(Redirected from Islamic World)
Nations with a Muslim majority appear in green, while nations that are approximately 50% Muslim appear yellow.
The term 'Muslim world' (or 'Islamic world') has several meanings. In a
cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of
Muslims, adherents of
Islam. This community
numbers about 1.3-1.4 billion people, about one-fifth of the world. This community is spread across many different
nations and
ethnic groups connected only by
religion. In a
historical or
geopolitical sense the term usually refers collectively to
majority Muslim countries or countries in which Islam dominates politically.
The worldwide Muslim community is also known collectively as the ''
ummah''. Islam emphasizes unity and defense of fellow Muslims, although many
divisions of Islam (such as the
Sunni-Shia split) exist. In the past both
Pan-Islamism and
nationalist currents have influenced the status of the Muslim world.
History
Main articles: Muslim history
Islamic Culture
Art and architecture
The term "Islamic art and architecture" denotes the works of art and architecture produced from the 7th century onwards by people (not necessarily Muslim) who lived within the territory that was inhabited by culturally Islamic populations.
[1][2]
Aniconism, Iconoclasm, and Arabesques
Main articles: Aniconism in Islam,
Iconoclasm,
Arabesque
No Islamic visual images or depictions of God are meant to exist because such artistic depictions may lead to
idolatry. Moreover, Muslims believe that God is
incorporeal, making any two- or three- dimensional depictions impossible. Instead, Muslims describe God by the
names and attributes that he revealed to his creation. All but one sura of the Qur'an begins with the phrase "
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful". Images of Mohammed are likewise prohibited. Such
aniconism and
iconoclasm[ Muslim Iconoclasm ] can also be found in Jewish and some Christian theology.
Islamic art frequently adopts the use of geometrical floral or vegetal designs in a repetition known as
arabesque. Such designs are highly nonrepresentational, as Islam forbids representational depictions as found in pre-Islamic pagan religions. Despite this, there is a presence of depictional art in some Muslim societies, although this is not widespread. Another reason why Islamic art is usually abstract is to symbolize the transcendence, indivisible and infinite nature of God, an objective achieved by arabesque.
[3] Arabic calligraphy is an omnipresent decoration in Islamic art, and is usually expressed in the form of Qur'anic verses. Two of the main scripts involved are the symbolic ''
kufic'' and ''
naskh'' scripts, which can be found adorning the walls and domes of mosques, the sides of
minbars, and so on.
Distinguishing
motifs of Islamic architecture have always been ordered repetition, radiating structures, and rhythmic, metric patterns. In this respect,
fractal geometry has been a key utility, especially for mosques and palaces. Other significant features employed as motifs include columns, piers and arches, organized and interwoven with alternating sequences of niches and colonnettes.
[4] The role of domes in Islamic architecture has been considerable. Its usage spans centuries, first appearing in 691 with the construction of the
Dome of the Rock mosque, and recurring even up until the
17th century with the
Taj Mahal. And as late as the 19th century, Islamic domes had been incorporated into Western architecture.
[5][6]
Ceramics
From between the eighth and eighteenth centuries, the use of
glazed ceramics was prevalent in Islamic art, usually assuming the form of elaborate
pottery.
[7] Tin-opacified glazing was one of the earliest new technologies developed by the Islamic potters. The first Islamic opaque glazes can be found as blue-painted ware in
Basra, dating to around the
8th century. Another significant contribution was the development of
stonepaste ceramics, originating from
9th century Iraq.
[8] Other centers for innovative ceramic pottery in the Islamic world included
Fustat (from
975 to
1075), Damascus (from
1100 to around
1600) and
Tabriz (from
1470 to
1550).
[9]
Architecture
Perhaps the most important expression of Islamic art is architecture, particularly that of the mosque.
