Islamic culture

Islamic cultures or Muslim cultures refer to the ways of living that developed among many different people in the Muslim world. These practices were shaped by Islam, which helped bring together people from many backgrounds.

In the early days, from the Rashidun Caliphate to the Umayyad Caliphate and early Abbasid Caliphate, much of the culture came from the Arabs, the Byzantines, and the Persians.

201 Dome Mosque, Tangail, Bangladesh

As Islamic empires grew, they took in traditions from many places like Iranic, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Caucasian, Turkic, Malay, Somali, Berber, and Indonesian cultures. Because of these many influences, Islamic beliefs and traditions vary in different places, creating rich and varied customs around the world.

Language and literature

Main article: Islamic literature

Arabic

Main article: Arabic literature

Arabic literature is writing in the Arabic language. It began in the 5th century and grew because of the Quran. During the Islamic Golden Age, Arabic writing grew a lot and continues today with writers around the world.

Persian/Iranic

Persian literature includes stories and poems in Western Iranian languages, especially Persian. It is very old, going back more than 2,500 years. Persian writers have come from many places, such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Turkey, Central Asia, and South Asia. Famous Persian poets like Rumi and Omar Khayyam are known worldwide.

Indic

Main articles: Persian language in the Indian subcontinent, Bengali literature, and Literature of Bangladesh

For a long time, Persian culture has influenced India. Persian was the official language of many Indian empires, and it affected languages like Urdu. In Bengal, Muslim writers used Islamic stories, and one famous writer, Begum Rokeya, wrote an early science fiction story.

Turkic

Main article: Turkish literature

From the 11th century, Islamic literature began to appear in Turkic languages. For a long time, Persian was the official language in Turkish areas. Later, the Ottoman Empire made Turkish the official language, but many Persian and Arabic words were still used.

Art

Main article: Islamic art

Public Islamic art often does not show people or animals. Instead, it uses designs from plants, called arabesque, mixed with beautiful writing known as Islamic calligraphy and shapes called geometric patterns. These designs can be found on many things, from small pieces made of clay or metal to large decorations on buildings, even mosques.

"Wayang Kulit", the Indonesian art of shadow puppetry, reflects a melding of indigenous and Islamic sensibilities.

Sometimes, in paintings and small decorations, people and animals are shown. This happens more often in private art books owned by rich people. Writing from holy books is never shown with pictures of people.

Depiction of animate beings

Main article: Aniconism in Islam

"Advice of the Ascetic", a 16th-century Persian miniature

Some beliefs in Islam say it is wrong to make pictures of living things. This idea comes from respecting God as the creator. Though the holy book does not clearly forbid such pictures, some teachings say artists should not create them. Because of this, most religious art avoids figures and uses writing, shapes, and plant designs instead. In some places like Persia and India, pictures of important people, sometimes with their faces covered, appear in books about history and poems. These pictures aim to tell stories. In everyday art outside of religion, pictures of people and animals have been common, though they are often drawn in a styled way.

Calligraphy

Main article: Islamic calligraphy

Islamic calligraphy is the beautiful art of writing used in places that share an Islamic culture. It includes styles like Arabic Calligraphy, Ottoman, and Persian calligraphy. People often write words from the holy book, the Qur'an, in these styles.

Calligraphy in Islam grew from two main styles: Kufic and Naskh, with many variations and regional differences. Today, it also appears in modern art and a style called calligraffiti.

Architecture

Main article: Islamic architecture

Islamic architecture includes many styles of buildings from the Islamic world. It covers everyday buildings and places for worship, from the early days of Islam until now. At first, Islamic architecture used ideas from Roman, Byzantine, and Persian cultures. As Islam spread to places like Southeast Asia, it also used styles from Chinese and Indian architecture. Over time, Islamic buildings developed their own special looks, with beautiful designs on walls and roofs.

Big public buildings in Islamic architecture often include mosques, tombs, palaces, and forts. These ideas are used in many other buildings too, like public baths and homes. Islamic buildings often have large open spaces, tall towers called minarets, and special areas that point toward Mecca. They also use shapes, patterns, and writing in beautiful ways to make buildings feel special and calm.

Theatre

Theatre has been an important part of Islamic culture. People loved watching puppet shows and special plays. These shows included hand puppets, shadow plays, and marionette performances. There were also live plays called ta'ziya, where actors told stories from Muslim history. In Indonesia, there is a famous puppet show called Wayang. In Turkey, shadow plays called Karagoz became very popular.

A Jatra theatrical performance in Bangladesh

In Iran, puppet shows have been enjoyed for a long time. These shows are performed in small rooms with music and storytelling. Even today, puppet theatre is still liked in many parts of the Islamic world. After Pakistan became independent in 1947, some writers made plays about important Muslim history and leaders.

Dance

In Islamic cultures, dance has different meanings. Some religious leaders said dancing might be okay for women alone at celebrations but not for men. Others thought dancing could help people focus on God if done with a pure heart.

Many Muslim groups have special dances as part of their worship. These dances help people feel closer to God. One famous example is the whirling dance of the Mevlevi order, started by Jalaluddin Rumi. This dance, known as "sama," was once common in the Ottoman Empire but faced challenges in modern Turkey. It is now recognized for its cultural importance.

Other groups, like the Chishti order in Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent, also have their own dance traditions. These dances are often linked to music and poetry. In places like North Africa, dance is part of gnawa music. Dances also happen at weddings and festivals like Mawlid and Eid el-Adha. Many Islamic cultures have their own unique dance styles, from court dances to folk dances.

Music

Main article: Islamic music

Many Muslims enjoy listening to music. Islam began in places like Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. These areas have rich musical traditions. Because Islam brings together people from many backgrounds, the music is very diverse.

Music has been shaped by many cultures. The Seljuk Turks brought their styles when they moved into Anatolia, now Turkey. Other places with many Muslims, such as parts of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, also have their own musical traditions.

Trade routes helped music travel between faraway lands long before Islam spread. The Sufis, thoughtful Muslims, also helped share music across different regions.

Family life

Main articles: Islamic marriage and Islamic marital practices

Furir Bari Iftari is the tradition among Bengali Muslims in the Sylhet region of giving Iftar to the household of one's daughter's in-laws during the month of Ramadan.

In a Muslim family, there are special traditions for welcoming a new baby. Right after birth, special words are whispered into the baby’s ear. A few days later, there is a celebration where food is shared with people in need, and a small amount of money is given based on the baby’s hair weight. Families teach children important values, beliefs, and practices.

Marriage is an important part of family life. It is made through an agreement between two people with witnesses. The groom gives a gift to the bride as part of the agreement. Families have different ways of living out their traditions.

Events and activities

Etiquette and diet

Main articles: Adab (Islam) and Islamic dietary laws

In Islamic culture, there are special ways to behave, called adab. This includes greeting others by saying "as-salamu 'alaykum" meaning "peace be unto you," and saying "bismillah" or "in the name of God" before meals. People also use only their right hand for eating and drinking. There are rules about staying clean and healthy.

Muslims have special rules about what they can eat. They cannot eat pork, blood, or meat from animals that were not prepared properly. All meat must come from animals that were killed in a certain way by people who believe in one God, like Muslims, Jews, or Christians. Food that follows these rules is called halal food. These rules help Muslims follow their faith and stay healthy.