unchangeable as they are fixed and are according to the Shariah or law as set forth by the religion itself. ISLAMIC FINANCE Islamic finance is the lawful means by which a Muslim may tailor his financial matters. This amounts to the permissible or ‘Halal’ mode of dealing with the financial matters whether they would be related to the personal life of an individual or to the corporate world. The issue of dealing with finances by the means that are stated in the religion is necessary because Islamic prohibits dealing in interest. Terrmed as ‘Riba’ the concept of receiving a particular amount of interest of certain money is strictly prohibited in the religion and thus is Islamic financial dealings. ISLAMIC BANKING The mode of banking that is in line with the teachings of the religion of Islam, termed as Shariah, and is referred to as Islamic Banking. This mode of banking is Shariah compliant, as stated earlier. The means by which Islamic financial system is able to support the financial needs of individuals becomes possible after the introduction of the following few concepts: Sukuk: Financial instrument that aids the same task as does debt. The exception that it has from the conventional debt system is that it is devoid of any kinds of interest. Riba: Terming interest as Riba, Islamic finance revolves around the exclusion of this principle. Neither taking nor giving of Riba is permissible in Islam. Ijara: An income generating mechanism that is employed so that interest may be substituted with it when dealing with sales and leaseback issues. Takaful: The concept of sharing of the outcome of a transaction may that be profitable or vice versa. Often termed comprehensively as: “mutual aid and risk sharing mechanism” (Kolakowski, 2012) takaful is prevalent in the Islamic society. Tawarruk This is the terminology that refers to the loan that is given by banks in accordance with the Islamic financial norms. This is not the perfectly Islamic form of loan because it involves that taking of interest when the transaction reaches a particular limit. A number of Islamic scholars have strictly criticized this hidden interest bearing loans. ISLAMIC FINANCE VARIATIONS Some variations exist in the Islamic mode of Finance. This variation is owing to the existence of two theological subgroups. These subgroups are termed as the Shi’a and the Sunni subgroups. They do not have any centralized system of scholarly individuals that may form a unified system of agreement for Islamic laws. Some variations exist in the decisions of the scholars of the Asian Islamic region and that of the Arabian Islamic countries. Following are a few statistics from the Financial Times issue that are in relation to the scope of financial times: “Sharia-compliant financial institutions: 1,124 Assets in Islamic finance: between $822 billion and $1 trillion Increase in such assets in 2009: 29% Worldwide Muslim population: approximately 1.6 billion Percent who use banks: approximately 14% Islamic mutual funds: 473 Islamic money market funds in this total: 79 Islamic real estate funds in this total: 28 Assets in Islamic mutual funds: $35 billion” (Kolakowski, 2012) ISLAMIC INVESTMENTS Islamic investments are bound by the basic principle of the absence of Interest or Riba. A pool of investments is made in which money is poured in from various ends. Investing money in a manner which is legal in accordance with the Islamic law, the following definition of investment funds has shaped up: "Funds are investment vehicles, which are financially independent of the institutions that establish them. Funds take the form of equal participating shares/units, which represent the shareholders’/unitholders’ share of the assets, and entitlement to profits or losses. The funds are managed on the basis of either mudaraba or agency contract." (HillPlaza, 2006) The above definition has been coined by the Accounting and Auditing Organization of Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). It emphasized that the collection of mutual funds and their investments is permissible throughout their terms. The shareholders and the funding parties both agree on a mutual set of terms in accordance with which the investment of terms is executed. There is no inclusion of interest in the financial discipline. Funds related to equity, Ijarah, commodity, Investment in permissible shares etcetera are all different modes of Islamic investments. ISLAMIC EDUCATION Islamic education involves the attainment of the teaching of the Quran, The Holy Book of the Muslims, and the following of the actions of the Prophet Muhammad. There are specific educational programs that involve primary as well as secondary level education in the light of the Quran and Sunnah (the sayings and the actions of the Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him). Graduate level programs are modeled that constitute the religious as well as modern worldly education. Since the Islamic culture is all about the teachings of the religion of Islam itself, therefore the attainment of the specific education assists the individuals throughout their