Islamic CivilizationUnity, Discipline, Organization

Arabia Before Muhammad

THE ARABS: During ancient times, the Arabs inhabited much of the area from the Arabian peninsula to the Euphrates River.

POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS FEATURES:The Arab world in the early 7th century had no stable, large-scale political entities. People belonged to close-knit clans, or extended families, that formed tribes. Most Arabs were pagans, but small minorities were Jewish and Christian.

ECONOMIC COMPONENTS:

BedouinsFarmersTraders

BEDOUINS (nomadic pastoralists) provided for their own needs with:

Herds of sheep & goatsSmall-scale trading in townsRegular raids on one another and on caravans.

FARMERS: Some farmers worked the land, but in many areas soils were too poor and rain was too infrequent to support agriculture.

TRADERS: Cities supported traders who carried luxury goods (spices, incense, perfumes) from the Indian Ocean region and southern Arabia along caravan routes to the cities of the eastern Mediterranean. These traders formed the economic and political elite of Arabia, and they led the tribes.

Pre-Islamic Trade Routes

MECCA was the most important trade center in Arabia. It wasdominated by the powerful tribe of the Quraysh (KOOR-aysh).

THE KAABA: Mecca was also the location of the shrine known as the Kaaba, founded according to Arab tradition by Abraham. For centuries people from all over Arabia had made pilgrimages to Mecca to visit the Kaaba, site of a huge black meteorite.

EARLY LIFE:Muhammad was born in 570 to a respectable though not wealthy or powerful clan of the Quraysh tribe. His father died before he was born, his mother shortly afterward, leaving Muhammad under the care of his grandparents and uncle.

Muhammad (570-632)

CARAVAN TRADE: Like many young Meccans, he entered the caravan trade. By the time he was 30, he had a reputation for competence and honesty, and so became financial adviser to a wealthy Quraysh widow, Kahdija (KAH-dee-ah).

MARRIAGE: Although older than Muhammad, Khadija became his wife in 596, and they had a loving marriage until her death. She bore him three sons (all died in childhood) and four girls (all survived). Only one daughter, Fatima, lived after him.

THE REVELATIONS:A man of spiritual insight, Muhammad received in 610 the first of many revelations that commanded him to teach all people a new faith that called for:

An unquestioned belief in one God, AllahA deep commitment to social justice

TEACHING IN MECCA:Muhammad began teaching in Mecca, but he converted few people outside his own circle.Meccans feared that his new faith might call into question the legitimacy of the shrines in Mecca and jeopardize the traditional pilgrimages to the Kaaba with their accompanying trade.

FLIGHT TO MEDINA:At this point, citizens from Medina, a smaller trading community troubled by dissension, asked Muhammad to become their leader. The journey from Mecca to Medina is called the Hijra (HEEZH-rah) and the event was seen as so important that 622 is the year in which the Islamic calendar begins.

UNITY: In Medina, Muhammad gathered around him a large community of believers. This group was to become the foundation of the Islamic state. The substitution of faith for blood ties was able to unite rival Arab tribes and bring about political unity.

RETURN TO MECCA:Although Muhammad was fully in control in Medina, Mecca remained the focus of his attention. Its political and economic importance were critical to his desire to convert all of Arabia.

ATTACKS ON MECCAN CARAVANS: Therefore, his followers began attacking Meccan caravans and battled with the Meccans several times in the 620s. In 630, Muhammad and many of his followers returned to Mecca in triumph.

UNITED ARAB WORLD: After making local arrangements, he returned to Medina and set about winning over the Bedouins of the Arabian desert. When Muhammad died in 632, he had converted most of the Arab world.

SPREAD OF ISLAM:Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine. Islam calls for faith in only one God worthy of worship.

MUHAMMAD’S TEACHING People were asked to surrender completely to Allah, the one true God. The surrender is known as al-Islam.)Those who surrendered became Muslims and joined the umma muslima – a new kind of community.

The Five Pillars of IslamFA

ITH

PR

AYE

R

ALM

SG

IVIN

G

FAS

TIN

G

PIL

GR

IMA

GE

1. PROFESSION OF FAITH (SHAHADAH): Muslims bear witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed "There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of and total commitment to Islam.

2. PRAYER (SALAH):The world's Muslims turn individually and collectively to Mecca to offer five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. In addition, Friday congregational service is also required.

