Cultural Model & Profile

(Muslim)

Patricia Mae Bawi-in, Darren Danico, Alexa Jill Febrio, Peachy Maryant Lauvina,

Crischelle Montarde, Antoinette Severino

ABM 11-A
I. History

In 1380 Karim ul' Makhdum the first Arabian trader

reached the Sulu Archipelago and Jolo in the Philippines and
through trade throughout the island established Islam in the
country. In 1390 the Minangkabau's Prince Rajah
Baguinda and his followers preached Islam on the
islands. The Sheik Karimal Makdum Mosque was the first
mosque established in the Philippines
on Simunul in Mindanao in the 14th century. Subsequent
settlements by Arab missionaries traveling
to Malaysia and Indonesia helped strengthen Islam in the
Philippines and each settlement was governed by
a Datu, Rajah and a Sultan. Islam was introduced by Chinese
Muslims, Indian Muslims, and Persians. Islamic provinces
founded in the Philippines included the Sultanate of
Maguindanao, Sultanate of Sulu, Sultanate of Lanao and other parts of the southern Philippines. When the Spanish
fleet led by Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in the Philippines in 1565, they were met by local datus as they traveled
in the islands. Arriving in the Kingdom of Maynila, a vassal-state of the Sultanate of Brunei, in 1570 they were met
by the Muslim rajah, Rajah Sulaiman III. By the next century conquests had reached the Sulu islands in the southern
tip of the Philippines where the population was Buddhist and Hindu and they took up the task of converting the
animistic population to Islam with renewed zeal. By the 15th century, half of Luzon (Northern Philippines) and the
islands of Mindanao in the south had become subject to the various Muslim sultanates of Borneo and much of the
population in the almost of South were converted to Islam. However, the Visayas was largely dominated by Hindu-
Buddhist societies led by rajahs and datus who strongly resisted Islam. One reason could be due to the economic
and political disasters prehispanic Muslim pirates from the Mindanao region bring during raids. These frequent
attacks gave way to naming present-day Cebu as then-Sugbo or scorched earth which was a defensive technique
implemented by the Visayans so the pirates have nothing much to loot.
The Philippine Muslims was once a dominant group in the country. They have 500 years political history, so far
the longest political experience compared to
other groups in the whole Philippines. Their
culture is a blend of Islam and adat. Adat is the
sum of both pre-Islamic culture and the
philosophical interpretation of the Muslims on
the teachings of Islam. It is itself the lasting
contribution of the Philippine Muslims to the
country’s national body politic. However, to
know the Muslim history, one should understand
the role of Islam in bringing about historical
development. It is this Islam that actually
produced heroic resistance against western
colonialism. The Philippine Muslims today
became known as cultural communities owing to
their culture surviving foreign hegemonism to this day.

Mindanao and Sulu are the original homeland of the Philippine Muslims. These areas are now the third political
subdivision of the Philippines. They are located at the southern part of the country, and lie around hundred miles
north of equator. The areas occupy a strategic position at the center of shipping line between the Far East and the
Malayan world. They are situated north of Sulawise and to the west is the state of Sabah. However, the main
concentration of the Philippine Muslim population is confined largely to the western side of Mindanao down to the
Sulu Archipelago. In mainland Mindanao, the Muslims are dominant only in Lanao and Maguindanao provinces.
While the rest of the Muslim populations are scattered in nearby provinces such as Zamboanga peninsula, North
 Cotabato, Sultan Qudarat, South Cotabato, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Sarangani island. In the Sulu
Archipelago, the Muslims are all dominant in three island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

II. Physical Description

MALE

The beard is the natural God given sign of manhood, and the universal distinguishining mark of masculinity
from femininity. This is why all prophets of God like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, may Allah’s peace
be upon them all, had beards and ordered their followers to keep their beards. Shaving the beard entirely or shaving
the beard partially and prolonging the mustache, is only a recent innovation in mankind originating among the pagans
and polytheists and then spreading among others and blindly aped by some of the believers of monotheism – the
professed faith of many. Muslims seek to maintain the way of the prophets in this aspect of the God given appearance
of masculinity. Its as simple as that. And yet it has become much more, like the modest covering of faithful women as
mentioned below. There are specific commands of the Prophet Muhammad, may the salutations of peace and
blessings be upon him and his family and followers, that order the believers to maintain their beards and to trim their
mustaches, and these commands are reported in authentic narrations in various phrases that make the command one
of religious obligation not voluntary choice. since there are lengthy papers and books on the subject which any diligent
search will reveal, it is not necessary here to enumerate them.
FEMALE