Through it the effect of varying cultures within Islamic civilization can be illustrated. The North African and Spanish Islamic architecture, for example, has Roman-Byzantine elements, as seen in the
Alhambra palace at Granada, or in the
Great Mosque of Cordoba. Persian-style mosques are characterized by their tapered brick pillars, large
arcades, and arches supported each by several pillars. In South Asia, elements of Hindu architecture were employed, but were later superseded by Persian designs. The most numerous and largest of mosques exist in
Turkey, which obtained influence from Byzantine, Persian and Syrian designs, although Turkish architects managed to implement their own style of
cupola domes.
Philosophy and literature
Main articles: Islamic philosophy
One of the common definitions for "Islamic philosophy" is "the style of philosophy produced within the framework of Islamic culture."
[10] Islamic philosophy, in this definition is neither necessarily concerned with religious issues, nor is exclusively produced by Muslims.
The
Turkish scholar
Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980-1037) had more than 450 books attributed to him. His writings were concerned with many subjects, most notably philosophy and medicine. His medical textbook was used as the standard text in European universities for centuries. His work on Aristotle was a key step in the transmission of learning from ancient Greeks to the Islamic world and the West. He often corrected the philosopher, encouraging a lively debate in the spirit of
ijtihad. His thinking and that of his follower
ibn Rushd (Averroes) was incorporated into Christian philosophy during the Middle Ages, notably by
Thomas Aquinas.
Science and technology
Illustration of medieval Muslim surgical instruments from physician
Abu'l Qasim al-Zahrawi's 11th century medical encyclopedia: ''Kitab al-Tasrif''.
Muslim scientists made significant advances in
mathematics and
astronomy. They spread the concept of
zero, known in ancient
Indian mathematics. The mathematician
Al-Khwarizmi, from whose name the word
algorithm derives, contributed significantly to
algebra (which is named after his book, ''
kitab al-jabr'').
[11] Recent studies show that it is very likely that the Medieval Muslim artists were aware of advanced decagonal quasicrystal geometry (discovered half a millennium later in 1970s and 1980s in West) and used it in intricate decorative tilework in the architecture.
[12] The
astrolabe developed by the Greeks was used in the Islamic world and subsequently brought to Europe. In technology, the Muslim world adopted
papermaking from China many centuries before it was known in the West. The knowledge of
gunpowder was also transmitted from China via Islamic countries. Knowledge of chemical processes (
alchemy) and distilling (
alcohol) spread to Europe from the Muslim world. Advances were made in
irrigation and farming, using technology such as the
windmill. Crops such as
almonds and
citrus fruit were brought to Europe through
al-Andalus, and
sugar cultivation was gradually adopted by the Europeans.
Arab merchants dominated trade in the
Indian Ocean until the arrival of the
Portuguese in the
sixteenth century.
Hormuz was an important center for this trade. There was also a dense network of trade routes in the
Mediterranean, along which Muslim countries traded with each other and with European powers such as
Venice,
Genoa and
Catalonia. The
Silk Road crossing
Central Asia passed through Muslim states between China and Europe.
Muslim
physicians contributed significantly to the field of
medicine, including the subjects of
anatomy and
physiology: such as in the 15th century Persian work by Mansur ibn Muhammad ibn al-Faqih Ilyas entitled ''Tashrih al-badan'' ("Anatomy of the body") which contained comprehensive diagrams of the body's structural,
nervous and
circulatory systems; or in the work of the Egyptian physician
Ibn al-Nafis, who proposed the theory of
pulmonary circulation.
Abu'l Qasim al-Zahrawi (also known as ''Abulcasis'') contributed to the discipline of medical
surgery with his ''Kitab al-Tasrif'' ("Book of Concessions"), a medical encyclopedia which was later translated to
Latin and used in European and Muslim medical schools for centuries. Other medical advancements came in the fields of
pharmacology and
pharmacy.
[13]
Modern Muslim world
Geographic spread
Many Muslims not only live in, but also have an official status in the following regions:
★
Southwest Asia:
Arab nations such as
Saudi Arabia,
Iraq,
Kuwait and several non-Arab nations, e.g.
