Cultural Notes

MUKSAN B. BALADJI, JD
ALIVE Coordinator
 Understanding
Islam and the Muslims

“O Mankind! We have created you from male

and female; and made you into nations and
tribes, so that you may know each other…”
- The Holy Qur’an
Islam ‫اإلسالم‬
 Islam is an Arabic word from the verb Aslama which
means to accept, to submit. It shares the same root as
the word Salam which means peace.

 Islam implies complete submission to the Will of God.

The proper name of God in Arabic is Allah (‫)الله‬. The
belief in One God is referred to as Tawheed (Islamic
Monotheism).
Islam ‫اإلسالم‬
 It is the second largest religion in the world with around
1.6 billion adherents called Muslims.

 It is one of the three and the youngest monotheistic

religion in the world after Judaism and Christianity. Like
Judaism and Christianity, it started in the Middle East.

 The adherents of Islam are required to follow the

teachings of the Qur’an (The Holy Book) and the
Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Muslim
 A Muslim is a follower of Islam; it literally means, one
who submits to the will of God. The term
Mohammedan and Musulman are erroneous and their
use reflect ignorance of the Islamic faith.

 Diversity. Muslims are racially and culturally diverse.

Muslims can be found all over the world, from the streets
of New York to the hinterlands of Mindanao.
Muslim
 Most Muslims are not Arabs. While Islam started in
Arabia (in what is now Saudi Arabia), there are more
non-Arab Muslims today –mostly in South and Central
Asia and Nusantara (Malay World).
• Indonesia is the largest Muslim Country in the world
with 213 million adherents.
• There are 20 million Muslims in China, 145 million in
India, 18 million in Russia.
• Muslims constitute 4% of the total population in
Thailand, 10% in France, 18% in Cyprus and 19.5%
in Israel.
The Qur’an ‫القرآن‬
 The Holy Book. The Qur’an is Islam’s holy book. Muslims
believes it is the literal word of God transmitted to Prophet
Muhammad (saw) through the Archangel Jibril (a.s.) or the
Angel Gabriel.

 Revelation. The texts of the Qur’an were revealed over a

period of time up to the death of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (saw). Those revealed in Mecca (Makkah al-
Mukarrama) are referred to as al-Makki, those in Medina
(Madinah al-Munawwara) as al-Madani. Generally, those in
Mecca pertains to personal spiritual growth, in Medina it
pertains to socialization and society.
 Translations. To Muslims, the Qur'an can only be properly
understood in the original Arabic. Translations are not the same
as the original Arabic text, they are regarded as commentary and
are considered interpretations of its meaning not the Qur’an
itself. This is why Muslims strive to learn the Arabic language.

 Continuity. Muslims regard the Qur'ān as a continuation of other

divine messages that started with those revealed to Adam
(regarded as the first prophet) and including the Scrolls (Suhuf)
of Abraham (Ibrahim), the Torah (Tawrat) of Moises (Musa),
Psalms (Zabur) of David (Daud) and the Gospel (Injil) of Jesus
(Isa).
 Parts of the Qur’an
Singular Plural
Ayah Verse/s (6,000+) Ayat
Surah Chapter/s (114) Suwar
Juz Part/s (30) Ajza
Wisdoms from the Qur’an
 Freedom of Religion
• “There is no compulsion in the matter of religion” … - Verse
256, Chapter 2

 Righteousness
• “Dispel evil with good …” – Verse 96-98, Chapter 23
 Respect for Religious Diversity
• “Be courteous and do not argue with the people of the Book
but in fair way except with those who are evil-minded. Tell
them, “we believe what has been sent down to us and what
has been sent down to you.” Also tell them that your God
and their God is one and that we all submit to Him.” – Verse
46, Chapter 29
 Mind and Body
• “Do not preach what you do not practice, As a reader of the
Scriptures you should have the sense to understand it.” –
Verse 44, Chapter 2

 Sources of Happiness
• “The person who grows in goodness will be happy; also the
person who recites the name of God and serves Him with
devotion will be happy.” – Verses 14-15, Chapter 87.
Al-Fatiha (The Opening)
 Bismillāhir-raḥmānir-raḥīm
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 Alḥamdu lillāhi rabbil-'ālamīn

Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe

 Arraḥmānir-raḥīm
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 Māliki yawmid-din
Master of the Day of Judgment
 Iyyāka na'budu wa iyyāka nasta'īn
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help

 Ihdināṣ-ṣirāṭ almustaqim
Guide us to the straight way

 Ṣirāṭ al-laḏīna an'amta 'alayhim ġayril maġḍūbi

'alayhim walāḍ ḍāllīn
The way of those whom you have blessed, not of those
who have deserved anger, nor of those who stray
The Sunnah ‫سنة‬
 The Sunnah is a collection of sayings (Hadith) and
deeds of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). It is the
secondary source of Islamic Law after the Qur’an.

 Messenger. "A similar (favor have ye already received) in

that We have sent among you an Messenger
(Muhammad) of your own, delivering to you Our Verses,
and purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the
Wisdom, and in new knowledge." (Verse 151, Chapter 2,
Al-Qur’an)
 Model for Muslims. “Ye have indeed in the Messenger
of God (Muhammad) the best of examples, for any one
whose hope is in God and the Final Day, and who
engages much in the Praise and Remembrance of God."
(Verse 21, Chapter 33, Al-Qur’an)

Parts of the Sunnah

Hadith What the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said (Qawl) ‫قول‬
Sunnah What the Prophet Muhammad (saw) did (Fi'l) ‫فعل‬
What the Prophet Muhammad (saw) approved
(Taqrir)‫ تقرير‬in others' actions
Seerah The Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) life story
Wisdoms of the Prophet
 Knowledge and Learning
• “The pursuit of knowledge is a divine commandment
for every Muslim.”
• “Seek knowledge from cradle to grave.”
• “Go in quest of knowledge even unto China.”
 Contentment
• “Riches are not from an abundance of worldly goods,
but from a contented mind.”
 Abstaining from Uncertainty
• “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful
likewise, but there are certain doubtful things between
the two from which it is well to abstain.”

 Respect for Parents

• “He who wishes to enter the paradise at the best door
must please his mother and father.”
• "Paradise lies under the feet of the mother.“
• “Next to idolatry is to show disrespect to one’s parents.”
 Neighborliness
• “No man is a true believer unless he desires for his
brother that he desires for himself.”

 Gender Equity
• “Women are twin-halves of men.”
 Relationship
• ‘There is no woman who removes something to replace it
in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband's
house, but that God sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor
is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but
that God sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts
his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased
tenfold.’
 Aqeedah
(Belief System)
The Six Articles of Faith
 The Prophet Muhammad (saw) explains, "It (faith) is to
affirm your faith in God, His angels, His Books His
Messengers and the Last Day, and to believe in the
Divine Destiny whether it be good or bad.” (Sahih al –
Bukhari and Muslim)
1. Belief in the Oneness of God (Tawheed) – Muslims
believe that God cannot be held equal in any way to other
beings or concepts. This monotheism is absolute, not
relative or pluralistic in any sense of the word. This is
explained in the Qur’an: “Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah
is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He
begotten. And none is like Him.” (Surah al-Ikhlas
[Chapter 112], Al-Qur’an)

The opposite of Tawheed is idolatry (Shirk) which implies

associating other beings or concepts with God.
2. Belief in His Angels. Angels are known as Malaikat in Arabic. In
Islam, angels are benevolent beings created from light and do not
possess free will. They are completely devoted to the worship of God
and carry out certain functions on His command. They are described
as being excessively beautiful and have no gender. They can take on
human form, but only in appearance. They do not eat, procreate or
commit sin as humans do.
Angel Function

Jibril (Gabriel) The Archangel, responsible for sending God’s

message to all the prophets.

Mikail (Michael) Control of vegetation and rain

Israfel Will blow the trumpet on the Day of Resurrection
Izrael The angel of death
Munkar and Interrogates the dead before the Day of Judgment
Nakir
Ridwan Guards the Heaven’s gate
Malik Guards the Hell’s gate
Raqib and A’tid Record daily human actions
3. Belief in His Prophets and Messengers. According to
the Qur'an, God sent many prophets (anbiyah) to
mankind, and twenty-five are mentioned in it (refer to the
table on the right).