lifetime. ISLAMIC ART AND CALLIGRAPHY Islamic Calligraphy is the most modern form of writing something in the ancestral methods. The advent of Islamic calligraphy can be traced to the early times of the Islamic period, that is, the 7th Century A.D. Through all the Muslim civilizations Calligraphy has evolved considerably eventually arriving at its present form. A Muslim cultural belief relative to the art of calligraphy is narrated as below: “ it is believed that “???? ???? ??? ????? ”, roughly translated as “beautiful calligraphy ensures entrance to Paradise” (AC31).” (McGill, 2012) Amongst the all the art forms Calligraphy is the most relevant type of art that demonstrates the theology of the Islamic Culture. The roots of this form of art lie in the Quran itself as it is the foremost and most authentic scripture of the Muslims. Practically speaking, patience, discipline, understanding of space, design and intellect and foresight are the integrals components of calligraphy. Years of practice with steadfastness result in the command over perfect calligraphy. The artist’s steadfastness is rewarded with the experience that he gains and the enriching of the soul. For years Calligraphy has been taught by learned calligraphers to their students. It is mainly been a skill that is taught by one instructor to one student at a time. The script adapted in calligraphy was universally used in all Islamic States. There were very little variations from state to state and the script was adapted by every Islamic nation in their respective languages. This Islamic form of script is the second most widely used script of the world. The Arabic language was the first language in which the Islamic font was practiced for the first time. The language was composed of twenty eight alphabets. Each of these alphabets changed their forms when written in conjunction with other alphabets whether it may be in the beginning, middle or the end of a word. The variation in form of written language triggered the mentoring of the calligraphy itself that was used to write the language down. The importance of Islamic Calligraphy could be accounted to the following two reasons: 1. The Arabic language was the most widely written in the History of Islam as it was the language, in which the Holy Book Quran was sent down for mankind, thus the natural affiliation with the calligraphy of the language exists wherever the affiliation with the religion itself is existent. 2. In accordance with Muslim theology, figurative art is not permissible. Hence, most of the Muslim artists have adapted to practicing their skills at calligraphy and have worked hard to master it over years. Calligraphy thus became the foremost form of expression by the Muslim artists. Please refer to Appendix A for a few figures demonstrating the Islamic Calligraphy. CALLIGRAPHY STYLES As stated earlier, calligraphy has polished itself over the years. Several forms of calligraphy have evolved in its lengthy history. These different forms may be narrated as follows: Kufi – The style dates back to the 7th century. Said t have originated form the city of Iraq named Kufa (and hence the name). the calligraphic style is composed of elongated horizontals. Maghribi – The style of calligraphy dates back to the 8th century. This style is a modification of the Kufi style with a few more curves added to it. Naksh -- This style of Islamic calligraphy dates back to the 10th century. This is a relatively simpler style of calligraphy the origin of which can be traced back to Iran. It was meant mainly to facilitate faster writing. Thuluth – This style of calligraphy dates back to the eleventh century. The style is composed of verticals that are large in length. Nastaliq – Originating from Iran this style of Calligraphy dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Diwani – The forst calligraphic style to have originated from Turkey. It is a relatively complex style of calligraphy. (McGill, 2012) ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE The concepts of Islamic design and culture may well be introduced interchangeably. This is owing to the fact that they are immensely interconnected and for the simplicity of understanding and categorization they are used as a whole concept. The basis and background of Islamic Architecture and design are the same. The theme, ideas, skills and theology have dominated the designs that are evident in all Islamic Architectures. Technological advancements adapted from other cultures have enhances the designing of the centuries old designs into the newer forms of art. The origins of the Islamic Architecture are linked straight to the History of the religion itself. The remote areas of the deserts of Arabian Peninsula, where the religion of Islam breathed its first, the living style of the locals was that of the Arab Bedouins with the specific landmarks to their name. No architectural knowledge or construction modes came from the ancestors of the followers of Islam. It was the expansion and increasing following of the religion itself that gave rise to the need of the building of a prayers