Azerbaijan and
Iran
★
Africa:
North African countries such as
Morocco,
Algeria,
Tunisia,
Libya,
Egypt;
Sub-Saharan countries like
Mali,
Nigeria or
Senegal, and East African countries like
Somalia,
Eritrea,
Djibouti and
Sudan.
★
Southern Europe:
Albania,
Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Turkey .
★
Eastern Europe: parts of
Russia (
North Caucasus and
Idel-Ural) and
Ukraine (especially in the
Crimea)
★
Central Asia:
Afghanistan, formerly Soviet states like
Uzbekistan
★
South Asia:
Pakistan,
Bangladesh, and the
Maldives
★
Southeast Asia:
Indonesia,
Brunei and
Malaysia
The countries of Southwest Asia, and many in Northern Africa are considered part of the
Middle East.
Also worthy of mention are provinces of
Kosovo in the former
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
In
Chechnya,
Dagestan,
Kabardino-Balkaria,
Karachay-Cherkessia,
Ingushetia,
Tatarstan,
Bashkiria in
Russia, Muslims are in the majority.
Muslims are majority in
Xinjiang,
Ningxia and
Qinghai provinces of
People's Republic of China.
Some definitions would also include the sizable Muslim minorities in:
★ several countries of
Europe (Of which the Muslim population in
Cyprus,
Russia,
Bulgaria,
France,
The Netherlands and
Denmark make up at least
5% of the total population of that country, and with more than one million Muslims living in
Russia,
Bulgaria,
France,
Germany,
United Kingdom,
Netherlands,
[14] and
Italy)
★ several regions of Russia, other than ethnic republics above (
Adyghea,
North Ossetia etc).
★
India
★
Singapore,
Myanmar,
Thailand, and the
Philippines
★ The
United States,
Guyana,
Surinam,
Trinidad and Tobago,
Jamaica,
Brazil,
Argentina and
Canada
★ Congo-Kinshasa, Burundi, Malawi, Republic of South Africa, Zambia, Cameron, CAR, Uganda,
Ethiopia
★
Crimea in
Ukraine
Demographics
One fifth of the
world population share Islam as an
ethical tradition. Muslims are the majority in 51
nations.
They speak about 60 languages and come from diverse
ethnic backgrounds. There are over 1.3 billion Muslims in total. See
Islam by country and
Demographics of Islam for more information.
Important organizations
The
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an inter-governmental organization grouping fifty-seven States. These States decided to pool their resources together, combine their efforts and speak with one voice to safeguard the interest and ensure the progress and well-being of their peoples and those of other Muslims in the world over.
The
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries includes many nations that are also in the
Arab League.
A politically motivated
oil embargo in
1974 (to support Egypt and Syria in the 1973
Yom Kippur War against Israel after the
US re-equipped Israel with armaments) had drastic economic and political consequences in the United States and Europe. Recently Danish products faced a boycott by Muslim world after the
2005 Prophet Muhammad cartoons controversy, although that move was not supported by the Muslim governments, it demonstrates the power of the Muslim World acting in concert, and the key role of religion and ethnicity in the politics of oil regions, with which the Muslim world intersects.
Main denominations of Islam
Main articles: Divisions of Islam
The two main denominations of Islam are the
Sunni and
Shia sects. The difference between them is primarily in terms of how the life of the ummah ("faithful") should be governed, and the role of the
imam. These two main differences stem from the understanding of which
hadith are to interpret the
Quran. The Shia minority believes that the
Family of the Prophet's traditions are exclusively to be followed, whereas the Sunni majority believes in traditions from the
Companions of the Prophet and other common people to be followed.
The overwhelming majority of Muslims in the world, approximately 85%, are
Sunni.