Of these prophets, five (5) are classified as messengers

(rusul) – Ibrahim (Abraham), Daud (David), Musa
(Moises), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad SAW.

In Islam, no Muslim is a Muslim if he or she does not

believe in these prophets and messengers.
 Judaic- Ayub Job
Islamic
Christian Shoaib Jethro
Tradition
Tradition
Musa Moises
Adam Adam
Harun Aaron
Idris Enoch
Dhilkifli Exekiel
Nuh Noah
Daud David
Hud Eber
Sulayman Solomon
Saleh Shaleh
Ilyas Elijah
Ibrahim Abraham
Alyasa Elisha
Lut Lot
Yunus Jonah
Ismael Ishmael
Zakariya Zechariah
Ishaq Isaac
Yahya John
Yaqub Jacob
Isa Jesus
Yusuf Joseph
Mohammad “Paracletos”
 Belief in His Books. Muslims believe that Islam is not a
new religion, it is a continuation and the culmination of the
teachings of all the prophets and messengers.

Five (5) prophets elevated to the rank of Messengers

(Rusul) have been instructed with divine books.
Messenger Book
Ibrahim (Abraham) Suhuf (Scroll)
Daud (David) Zabur (Psalm)
Musa (Moises) Tawrat (Torah)
Isa (Jesus) Injil (Gospel)
Muhammad Qur’an
 Belief in the Day of Judgment (Yaum al-Qiyamah) and
Life after Death (al-Akhirah)
• On the Day of Judgment, God will play the role of the
Judge, weighing the deeds of each individual. He will
decide whether that person's akhirah lies in Jahannam
(hell) or Jannah (heaven).
 Belief in Predestination (Qada and Qadr)
• God has measured out and foreordained the span of
every person's life.
• When referring to the future, Muslims frequently
qualify any predictions of what will come to pass with
the phrase Inshallah, Arabic for "if God wills“. A
related phrase, Mashallah, indicates acceptance of
what God has ordained in terms of good or ill fortune
that may befall a believer.
 Fiqh
(Islamic Jurisprudence)

“Deep understanding"
“Full comprehension"
 Fiqh
Singular Plural
Fiqh Jurisprudence Fuqaha
 Worship/rituals (Ibadah)
 Marriage (Nikah) – Marital relations, mahr, etc
 Sexuality – Puberty, Hygiene, Modesty
 Etiquette (Adab) – Custom and behaviors
 Commerce (Mu’amalat) – economics, trading,
banking, etc.
 Politics – Governance and ethics
 Degree of ruling
1 2 3 4 5

(1) Required (Wajib/Fard), (2)

Recommended (Mandūb/Mustahab), (3)
Neutral (Mubah), (4) Disapproved (Makrūh)
or (5) Sinful (Haram),
The Five Pillars of Islam
 Incumbent upon every Muslim.

1. Shahadah (Declaration or Profession of Faith) – I testify

that there is no god but God and Muhammad is His
Messenger (‘Ašhadu ‘Al-lā Ilāha Illā-llāhu wa ‘Ašhadu
'anna Muħammadan rasūlu-llāh).
• Ideally, it is the first words to be heard by a new born
baby. It is also repeated in prayers and someone
wishing to profess Islam recite this creed.
• The shahadah is not just a recitation. It requires
knowledge (al-’Ilm) of its meaning, certainty (al-Yaqeen),
sincerity (al-Ikhlas), truthfulness (al-Siddiq), love and
happiness (al-Mahabbah) with it, submission to its right
requirements (al-Inqiad) and acceptance (al-Qubool).
2. Salah (Prayer) – To perform fixed (Waqt) five times daily
prayer.
• Maghrib (after dusk)
• ‘Isha (night)
• Subh or Fajr (before dawn)
• Dhuhr (high noon)
• ‘Asr (Mid-afternoon)
• Performaning ablution (Wudhu’) before prayer.