3. ALMSGIVING (ZAKAH): Social responsibility is considered part of one's service to God; so almsgiving is obligatory. 2.5 percent of an individual’s net worth, excluding obligations and family expenses, is reserved for the welfare of the entire community, especially its neediest members.

4. FASTING DURING RAMADAN (SAWM) : The fast is an act of personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God. It is also an exercise in self control.

During Ramadan, abstention from eating, drinking and other sensual pleasures is obligatory from dawn to sunset. The end of Ramadan is observed by three days of celebration – a time for family reunion and gift-giving.

5. PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA (HAJI): The pilgrimage is an expression of Islamic faith and unity. For those Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey to Mecca, the pilgrimage is a once in a lifetime duty that is the peak of their religious life.

THE EARLY DECADES: In the early decades, the pillars sustained a faith that stressed strict monotheism and practices that affirmed Islam and built up a sense of community.

Originally, there was no elaborate theology, intricate doctrinal mysteries, creed, or clergy.Men called imams led the Friday prayers in the mosque and usually offered sermons that applied Muslim teaching to the issues of the day, but Islam involved no ordained priesthood or hierarchy.

THE QURAN: When Muhammad communicated God’s teaching to his followers, he always insisted that he was transmitting a direct, verbal revelation and not offering his own interpretation. That revelation came in the form of “recitations” that make up the Quran, the scriptures of Islam. They are arranged into 114 Suras, or chapters.

CONTENTS OF THE QURAN: The Quran contains legal principles and wise statements like the Hebrew Scriptures and moral teaching like the Christian New Testament.It also prescribes regulations for diet and for personal conduct (e.g., the Quran forbids alcohol and gambling, censures luxury and ostentation, and imposes strict sexual restraints on both men and women).

THE SUNNA: After the prophet’s death, his followers compiled collections called the sunna, the “good practice” (i.e., the words and customs of Muhammad himself.)

Included are the sayings of the prophet and the comments he made about how God’s revelation was to be understood and applied.Dating from the 8th century, scholars are not sure what portion of the sunna derives authentically from the age of the prophet.

DEFENDER OF THE FAITH: After Muhammad’s death in 632, his friend and father-in-law, Abu Bakr, became his successor, or caliph.Regarded as the defender of the faith, whose power derived from Allah, the caliph governed in accordance with Muslim law as defined by the Quran.

THE ISLAMIC STATEwas a theocracy, in which government and religion were inseparable and there was no distinction between secular and spiritual authority.Thus, Islam was more than a religion. It was also a system of government, society, law, and thought that bound believers into an all-encompassing community.

CHRISTIANS AND JEWSwho lived in Islamic lands had fewer rights than Muslims. They could not bear arms, were assessed a special tax, and sometimes were barred from testifying in court against a Muslim.Nevertheless, despite instances of loss of property or life, the two groups generally went about their business and practiced their religions free of persecution.

Muslim

Jew

Christian

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS:Islam gave the many Arab tribes the unity, discipline, and organization to succeed in their wars of conquest.Under the first four caliphs, who ruled from 632 to 661, the Arabs overran the Persian Empire, seized some of Byzantium’s provinces, and invaded Europe

Unity

Discipline

Organization

JIHAD: Muslim warriors believed they were engaged in a holy war (jihad) to spread Islam to nonbelievers and that those who died in the jihad were assured a place in paradise.A desire to escape from the barren Arabian Desert and to exploit the rich Byzantine and Persian lands was another compelling reason for expansion.

CONQUESTS BY 733: In the east, Islam’s territory eventually extended into India and to the borders of China. In the west, it encompassed North Africa and most of Spain. But the Muslims’ northward push lost momentum and was halted in 717 by the Byzantines at Constantinople and in 732 by the Franks at the Battle of Tours in Central France.

CULTURAL INTEGRATION:In the 8th and 9th centuries, under the Abbasid caliphs, Muslim civilization entered its golden age.

Islamic civilization creatively integrated Arabic, Byzantine, Persian, and Indian cultural traditions.During the Early Middle Ages, when learning was at a low point in western Europe, the Muslims preserved the philosophical and scientific heritage of the ancient world.

ADVANCES IN LEARNING: The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought with old, brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history.

TRANSMISSION OF KNOWLEDGE: Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and the concept of the zero, were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and good navigational maps.

THE ARAB EMPIRE, stretching from Spain to India, was unified by a common language (Arabic), a common faith, and a common culture.