Shias make up the rest, about 15% of overall Muslim population. Among the countries with
Shi'a majority of Muslim population are
Iran (90%),
Iraq (66%),
Azerbaijan (80%),
Bahrain (70%), and
Lebanon (35%).
The
Kharijite Muslims, who are less known, have their own stronghold in the country of
Oman holding about 75% of the population. The rest of the population being 10%
Sunni and the rest
Shi'a.
Islam in law and ethics
In some nations, Muslim ethnic groups enjoy considerable .
In some places, Muslims implement a form of
Islamic law, called
shariah in Arabic. The Islamic law exists in many variations, but the main forms are the five (four Sunni and one Shia)
schools of jurisprudence (
fiqh):
★
Hanafi school in
Pakistan,
Bangladesh,
West Africa,
Egypt and
India
★
Maliki in
North Africa and
West Africa
★
Shafi'i in
Malaysia,
Indonesia, and
East Africa
★
Hanbali in
Arabia
★
Jaferi in
Iran,
Iraq and some regions of
Lebanon,
Yemen and
India - where the majority is
Shia
All five are centuries old and many Muslim feel a new
fiqh must be created for modern
society. Islam has a method for doing this,
al-urf and
ijtihad are the words to describe this method, but they have not been used in a long time by Sunni Muslims, and few people are trusted enough to use them to make new laws. The Shi'i Jaferi school of fiqh never ended the tradition of ijtihad.
Muslim women often dress extremely modestly, mostly by choice. Thus, in some countries an interpretation of the Islamic law requires women to cover either just legs, shoulders and head or the whole body apart from the face. In strictest forms, the face as well must be covered leaving just a mesh to see through. These rules for dressing are one of the things the cause tension between the
Western World and the Muslim, concerning particularly Muslim living in western countries, since many in the Western World consider these restrictions both sexist and oppressive. Most Muslims oppose this charge, and instead declare that the media-fuelled world of the West is itself sexist and oppressive in that women are forced to reveal irrational amounts of flesh to be considered attractive.
Islamic economics bans
interest or Riba (
Usury) but in most Muslim countries Western
banking is allowed.
Islam in modern politics
Many people in Islamic countries also see Islam manifested politically as
Islamism. Political Islam is powerful in all Muslim-majority countries.
Islamic parties in
Turkey,
Pakistan and
Algeria have taken power at the provinvial level. Many in these movements call themselves
Islamists, which also sometimes describes more
militant Islamic groups. The relationships between these groups and theirIn democratic countries there is usually at least one
Islamic party views of democracy are complex.
Some of these groups are accused of practicing
terrorism. Countries considered hub of terrorism are
Bangladesh,
Pakistan,
Iran,
Saudi Arabia and
Somalia. According to US President
George W. Bush, they all have a single common agenda:
"The militants believe that controlling one country will rally the Muslim masses, enabling them to overthrow all moderate governments in the region, and establish a radical Islamic empire that spans from Spain to Indonesia," Bush asserted in an October 2005 speech
[1].
Conflicts with Israel
Israel is subject to varying levels of hostility in the Muslim world due to the prolonged
Arab-Israeli conflict and the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Turkey was the first Muslim-majority state to recognise Israel, just one year after its founding, and they have the
long shared close military and economic ties. Prior to the
Iranian Revolution,
Iran and Israel
maintained a strong political friendship, however the current Iranian government is strongly anti-Israeli and has
repeatedly called for Israel's destruction. Once at war, both
Egypt and
Jordan have established diplomatic relations and signed peace treaties with Israel, and
attempts to resolve the conflict with Palestinians have produced a
number of interim agreements. Nine non-Arab Muslim states maintain diplomatic ties with Israel, and since 1994, the Gulf states have lessened their enforcement of
the Arab boycott, with
Saudi Arabia even declaring its end in 2005, though it has yet to cancel its sanctions. States like Morocco that have
large Jewish populations have generally been less hostile relations with Israel.