• Facing the Qiblah (direction of the Ka’abah) when

praying.
3. Saum (Fasting) – There are several types of fasting recognized in the
Qur’an: compulsory fasting during the month of Ramadhan and
voluntary fasting.
• Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to
dusk when fasting.
• During the state of fasting, Muslims are especially mindful of sins -
refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, and
gossip; in other words, they are expected to try to get along with each other
better than normal.
• The fast is for Muslims to seek God’s pleasure, to express their gratitude to
and dependence on Him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of
the needy.
• Breaking the fast commences after dusk and fasting starts before dawn.
• The end of Ramadhan is a big Muslim holiday (Eidul Fitr).
3. Saum (Fasting; plural, siyam) – There are several types
of fasting recognized in the Qur’an: compulsory fasting
during the month of Ramadhan and voluntary fasting.
• Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual
intercourse from dawn to dusk when fasting.

• During the state of fasting, Muslims are especially

mindful of sins - refraining from violence, anger, envy,
greed, lust, harsh language, and gossip; in other
words, they are expected to try to get along with each
other better than normal.
• The fast is for Muslims to seek God’s pleasure, to
express their gratitude to and dependence on Him, to
atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the
needy.

• Breaking the fast commences after dusk and fasting

starts before dawn.

• The end of Ramadhan is a big Muslim holiday (Eidul

Fitr).
4. Zakah (Charity or Alms-giving) - is the practice of
charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated
wealth and is obligatory for all who are able to do so.

• It is considered to be a personal responsibility for

Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and
eliminate inequality.

• It consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth

for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves,
debtors, travelers, and others.
 • In current usage zakat is treated as a 2.5% levy on
most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year,
as long as the total value is more than a basic
minimum known as nisab (3 ounces or 87.48 g of
gold).

 A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary

charity (sadaqah) in order to achieve additional divine
reward.
5. Hajj (Pilgrimage to the Holy Land) – Every able-bodied
Muslim who can afford to do so is obliged to make the
pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her lifetime.

• It happens during the lunar month of Dhu al-Hijjah in

the city of Mecca.

• Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not

a means to gain social standing
 Understanding the
Muslim Filipinos

“O Mankind! We have created you from male

and female; and made you into nations and
tribes, so that you may know each other…”
- The Holy Qur’an
Muslims in the Philippines
 The beginning of Islam in the country started in the early
14th Century more than a hundred and fifty years before
the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores.

 Islam was brought to the Philippine shores mainly by

Arab and Malay traders. In 1380 Sheikh Karimul
Makhdum established the first mosque in Simunul, Tawi-
Tawi. After sometime, the Islamic influence spread across
Mindanao and as far as Panay, Cebu and Manila, which
was only abated by the coming of the Spaniards.
Muslims in the Philippines
 When the Spaniards came in the 16th Century, several
indigenous communities have fully embraced Islam. This
includes the following:
• Meranaw, Maguindanaon, Iranun
• Tausug, Yakan, Kalibugan
• Sama (Bajaw, Tawi-Tawi, Siasi, Pangutaran,
Bangingi)
• Kagan, Sangil
• Molbog, Panimusan, Jama Mapun
Moros
 A term coined by the Spaniards for native inhabitants in
the Southern Philippines who refused to be christianized.

 The word is reminiscent of the Moors of Northern Africa

who ruled over Spain for more than 800 years.

 Over the long period of Spanish rule, this term gained

additional connotation as “barbaric”, “pirate”, “uncivilized”,
etc. Because of these negative connotations, there are
quarters who refused to be called as such.
Moros
 It was used and adapted during the secession movement
of the 70s and the “Bangsa Moro” (Moro Nation) term was
coined.

 Today, it is used as a political identity compared with

“Muslim” as a religious/spiritual identity.
Maguindanaon, Tausog, Maranao, Kagan, Iranon, Sama,
Yakan, Sangil, Kalibogan, Molbog, Jama Mapun, etc.
• These are ethnic identities. They sometimes become
associated with Islam and Muslim because of the fact
that all of them have embraced the Islamic faith long
before the advent of the Spaniards and the Americans.