DECLINE: By the 11th century, however, the Arabs began losing their dominance in the Islamic world.

The Seljuk Turks conquered Syria, Palestine, and much of Persia.In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Muslims lost Sicily and most of Spain to Christian knights.In the 13th and 14th centuries, Mongols devastated Muslim lands. In the 15th century, the collapse of the Mongol empire left the way open for the Ottoman Turks, who reached their height in the 16th

century.

Islam Today

Major Religions of the World: August 9, 2007

Christianity, 33%

Islam, 21%Non-Religious, 16%

Hinduism, 14%

Chinese Traditional, 6%

Buddhism, 6%

Judaism, 0.22%Sikhism, 0.36%

Other, 4%

Primal-Indigenous, 6%

How Terrorists Hijacked Islam

Charismatic leaders, misreading religious texts, find arguments to justify holy war against anyone or any country believed to be promoting an "anti-Islam agenda." And socioeconomic conditions have made a large pool of young men susceptible to the argument that they can best serve Allah by donating their lives to the cause…. Fighting such extremism requires understanding that this is a war not between Islam and the West, but between certitude and open-mindedness, dogma and thought, prejudice and tolerance.”

--Stern, Jessica. "How Terrorists Hijacked Islam." USA Today (30 September 2001).

MUSLIM WOMEN: According to the Quran, men and women are equal before God. Today, Muslims offer these practices as evidence of equality:

Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marital gift is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she may keep her own family name rather than adopting her husband's. Roles of men and women are complementary and collaborative.Rights and responsibilities of both sexes are equitable and balanced in their totality.

CLOTHING: Muslims say that both men and women are expected to dress in a way that is simple, modest and dignified, but that specific traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local customs rather than religious principle. Likewise, they admit that treatment of women in some areas of the Muslim world sometimes reflects cultural practices which may be incon-sistent, if not contrary, to authentic Islamic teachings.

Saudi Arabia: Schoolgirls burned to death for not wearing scarves [March 27, 2002]

Fifteen schoolgirls died in a burning school building in Mecca, because they did not wear correct Islamic dress. Saudi Arabia's religious mutaween police, the so-called "Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice", stopped them from leaving the blazing building, because they were without headscarves and abayas (black robes)….A policeman was seen beating a girl, who escaped, and forcing her back into the flames…. Police also stopped firemen and other helpers, who tried to rescue the girls, warning it was "sinful" to come near them. A school guard refused despite the pleas of a girl's father to unlock the gates, when the fire broke out. The authorities used to keep the school locked to make sure that boys and girls remained strictly apart…. The mutaween are all-powerful in Saudi Arabia and normally nobody dares to criticize them. They …beat up or arrest and jail anybody, who doesn't obey their orders, when they patrol the streets to enforce the strict Islamic dress code and the practicing of the prescribed prayers and harass those who indulge in forbidden contact between men and women.

A Child’s KingdomA Child’s Kingdom

SourcesThe Birth of Islamhttp://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/isla/hd_isla.htmMajor Religions of the Worldhttp://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.htmlMarvin Perry, Western Civilization: A Brief History (2001)Thomas F.X. Noble, et al., Western Civilization: The Continuing Experience (2002)Stern, Jessica. “How Terrorists Hijacked Islam.” USA Today (30 September 2001).Saudi Arabia: Schoolgirls burned to death for not wearing scarves. http://www.irish-humanists.org/Hot%20issues%20sub/girlsdie.htmlA Child’s Kingdomhttp://www.saudiembassy.net/files/Movies/ChildKingdom.rm

October 2009

Islam

Culture and Religion Information Sheet

CULTURE AND RELIGION

October 2005

Islam

INFORMATION SHEET

IntroductionWestern Australia is a multi ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural society. Religious freedom and mutual respect for different religions is an important underlying principle of multiculturalism and democracy.

Service providers who recognise, value and promote cultural and religious diversity can address more fully the needs of their clients. Respecting the roles of religion in various cultures is part of courteous, ethical and professional behaviour, which promotes a just and equitable society.

This Information Sheet aims to raise awareness and understanding of Islamic religious and cultural practices to assist service providers in the government and non profi t community sectors in improving service delivery.