place for the Muslims as they were obliged to pray five times a day. The need for congregational prayer led to the building of mosques, thus laying down the basis if the very first Islamic architecture. Though no special construction materials were used to build the first and they are the most Modest of structures of the Islamic architecture, still they were role models for the subsequent traditional constructions to follow. The spread of the Islamic empire by the expansion and conquests led by various Islamic conquerors led to the merger of the main themes of those conquered lands’ architectures into the main architectural norms of the religion of Islam. This mainly included the structures of the Byzantine and Persian Empires. It was then over centuries that the architectural heritage of the Islamic culture and tradition became rich. The conquered lands and their architectures had given much experience to the craftsmen and the artists as to what should the architectural norms be. The years that spent made the Islamic culture see various designs for decorations and also for the construction of mosques and other structures utilizing the best of the knowledge and skills available. Exhibits in Appendix B are a demonstration of the splendor of the Islamic Architecture. THE MOSQUE The designated place for congregational/individual prayer or ‘Salat’ for the Muslims is the Mosque. Referred to as the ‘Masjid’ in the native language of the Muslims, a mosque holds immense importance in the culture of Islam. As said earlier, since the cultural of the Islamic religion revolves mainly around the does and don’ts of the religion itself, the prayer place holds just as immense importance too. The most artistic pieces of Art and Calligraphy may be seen demonstrated in Mosques that are clear depictions of the Culture of Islam. Every mosque in the Islamic society is a depicter of the passion that Muslims have for worshipping their Lord. This is because Mosques are exemplary and unmatchable pieces of excellent architecture and remarkable aesthetic sense. Appendix C portrays the pictures of mosques with the most artistic pieces of architecture and design. The domes and Minarets that are characteristic features of Mosques in the Islamic society make the recognition of a Muslim town extremely simple and effective. “The first minarets or towers from which the faithful were called to prayer were added in the early 8th century and soon became a key feature of the mosque complex. As mosques grew larger and more architecturally refined, elaborate decoration in brightly colored ceramic tiles, semiprecious stones, and gold and silver filigree adorned their sides and domes.” (history-world, 2002) The two characteristic mosques of the culture of Islam are the grand mosques of Mecca and Medina. ISLAMIC CLOTHING Just as in all the other aspects relative to the culture of Islam, the clothing of the Muslims are inspired by the religious code of conduct as well. The restrictions of keeping the entire body covered with cloth apply to the Muslim women with the exception of the hands, face and the feet. It is essential that a Muslim woman should keep her hair covered with cloth. This hair covering piece of cloth is often termed as a scarf. Loose outfits are encouraged for both men and women so as to disguise their silhouette. This mode of clothing has extended into the Islamic culture since the inception of the religion. This code of clothing has assisted the Muslims greatly in preserving their piousness and staying in line with the teaching of their Almighty Lord. Islam instructs its followers to dress up modestly and simply. S said earlier both men and women are required to wear dresses that do not specifically make their figures prominent. In line with these teachings the dress that Muslims wear often consists of Jilbabs (Western looking long coat like dresses for women), Dilshadas (long robes worn by men and women mostly in the Middle East), long skirts, long abayas (long gowns worn by women with the intention of concealing their attire) and scarfs as mentioned earlier. (Please see appendix D) For men Islam recommends that they should, by no means wear a garment that does not cover the area form their navel to their knees. The wearing of a hat or a turban is recommended for the Male Muslims. ISLAMIC LITERATURE The main forms of Islamic Literature revolve around poetry. The Islamic Prose dates back to the ancient times. The chief literary types that developed throughout the Musim Society’s history involved the Ghazal, The Qaseeda, The Qitah, The Roba’i and the Maqamah. The Qaseeda dates back characteristically to the pre-Islamic Arabs. A single rhyme is maintained throughout the literary piece which may span over a length of 20 to 100 verses. A Ghazal often consists of 12 to 20 verses. It may be the initial verses of a Qaseeda that may be read separately making sense both with and without the context of the qaseeda. The Qitah is the literary form of prose that is mainly used to address light hearted matters such as in the form of satire remarks or jokes. The Roba’I is