• However, in strict Islamic interpretation, a

Maguindanaon, Tausog or Maranao is not necessarily
Islamic in deeds because some of his/her cultural
practices do not fit well with Islamic injunctions.
 What unites all these Moro ethnic groups is their affiliation
to Islam. What differentiates them from one another is
their ethnic affiliation.

 In the Academic circle, the core teachings of Islam

followed without consideration of culture or ethnicity is
referred to as Theoretical Islam. The practice of Islam
based on one’s ethnicity is referred to as Cultural Islam.
Working with the Asatidz
When you meet your asatidz
 Be aware that men and women do not shake hands. Men
shake hands with men, women with women.

 You may greet them “Assalamu Alaykum!” meaning “May

the peace and blessings of God be with you!” This is the
standard form of greetings regardless of time and
location.

 Address the participant as ustadz if he is male, ustadza if

female.
• Eg. Ustadz Alih, Ustadza Fatima
Communicating
 Asatidz, by the nature of their training, are reserved.
Because this is “new territory” for them there might be
some apprehension and hesitation at the start. However,
as you get to know one another they will start to open up,
share their feelings and ideas.

 If you are a school head, do not begin by be too frank or

too critical of their performance as this might be offensive
to some and will defeat the purpose of motivating them
stay in DepEd. Assess individual openness and ability to
accept criticism.
Communicating
 Often because of their limited capacity to speak in English
or Filipino, some will not even attempt to start a
conversation. If this is the situation, then your task as
school head is to break the ice.
Starting and ending a session
 Although not required, it has become common practice to
start an activity with a prayer (dua) or reading from the
holy Qur’an. Prayer is required at the end of an activity.

 Community prayer is usually lead by the most senior in

the group. Seniority maybe in terms of age or educational
qualification.
Dressing
 The general rule is modesty and it viewed differently for
males and females.

 Be aware that all your female Muslims will be wearing

hijab (head covering). Some male students may be
wearing kupiyah or tupi (head cover).

 During formal activities, please be aware that women

usually wear the Abaya (a long black outer covering)
complimented with black hijab; and men wear white
khamis.
Food preparation
 Food to be consumed by
Muslim should be halal. Buy
products with halal mark.

 Halal requirements does not

only cover slaughtering or
use of non-pork products, it
also cover utensils used.
Make sure that the caterer do
not mix utensils for the group
with that for pork dishes.
Food preparation
 Never use pork-derivative products or where it is
“believed” to be from such, like tocino, longganisa,
hotdog, etc.

 Do not serve alcoholic beverages (like beer, brandy,

wine).

 If you are serving buffet food, separate or mark pork

dishes

 Beef and chicken are generally okay for Muslims.

Religious icons
 Religious icons are strictly prohibited in Islam.

 Muslim’s prayer halls are devoid of any human or animal

illustrations, what are allowed are:
• Arabic Calligraphy
• Arabesque arts
Grouping
 Yes Muslim socialize. In general, Muslim males and
females do not freely mix.

 But they can adjust to the situation.

Seating arrangement
 Normally, Muslims can adjust to any seating
arrangement.

 Preference:
• If the venue has two or more rows, men and women
should be seated in separate rows.

• If the venue has one-row arrangement, men should be

in the front row, women at the back row.
Important
 When in doubt or you are not sure of something, ask your
asatidz to put the thing in proper context.

 When doing something perceived to be a bit

controversial, always refer it to the asatidz first. Together,
let the asatidz settle it with the parents. Ask their opinion.
If there is no unity of opinions, don’t continue the activity.
If the asatidz are amenable to it, handle well the activity.
Final Words
 Developing an understanding of the nature and value of
one’s culture is fundamental starting point for any
educational program. From here on the role of the study
of others’ cultures can begin (IBO, 2002) ) [1].

 The end result, Peel (1997)[2] said, hopefully, is a more

compassionate population, a welcome manifestation of
national diversity within a framework of respect and
tolerance; where students should know themselves better
than they have started, while acknowledging that others
can be right in being different.