In the early 16th century, Australia’s fi rst Muslims, fi shermen from Makassar (Indonesia), lived and died among the Aboriginal people of the north coast of Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. The discovery of gold in W.A. in 1880 boosted the need for Afghan led camel trains. During the gold mining boom, camel drivers coming from various parts of Afghanistan and present Pakistan, worked at Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and coastal port towns such as Albany, Fremantle, Geraldton, and Port Hedland. They lived in “Ghan” camps or towns following the Islamic faith. These Muslims started planning the project of Perth Mosque in William Street, Northbridge, in 1895. Its foundation stone was laid in 1905 and the mosque was opened in 1906.

After World War II, particularly in the 1960s and the 1970s, more Muslims started migrating to Australia. They comprised different ethnic groups, mainly Malays, Arabs, Turks, Yugoslavs, Indians, Pakistanis, Afghans, South Africans, Burmese and Bosnians. And in 1975/76 the Perth Muslim Association (PMA) and the Islamic Council of Western Australia (ICWA) were formed to coordinate the Islamic activities in Perth and the State. This was followed by the formation of more local Islamic associations/societies, which are generally affi liated with the ICWA. Each State has an Islamic Council which jointly forms the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) as the national Islamic body based in Sydney, NSW. Currently there are four full time Islamic Primary Schools and one Islamic High School. In the Perth metropolitan area there are eight mosques, and in country towns there are three mosques, one in Port Hedland, one in Geraldton, and one in Katanning.

Background and OriginsMuslims follow the teachings of the Qur’an and their last Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), who was born in 570 AC in Makkah (Mecca) in Arabia. He came of a noble Arab family, the Quraysh, the descendants of Abraham through his fi rst son, Ishmael. He received the fi rst revelation at the age of forty. As soon as he started preaching Islam, he and his followers were persecuted and had faced severe hardships. He was therefore commanded by God to migrate to Madinah (Medina), a city north of Makkah. During a short span of 23 years, he completed his prophethood and died at the age of 63. He was put to rest in the city of Madinah, leaving no wealth or property. Muslims believe that he led a perfect life and set an example for all human beings. His biography illustrates in real life, the meaning and implications of the Qur’anic teachings.

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Key Beliefs

I . Belief in the Oneness of God: Islam enjoins faith in the oneness and sovereignty of God, which makes people aware of the meaningfulness of the universe and of their place in it.

2. Belief in the Angels: Muslims believe in the angels of God. They are purely spiritual and splendid beings whose nature requires no food and drink or sleep.

3. Belief in Books of Allah: Allah revealed His books to various Prophets for guidance of their nations. The four main books that were revealed were Taurah (the major part of the Old Testament), Zaboor (Psalms), Injeel (the Gospel or New Testament) and the Holy Qur’an.

4. Belief in Prophets: Prophethood is not unknown to other religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. According to Islam, God Almighty created us for a noble purpose: to worship Him and to lead a virtuous life based on His Guidance.

5. Last Day (Life after Death): The world, according to Islam, is a place of trial and people are being put to test in it. At the end of the world, the dead will rise to stand for their fi nal and fair trial. People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to the Heaven of God, and those with bad records will be punished and cast to Hell.

6. Divine Decree and Destiny: The true Muslim believes in the timeless knowledge of God and in His power to plan and execute His plans.

The Five Pillars of Islam

The above beliefs or articles of faith are considered the foundation of Islam, the structure of which is supported by the following pillars:

I . The Declaration of Faith, which is the testimony ‘I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (God the Creator), and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.’

2. Five Daily Prayers, which are prescribed fi ve times a day as a duty towards God. They are: (1) Subuh or Fajr Prayer (between dawn break and sunrise); (2) Zuhur Prayer (Midday or early afternoon); (3) Asar Prayer (during late afternoon before Sunset); (4) Magrib Prayer (at Sunset before the evening twilight disappears); (5) ‘Isha’ Prayer (after the twilight has disappeared until late at night).

3. Zakaat (the poor due), which is an annual payment of 2.5% of one’s net savings as a purifying sum to be spent on the poor and needy. Zakaat implies that everything people possess belongs to God and therefore anyone in need has a share in it.

4. Fasting, which is observed once each year during the month of Ramadan (the 9th month of the Muslim Lunar Calendar). Fasting means abstention from food, drink and sensual pleasures from dawn to sunset, and also from all evil intentions and desires.

5. Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, which is obligatory only once in a lifetime, provided one has the means to do so.