The Muslim woman does not neglect her appearance, no matter how busy she is with her domestic chores
and the duties of motherhood. She is keen to look good, without going to extremes, because a good appearance is an
indication of how well she understands herself, her Islamic identity, and her mission in life. The Muslim woman
takes good care of her body, promoting its good health and strength. She is active, not flabby or overweight. So
she does not eat to excess; she eats just enough to maintain her health and energy. The Muslim woman does not
forget to maintain her physical fitness and energy by following the healthy practices recommended by Islam. But she
is not content only with the natural, healthy diet referred to above: she also follows an organized exercise program,
appropriate to her physical condition, weight, age and social status. The Muslim woman who truly follows the
teachings of Islam keeps her body and clothes very clean. She bathes frequently, in accordance with the teachings of
the Prophet (PBUH), who advised Muslims to take baths, especially on Fridays for as it is written: "Have a bath on
Fridays and wash your heads, even if you are not in a state of janabah (impurity, e.g. following marital relations), and
wear perfume." "Whoever attends Friday prayer, man or woman, should take a bath (ghusl).

III. Cultural Description

1. Music
 It seems that these days the two most common responses to the
question of Islam and music tend towards the extremes. One side
sees only the misuses of music and rejects it completely. The
other approves of any sort of music as long as it is branded ‘Halal’,
as if Islamic phrases can simply be copy-pasted over the music of
the day, whatever its form. Yet the reverberations of centuries of
diverse musical traditions that we hear today from around the
Islamic world lead us down another path, in a quest to
understand music that is authentically Islamic. This search is no simple venture. It requires that we both
forge a profound connection with the musical traditions that have been passed down to us and open our
souls to the deeper mysteries of the heart. The center of the Islamic soundscape is undoubtedly the
recitation of the Qur’an, which while not being considered ‘music’ is undeniably musical. Along with
the adhan, the rhythms and cadences of the Qur’an have left an indelible imprint on the souls of Muslims
throughout the centuries, deeply influencing musical traditions as well as the poetry that is sung to this
music. The Qur’an reverberates audibly in many musical genres, from songs of praise to the Prophet and
recitations of du‘a to the traditions of chanted dhikr in Sufi khanqahs and zawiyas. The spirit and outlook of
traditional Islamic music are embedded within the notes themselves, in scales that exploit the vast
expressive possibilities of microtonality, using notes not used in Western music. Found in innumerable
permutations across traditions, and even differing among masters of a single tradition, the melodic
frameworks of traditional Islamic music allow for the communication of an infinite variety of human
emotions and spiritual attitudes. Yet even more important than the notes themselves are the ways in which
their understanding is passed down from master to disciple. The human voice and the instruments of Islamic
music are treated as a trust, an amanah, in the hands of the singer who has gone through years of training
at the feet of a master, who also instructs him or her in purifying the self (nafs) and proper Islamic etiquette,
passing on scales and melodies crafted by masters who lived in times much more deeply imbued with the
Sacred than the world we live in today. When learned in this way, from heart to heart and with proper
reverence, the inner world of the disciple is literally transformed by the music, becoming a vessel for
centuries of expression and contemplation, yet also being able to manifest the spirit of this music using the
unique gifts that God has given that musician, in the moment and space that he or she has been placed.

2. Language

More than 23% of the world's population is Muslim.

Current estimates conclude that the number of Muslims in the
world is around 1.5 billion. Muslims are the majority in 50
countries, they speak hundreds of languages and come from
diverse ethnic backgrounds. Major languages spoken by Muslims
include Arabic, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi, Malay, Javanese,
Sundanese, Swahili, Hausa, Fula, Berber, Tuareg, Somali,
Albanian, Spanish, Bosnian, Russian, Turkish, Azeri, Kazakh,
Uzbek, Tatar, Persian, Kurdish, Pashto, Balochi, Sindhiand
Kashmiri, among many others.