Nuclear capabilities
The United States government responded to
Pakistan's testing of nuclear weapons in 1998 with sanctions. Following the Gulf War, the
United Nations put in place decade-long sanctions against the Government of Iraq with the stated purpose of preventing the government from developing
weapons of mass destruction. The
2003 Invasion of Iraq was partly based on the idea that Iraq had developed, or was in the process of developing,
weapons of mass destruction. ''See also'':
Nuclear program of Iran
Recent history
1979 was a critical year in the Muslim world's relationship with the rest of the world. In that year,
Egypt made peace with
Israel, the government of
Iran was overthrown in the
Iranian Revolution, and the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began.
Some of the events pivotal in the Muslim world's relationship with the outside world in the post-
Soviet era were:
★ The
Iran-Iraq War
★ The 1991
Persian Gulf War
★ The
September 2001 terrorist attacks on the
United States
★ The
2001 invasion of Afghanistan
★ The
2003 invasion of Iraq
★ The
Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
★ The
2005 Prophet Muhammad cartoons controversy
★ The
2006 controversy over remarks quoted by
Pope Benedict XVI
★ The ongoing
Darfur conflict
★ The ongoing standoff with
Iran over its
Nuclear program
★ The ongoing
Terrorism in Kashmir
★ The ongoing
Second Chechen War
The U.S.-led
War on Terrorism has been criticized as a
War on Islam by
Hizb ut-Tahrir and other
Islamist organizations.
Political currents
In
Pakistan, a prominent U.S. ally,
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal - an Islamic political party - won local elections in two out of four of the country's provinces and became in mid-2003 the third largest party in the national parliament, their strongest showing up to that point. They had support from urban areas for the first time. ''See also:''
Politics of Pakistan
In
Kuwait elections in July 2003 returned Islamic traditionalists and supporters of the royal family, while liberals suffered a severe defeat. ''See also:''
Elections in Kuwait
In
Indonesia, the growth of various groups allied to those considered responsible for the
Bali Bombing most of which have previously been invisible, has been marked.
In
Iran in 1979, a popular revolution saw the exile of the
Shah and the rule going to
Ayatollah Khomeini, a cleric from the
Shia school of thought. The country has what it claims is a theocratic
democracy, and has kept the "revolution" as part of the state's survival and growth.
See also
★
Arab world,
Arab nationalism,
Pan-Arabism
★
Christendom,
Caesaropapism,
Church militant and church triumphant,
Ecumene,
Res publica christiana
★
Divisions of the world in Islam
★
Hajj
★
Islam by country
★
Islamic republic
★
Majority Muslim countries
★
Muslim history
★
Organization of the Islamic Conference
★
Pan-Islamism,
Ummah,
caliphate
★
Sunni-Shia relations
★
Western world
Notes
1. Ettinghausen (2003), p.3
2. "Islamic Art and Architecture", ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'' (2000)
3. Madden (1975), pp.423-430
4. Tonna (1990), pp.182-197
5. Grabar, O. (2006) p.87
6. Ettinghausen (2003), p.87
7. Mason (1995) p.1
8. Mason (1995) p.5
9. Mason (1995) p.7
10. "Islamic Philosophy", ''Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' (1998)
11. Ron Eglash(1999), p.61
12. Peter J. Lu, Harvard's Office of News and Public Affairs
13. Turner, H. (1997) pp. 136—138
14. Centraal Bureau van de Statistiek (CBS) - Netherlands/ Muslimpopulation
References
★
Guy Ankerl ''Coexisting Contemporary Civiizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. Geneva: INUPRESS, (2000), ISBN 2881550045.
External links
★
Dinar Standard - Covers Muslim World Economics
★
The Islamic World to 1600 an online tutorial at the
University of Calgary, Canada.
★
MSNBC report citing
Wesley Clark that the US planned to invade Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan - also his own views on Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
★
Al-Jazeera report
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