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INFORMATION SHEET

DemographicsThere are approximately 1.3 – 1.8 billion adherents to the Islamic faith world wide. In Australia between the 2001 and 2006 censuses, the number of people who identifi ed themselves as Muslim increased by 58,823 or 21% to 340,401. According to the 2006 Census there were 24,187 people affi liated with Islam in Western Australia, an increase of 4,728 persons or 24% compared to the previous census.

GreetingThe following sensitivities need to be observed on greeting or introduction:

• Devout Muslims do not shake hands with the member of the opposite sex.

• Muslims do not expect any non Muslim to greet them with the Islamic greeting “assalamu ‘alaikum” meaning “Peace be upon you”, with the response “wa ‘alaikumus salam” meaning “ and upon you be peace.” So it is not necessary for a non Muslim to learn the Islamic way of greeting, since it is acceptable to greet Muslims with normal English greetings such as ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening’.

Names and TitlesThere is no uniformity in Muslim naming systems as Muslims come from different cultural backgrounds. There are however, three naming systems by which Muslim names can be categorised:

1. Muslims who have a surname or family name.

In general Muslims coming from Turkey, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Arab countries have surnames or family names. Certain Muslim ethnic groups coming from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, especially those of Arab descent and Indonesian Batak or Mandailing (from Sumatra) and some infl uential families from Java have family names.

2. Muslims whose fathers’ names or second names are treated as surnames.

The Malay people coming from Malaysia, Singapore, Christmas Island, Cocos Island, some African countries and some from Indonesia have their fathers’ name as their surname. Most Malaysian and Singaporean Malays normally have, before their fathers’ names, the word “Bin” of “Binti (Bte)” respectively meaning “the son of’ or “daughter of’. For example, Osman bin Ali is ‘Osman, son of Ali”. He would probably be called Mr Osman, not Mr Ali as Mr Ali would be Osman’s father.1

3. Muslims who have only single names.

This applies to Muslims from Indonesia only. In Indonesia the fi rst given names are important, while the father’s name is unimportant. As a result many Indonesians have only a single name, such as Suharto, Sudomo, etc. People arriving in Western countries such as Australia, have some diffi culties completing government forms that most often require and emphasise a surname or family name.

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SeatingThe following sensitivities need to be observed in seating arrangements for interview purposes or hosting offi cial functions:

• Muslim clerics prefer not to be seated next to women.

• Muslim men and women prefer to sit in two separate groups to avoid mixing with one another, men on one side and women on the other.

Dress and AppearanceThe following dress codes apply:

• The Islamic dress code for males and females is prescribed to be modest.

• Muslims can wear any national or chosen dress code if it loosely covers certain parts of the body, consisting of the area from the navel to knee for the male, and the whole body with the exception of the face and hands for the female. These areas of the body are referred to as Awrah.

• The wearing of the Niqab or Purdah (face cover) by Muslim women is not considered essential by most Muslims.

Body Language and BehaviourNon verbal communication has a powerful effect on relationships and effective service provision. Non verbal signals acceptable in one culture may be completely unacceptable or even offensive in another. Some of these sensitivities to be understood in this area include:

• Beckoning ‘come here’ with the palm upwards or pointing to a person or object with your index fi nger, hand or foot is offensive to certain Muslim ethnic groups.

• For certain Muslim ethnic groups, especially the Malays, the head is sacred, so never touch someone’s head, as that act is considered humiliating. However, this does not apply to Muslims coming from the Middle East for whom rubbing the head is considered a sign of love and respect.

Food, Drink and FastingRecognising appropriate foods and beverages is essential in responding to the needs of religious communities. When hosting people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, as a matter of good practice, always serve a selection of vegetarian and meat foods on separate trays. A variety of non alcoholic drinks should also be available at any offi cial function. The following issues relating to food, drink and fasting should also be understood:

• If possible, organise all food to be Halal. This is easy to arrange and ensures everyone can eat.

• Islamic tradition does not allow the consumption of alcohol.

• During Ramadan, the name of the ninth and holiest month of the Muslim calendar, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn break to sunset.

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• Muslims are not allowed to eat pork and any meat which has not been slaughtered by Muslims. Similarly, Muslims do not eat any food that contains animal fat or animal by-product, unless it is derived from animals slaughtered by Muslims.

Religious Festivals and Days of Signifi canceThe following key religious festivals and signifi cant cultural and religious days are celebrated:

• Eidul Fitr, that is the festival to mark the end of Ramadan (the fasting month), which is celebrated on the 1st of Shawal (the 10th month in Muslim lunar calendar).

