Chapter 8: The Geography of Religion
8.4.2 Islam
Religion
Islam is a universalizing, monotheistic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad (570-632), an Arab religious and political figure. The word Islam means “submission” or the total surrender of oneself to God. An adherent of Islam is known as a Muslim, meaning “one who submits [to God].” Both Islam and Christianity inherited the idea of the chain of prophecy from Judaism. This means that figures, such as Moses (Judaism) and Jesus (Christianity), are considered prophets in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the very last in that chain of prophecy.Their holy text is the Qur’an (or Koran – there are various spellings of many Arabic words) and within in it, you will find a large number of commonalities withChristianity and Judaism. In fact, Muslims believe that all three faiths are simply variations of the same religion. Muslims recognize Abraham, Moses, and Jesus as early prophets. According to Muslims, the original teachings that form the basis of all three religions were corrupted, and the misinterpretations of Islam evolved into Judaism and Christianity. To Muslims, the Qur’an is the uncorrupted, properly written, version of the same universal truths originally revealed by Allah to Jesus and Abraham, but as it was revealed to the last and true prophet Muhammad it has not been since altered.
The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of the faith.
The Five Pillars are as follows:
- Belief in God and his messenger Muhammad. “There is no god but God, Muhammad is his messenger” is the Muslim statement of faith.
- Prayer. Muslims must pray five times per day facing Mecca.
- Alms. Muslims must give money to help the community.
- Fasting. Muslims must fast from sunup to sundown during the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The period is called Ramadan.
- Pilgrimage. All Muslims must make a spiritual journey to Mecca known as Hajj (see below). The Muslim holy book is the Holy Koran, and Mosques serve as gathering and praying places.
Islam has two main branches and many smaller ones. Of the two main branches—Sunni and Shi’a—Sunni is much larger, comprising roughly 80% of all Muslims (Figure 8.4.2.1). The split between the two largest branches of Islam centered around the question of succession upon the death of Muhammad, that is to say, who would be the rightful leader of the Muslim world. The Shiites felt Muhammad’s successor should be someone in his bloodline; while the Sunnis felt a devout and pious individual was acceptable. Currently, there is no single voice for the global Muslim community.
Source: “Islamic Sects Map” by Daniel222potato via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Muslim world is somewhat more contiguous than the Christian world. This is mostly because the Muslim expansion did not occur in two phases in the same way that Christianity did. As can be seen in the following map, Sunni and Shi’a countries are somewhat spatially separated. Only the countries of Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain are majority Shi’a. There are sizable minority Muslim sects in the world. Many of these groups, such as the Ahmadiyya, are subject to discrimination by other Muslim populations and/or governments. The world’s most theocratic governments are Muslim, particularly those of Iran and Saudi Arabia. This is notable in that these two countries are also regional rivals and the two most powerful states in the Muslim world.
For a good map showing the global distribution of Islam by percentage of country population click here and scroll down.
Even though it’s the predominant religion of countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa, by sheer number, countries in Asia have the highest percentage of practicing Muslims in the world.
It may surprise you to know that 14.2% of Indians are Muslim. As a result, the country is home to one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, surpassed only by Indonesia.
Diffusion
The most recent of the world’s largest religions, Islam is also the one that is expanding the fastest (Figure 8.4.2.1).
Source: “Figure 6.14 Diffusion of Islam” in “Introduction to Human Geography” by David Dorrell via LOUIS Pressbooks is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This is not necessarily through conquest or conversion but mostly through current demographics. Islam provides a blueprint for most aspects of life and, as such, has often been associated with rapid expansion driven by military conquest. Although military conquest occurred in the past, military campaigns have been rare since the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The relative distributions of Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims have changed little in half a millennium. Although there has been some migration of Muslims into Western Europe, the percentage of Muslims in each country is small. France has the largest percentage of Muslims at 7.5%. To keep this in perspective, that is much lower than the percentage of Muslims in Spain in 1492.
Appearance in the Landscape
Source: Photo by Barbara Crain, CC BY 4.0.
There are many key indicators that reflect the religious, cultural, and social practices associated with Islam. Among these are aspects of architecture such as
- Mosques: The presence of mosques, often characterized by minarets (high thin towers from where the call for prayer is announced in Islamic countries), domes, and distinctive Islamic architectural styles, such as geometric patterns, calligraphy, and arabesques.
8.4.2.4 Islamic Center in Washington DC. (Click the image to see it on Wikimedia.)
Source: “Islamic Center, Washington, D.C LCCN2011630761” by Carol M. Highsmith via Wikimedia Commons is in the public domain. - Madrassas: Islamic schools or colleges, often attached to or near mosques.
- Islamic Centers: Community centers that serve as hubs for religious and cultural activities.
Aspects of urban planning in Islamic countries often reflect the traditional Islamic city layout (visit the typical model of Islamic city associated to the Iranian cities Source: Eckart EHLERS and Willem FLOOR, Urban Change in Iran, 1920-1941 ). This layout features a central mosque and market (souq) with residential areas radiating outward. In addition, there are specific areas designated for different religious and ethnic groups, reflecting historical and social organization.
Source: Photo by Barbara Crain, CC BY 4.0.
In countries with Islam as the dominant religion one finds helpful directives on how to orient oneself towards Mecca for the prayers. Here is one such photo from a nightstand in a Moroccan hotel.
The cemeteries display a grave orientation toward Mecca. They often have simple headstones with inscriptions in Arabic, often including verses from the Quran.
Source: Photo by Barbara Crain, CC BY 4.0.
Of course, food and restaurants outside Islamic countries will make sure to their clientele that their food is halal, so signs to that effect will appear in meat sections of some supermarkets that seek to meet the demand of their Islamic customers. Islamic clothing within and outside Islamic countries might also provide clues. For example, in Morocco females can wear modest Islamic clothing, they may take to wearing the hijab or not. Females in Morocco wearing their black garments as shown in photo 8.4.2.6 are easily identified as Shi’a, a very modest minority within Morocco’s religious landscape.
The Cultural Landscape show paths and infrastructure related to religious pilgrimages, such as those leading to Mecca for the Hajj.
The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and as explained above, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which all Muslims are required to undertake at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able. The pilgrimage occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah and involves a series of rituals performed over five days, including walking around the Kaaba, standing in prayer on the plains of Arafat, and symbolic acts such as the stoning of the devil. The Hajj represents unity, humility, and submission to Allah, drawing millions of Muslims from around the world in a powerful demonstration of faith.