the four lined verse that dates abck to the Pre-Islamic and Persian tradition of poetry. CONCLUSION Islam is a rich religion that has everything in it for a human being to cherish. Its cultural norms are best suited to the actual nature of humanity and thus prosper. REFERENCES: (2012). An old copy of the Holy Quran in the Kufic Script. Journey through Art History. [Online Image]. https://sites.google.com/site/journeythrougharthistory/arabiccalligraphy Ali, A. Y. (1983). The Holy Qur'a?n: Text, translation and commentary. Brentwood, Md: Amana Corp. Bouhdiba, A., & Al-Dawalibi, M. M. (1998). The different aspects of Islamic culture: 2. Paris: UNESCO. Fermin Sanchez Barea, (. (2011). Education and the Muslim Culture in the Medieval Arab Madrid. Procedia - Social And Behavioral Sciences, 15(3rd World Conference on Educational Sciences - 2011), 2869-2874. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.205 GAUNAURD, P. M., ABDELHADY, H., & ISSA, N. A. (2011). Islamic Finance. International Lawyer, 45(1), 271-285. Huda (2012) In troduction to Islam. About.com. Retrieved from http://islam.about.com/od/basicbeliefs/p/intro.htm History-world. (2002) Islam from the beginning to 1300. HillPlaza (2007) Islam- Understanding Islam, Muslims and the Islamic Religion. Retrieved from http://www.hilalplaza.com/islam/ Holland, A (2012) Islamic art and Calligraphy. Park51 Community Centre. Retrieved from http://park51.org/2012/03/islamic-art-and-calligraphy-2/ HillPlaza. (2012).Night View of Mosque I Sharjah. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.hilalplaza.com/uae-mosques/ HillPlaza. (2012). Blue Mosque Turkey. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.hilalplaza.com/turkey-mosques/ HillPlaza. (2012).Islamic Clothing. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.hilalplaza.com/islamic-clothing/ Kolakowsi, M. (2012) Islamic Finance. About.com financial Careers. Retrieved from http://financecareers.about.com/od/overview/a/Islamic_Finance.htm Kirabaev, N. S., & Pochta, I. U. M. (2002). Values in Islamic culture and the experience of history. Washington, D.C: Council For Research In Values and Philosophy. Kidipede. (2012). Kairouan 800 A.D. Islamic Architecture. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/islam/architecture/index.htm McGill Library. (2012). Calligraphy panel in naskh and thuluth [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/islamic_calligraphy/fullrecord.php McGill. (2012) Beautiful calligraphy ensures entrance to paradise. Retrieved from http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/islamic_calligraphy/index.php Nienhaus V. Islamic Finance Ethics and Shari'ah Law in the Aftermath of the Crisis: Concept and Practice of Shari'ah Compliant Finance.Ethical Perspectives [serial online]. n.d.;18(4):591-623. Available from: Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Ipswich, MA. Accessed March 28, 2012. Nomad Inception (2012) Islammic Design and Consultancy. Retrieved from http://www.nomadinception.com/ Nomadic Inception. (2012).Islamic Art A. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.nomadinception.com/gallery/samples/complex-plaster-prototype-be-nomad-inception-01.jpg Nomadic Inception. (2012).Geometric Wood Work Design.. [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.nomadinception.com/gallery/samples/geometric-wood-work-design-by-nomad-inception-05.jpg Nomadic Inception. (2012). A Promising Islamic Architectural Company’s work [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://www.nomadinception.com/visuals/mosque-scene-render-cam02-smallbanner-by-nomad-inception.jpg Nsour, M. A. (2011). International Trade Law and Culture… is it "Culture" by the way? The Case of International Trade Law and Islamic Law. European Journal Of Social Science, 19(4), 499-506. Osama, A. (March 17, 2012) Reviving a culture of Islamic Enterpreneurship. New Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/reviving-a-culture-of-islamic-entrepreneurship-1.61744 Saeed, M. (2011). How culture of an Islamic society impacts an organizational life-A review of the relevant literature & Implications for International business. Interdisciplinary Journal Of Contemporary Research In Business, 3(2), 2079-2098. Waddell W. (2004) A concise history of Islam. Omninerd. Retrieved from http://www.omninerd.com/articles/A_Concise_History_of_Islam APPENDIX A: ISLAMIC ART AND CALLIGRAPHY. Figure 1: Islamic Art A. Source: Nomadic Inception. Figure 2: Geometric Woodwork Design. Source: Nomadic Inception. Figure 3: An old copy of the Holy Quran in the Kufic Script. Source: McGill Library. Figure 4: Calligraphy Panel in Naksh and Thuluth. Source: McGill Library. APPENDIX B: ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE Figure 5: A Promising Islamic Architectural Company’s work. Source: Nomad Inception. Figure 6: Kairouan 800 A.D. Source: Kidipede. APPENDIX C: WORLD MOSQES: Figure 7: Blue Mosque Turkey. Source: HillPlaza. 2012 Figure 8: Night view of Mosque in Sharjah. Source: HillPlaza. 2012 APPENDIX D: ISLAMIC CLOTHING Figure 9: Islamic Clothing Source: HillPlaza.com, 2012. Read More