• Eidul Adha (festival of sacrifi ce), that is the festival to commemorate Abraham’s sacrifi ce of his son Ishmael, which is celebrated on the 10th of ZuI Hijjah (the 12th month in Muslim lunar Calendar).

• Some Muslims celebrate the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday and some other Islamic historical events, but this type of celebration is only a customary practice, which is not required by Islam.

• Some Muslims celebrate individual birthdays but this is not based on Islamic teachings.

Language and Communication Language and communication issues include:

• It is Western Australian Government policy to provide competent interpreting and translating services to clients who are unable to communicate effectively in spoken or written English.2 Government agency staff can contact the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on telephone 131450.

• The arrangement should be made according to the sex of the concerned person: male interpreter for a man and female for a woman, if available. As far as a woman is concerned, the interpretation can also be done by a male interpreter in the presence of her male relative.

Family and MarriageThe differing family characteristics of different religious groups should be appreciated. These include:

• In Islam, ‘family’ does not denote merely the nuclear family, but includes, in addition to husband, wife and children, other close relatives as well.

• In Islam, the strong bond between parents and children is always maintained. Muslim children are not expected to leave the parents to live on their own until they are married.

Medical• Where possible, female doctors should be made available for consultation and treatment of Muslim

women, and male doctors for Muslim men.

• When a Muslim woman is in labour, she or her husband will always try to have a female doctor or at least a mid wife available to deliver the baby.

• Muslims will normally take the placenta home, to be buried properly, as it is considered part of the body, although it is not compulsory to do so.

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Death and Related IssuesDeath and the grieving process are particularly signifi cant and important for all religious communities. Some sensitivities include:

• A terminally ill Muslim patient should always have at least one of his or her relatives or Muslims by his or her side, to pray for him or her and remind him or her of the Islamic faith.

• When a Muslim patient has died, the family or Muslim community should be immediately informed, to enable them to make arrangements and necessary preparations for the burial, which should take place on the same day or as soon as possible, unless there is an impediment to it.

• Either while in hospital or elsewhere, the body of the deceased must not be left naked or uncovered.

• It is a collective duty of the Muslims that before burial, the body has to be ritually washed, wrapped in white cloth according to Islamic rites, and then a prayer will be offered over it.

Counselling/interviews• For interviews involving Muslim women, service providers should attempt to allocate a female

interviewer or at least have a female staff member present during the interview. Muslim women will often request the presence of a family member with them during any interview and this should be accommodated.

• Should advice on Islamic legal issues be needed during counselling/interview, an Imam or Muslim cleric should be contacted.

Other SensitivitiesOther cultural and religious sensitivities that need to be acknowledged and respected are as follows:

• Islam teaches the functional division between the right hand and the left hand. Each hand has different functions. The functions of the right are to give and take, to eat and drink, to shake hands and wave. Using the left hand for these purposes is offensive. The functions of the left hand are to remove dirt and fi lth or to remove dirty or fi lthy things and to wash and wipe the private parts after going to the toilet. Using the right hand for these purposes is offensive.

• Muslim women will often not make direct eye contact with members of the opposite sex.

• Gambling is strictly against the precepts of the Muslim faith and practising Muslims abstain from alcohol. Any venue used to host a function involving representatives from these communities should avoid being held at licensed clubs, hotels and casinos.

• Taking of photographs of adherents to Islam, particularly Muslim women, can be sensitive. Prior permission to take photographs and video footage should be obtained.

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INFORMATION SHEET

Further EnquiriesThis information sheet has been produced by the Islamic Council of Western Australia with the support of the Offi ce of Multicultural Interests. For further information please contact:

• Imam Abdul Jalil Ahmad (for religious practice) or Ismail Fredericks (specifi cally for issues related to burial) on 9362 2210 (ph/fax-offi ce).

• Correspondence can be forwarded to:PresidentIslamic Council of Western AustraliaPO Box 70 Burswood WA 6100

Telephone/Facsimile: 9362 2210

Email: zahraja@iprimus.com.auWeb: www.afi c.com.au

October 2009

1. Information from “Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands”, T Morrison, W.Conoway and G.Borden, 1994, Adams Media Corporation.

2. The Western Australian Language Services Policy, 2008, Offi ce of Multicultural Interests, Western Australian Government