10 Things We Learned about Muslims While Living in the United Arab Emirates

With photos of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE

I am not an authority, and this is not a comprehensive list. But it answers some questions non-Muslims often ask. 
Humans tend to fear what we do not understand, and I believe fear is sometimes encouraged for political reasons. Not on this blog. 

 1.    No two people are the same. To imply that all of the nearly 2 billion Muslims in the world  act or believe the same way is inaccurate. There are many acceptable variations in dress, eating habits, language, etc. among the world’s Muslims. There are also disagreements between groups of Muslims, just as there are between sub-groups of any large religion.

2.    Allah is the Arabic name for God, the same deity worshiped by Christians and Jews.   When speaking English, the Muslims I have met call God ‘God.’

3.    In Islam, God has 100 attributes or names, one of which is hidden. These include ‘The Creator,’ ‘The Truth,’ ‘The Light,’ and ‘The Forgiving.’ Each of the 99 names is written in one of the flowers on this wall of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. 
One flower is empty, for God’s unknown name.

4.      Muslims trace their heritage to Abraham, who is also the spiritual father of Judaism and Christianity. All three faiths venerate the God worshiped by Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. 
Muslims honor the prophets of the Old Testament, as well as Jesus.

5.    Muslims believe they are descended from Ishmael, son of Abraham’s second wife. (In my Old Testament Genesis, Hagar is described as Sarah's slave or servant, not a wife.)
They believe it was Hagar's son Ishmael (Ismael) and not Isaac who climbed the mountain with Abraham and offered himself as sacrifice. The rift between Muslim and Jew is illustrated by this ancient sibling rivalry . 
Muslims celebrate Abraham’s faith and willingness to sacrifice his son, along with God’s mercy in sending the ram to be sacrificed in place of the son, during their Eid al Adha religious holiday.

6.    Islam has 5 Pillars, or obligations:

This 'clock' in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
displays the names and timings of the calls to prayer.

a.       Profession of Faith and Oneness of God:  There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

b.      Prayer – 5 times a day, facing Mecca

c.       Almsgiving – charity is required of the Muslim, equal to 2.5% of the individual’s net worth annually, excluding obligations and family expenses

d.      Fasting – during the month of Ramadan, from dawn to sunset

e.       Hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca, undertaken at least once in the lifetime of every Muslim who is physically and financially able

7.      There are reasonable exceptions made within each of these tenants, such as fasting during pregnancy and sickness. The emphasis is on following the spirit of the pillars, and making every effort to submit to the will of God.

8.      The Quran was written from 609 to 632 CE, as the Prophet Muhammad heard revelations from the Angel Gabriel. It has retained its format since that time.

9.      While much of Europe was going through the Dark or Middle Ages from the 5^th through the 15^th centuries, learning was preserved and blossomed in the Muslim world. Discoveries in Mathematics and Medicine (as well as coffee) are credited to Muslims during this period. The Great Awakening of the Renaissance was sparked by knowledge (and probably coffee) brought north from the Middle East and Persia.

10.  Political and cultural differences exist between groups of Muslims, just as between groups of Christians, Hindus, etc. These differing perspectives are often confused with religion, as humans try to impose rules on each other, or gain political power. But the majority of Muslims, who focus on Muhammad’s messages of peace and mercy, are not radical terrorists; they are friendly, contented, thoughtful, and generous members of the community. They also build beautiful mosques.

The symmetry and beauty of the Sheikh Zayed Grande Mosque in Abu Dhabi
was brought to you by Muslim mathematicians and architects.

If you want to know more about my personal religious beliefs, read my blog entry from January 8, 2013.