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CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING
MAJOR RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS PRACTISED IN THE UK
Islam
The word Islam means ‘to submit to God’ and followers of the religion are
called Muslims, ‘one who is faithful to God’ (Allah). Therefore a true
Muslim is one who has submitted to the will of God (Allah).
Islam is a way of life, governing, not only religious worship and morality,
but social relationships, marriage, divorce and kinship, as well as
economics and political relationships among Muslims.
Beliefs
Islamic beliefs and practices are based upon the Koran or Qur’an (the holy book
of Islam), which Muslims hold to be the word of God. The religion provides rules
for life, based on tradition and on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed. The
two main sects are the Sunnites and the Shiites who split because of a
leadership dispute in the decades after the Prophet’s death in 632 AD. Today
about 10 to 15% of the Muslim population are Shias. Both sects agree on the
core fundamentals of Islam (The Five Pillars), but Shias believe their Imams
inherit some of the Prophet’s divine inspiration and infallibility while Sunnis have
a less structured leadership based on scholars and jurists.
The mosque acts as a focus for the local Muslim community. Every mosque has
a main room for prayer, usually with a screened-off area for women, as men and
women do not pray together. There is a washing area, and often a tower or
minaret for the call to prayer. Inside the main room a small niche in the wall
marks the direction of Mecca. When Muslims meet together for prayer they all
face towards this niche. Friday is the special Holy Day when Muslims worship
together in the mosque. The Imam, the religious leader, preaches a special
sermon.
Muslims are called to prayer five times a day and may need to find a quiet place
at their workplace to do so.
The Muslim family is usually an extended family with different relations having
different responsibilities. Islam affirms the equality of men and women as human
beings, but rules for the sexes are different and prohibit free mixing between
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them. Women should cover their heads and bodies and avoid contact with
unrelated men. This practice is called ‘purdah’, or veiling. Islam’s emphasis on
modesty means that most Muslim parents see it as their duty to choose a
suitable marriage partner for their children. Usually, they choose very carefully,
taking into account the interests, age, ability and background etc of the young
people.
Under Islamic Law, Muslims are not permitted to make unreasonable profit. For
example it is unlawful to receive interest on bank accounts.
Dietary Practices
No intoxicants, tobacco or drugs other than medicinal are allowed. The Qur’an
also forbids eating anything from a pig, which Muslims consider an unclean
animal. Animals must be slaughtered according to Islamic regulations. Such
meat is called Halal. Cooking of Halal food should be with separate utensils and
such food should not be stored or cooked with non-Halal food.
Dress
Muslims believe that modesty and correct behaviour between men and women
are very important. Therefore men must be covered from the navel to the knee
and only the face and hands of women should be visible. A widow may
distinguish herself by wearing white during her period of mourning. Black has no
special connotation. Many Muslim women wear a ‘Hijab’ to cover their heads.
Festivals
The dates of Muslim festivals are also calculated by the lunar calendar. ‘Iid’ is
the main festival and follows the month of ‘Ramadan’ a period of fasting.
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