Arabic, the classical form of the language, is the language of the Qur’an. When Muslims from all over the
world recite the Qur’an, they do it in Arabic. Since the classical form of Arabic is a liturgical language, many
Muslims will study it on some level in order to pray and read the Qur’an itself and other Islamic texts. In the
Arabic-speaking countries of the world, in addition to the religious realm, the standard form of the language
continues to be the language of poetry, much of the literature, news, and basically anything formal.
While there are spoken forms of Arabic that are specific to each country and even city, many people
hold the standard form of Arabic in high esteem because of its connection to the Qur’an. In some
Arab countries, writers who push to use the colloquial form of Arabic in the place of standard Arabic
face a challenge because of the connection that the latter has to the Qur’an.

3. Clothing
 Hijab - This word is sometimes used to generally describe a Muslim women's modest dress. More
specifically, it refers to a square or rectangular piece of fabric which is folded, placed over the head
and fastened under the chin as a head scarf. Depending on the style and location, this
may also be called a shaylah or tarhah.
 Khimar - A general term for a woman's head and/or face veil. This word is sometimes
used to describe a particular style of scarf that drapes over the entire top half of a
woman's body, down to the waist.
 Abaya - Common in the Arab Gulf countries, this a cloak for women that is worn over
other clothing when in public. The abaya is usually made of black synthetic fiber,
sometimes decorated with colored embroidery or sequins. The abaya may be worn
from the top of the head to the ground (like the chador described below), or over the
shoulders. It is usually fastened so that it is closed. It may be combined with a head
scarf or face veil.
 Chador - An enveloping cloak worn by women, from the top of the head to the ground.
Usually worn in Iran without a face veil. Unlike the abaya described above, the chador is
sometimes not fastened in the front.
 Jilbab - Sometimes used as a general term, quoted from the Qur'an 33:59, for an over-
garment or cloak worn by Muslim women when in public. Sometimes refers to a
specific style of cloak, similar to the abaya but more fitted, and in a wider variety of
fabrics and colors. It looks more similar to a long tailored coat.
 Niqab - A face veil worn by some Muslim women which may or may not leave the eyes
uncovered.
 Burqa - This type of veil and body covering conceals all of a woman's body, including the
eyes, which are covered with a mesh screen. Common in Afghanistan; sometimes
refers to the "niqab" face veil described above.
 Shalwar Kameez - Worn by both men and women primarily in the Indian
subcontinent, this is a pair of loose trousers that are worn with a long tunic.
 Thobe - A long robe worn by Muslim men. The top is usually tailored like a shirt, but it
is ankle-length and loose. The thobe is usually white but may be found in other colors,
especially in winter. The term may also be used to describe any type of loose dress
worn by men or women.
 Ghutra and Egal - A square or rectangular head scarf worn by men, along with a rope
band (usually black) to fasten it in place. The ghutra (head scarf) is usually white, or
checkered red/white or black/white. In some countries, this is called
a shemagh or kuffiyeh.
 Bisht - A dressier men's cloak that is sometimes worn over the thobe, often by high-
level government or religious leaders.

4. Religion
 In the seventh century, Muhammad claimed the angel
Gabriel visited him. During these angelic visitations, which
continued for about 23 years until Muhammad's death, the
angel purportedly revealed to Muhammad the words
of Allah (the Arabic word for “God” used by Muslims). These
dictated revelations compose the Qur'an, Islam's holy book.
Islam means “submission,” deriving from a root word that
means “peace.” The word Muslimmeans “one who submits to
Allah.”

The Doctrine of Islam

Muslims summarize their doctrine in six articles of faith:
1. Belief in one Allah: Muslims believe Allah is one, eternal, creator, and sovereign.
2. Belief in the angels
3. Belief in the prophets: The prophets include the biblical prophets but end with Muhammad as Allah’s final
prophet.
4. Belief in the revelations of Allah: Muslims accept certain portions of the Bible, such as the Torah and the
Gospels. They believe the Qur'an is the preexistent, perfect word of Allah. 
5. Belief in the last day of judgment and the hereafter: Everyone will be resurrected for judgment into either
paradise or hell.
6. Belief in predestination: Muslims believe Allah has decreed everything that will happen. Muslims testify to
Allah’s sovereignty with their frequent phrase, inshallah, meaning, “if God wills.”

The Five Pillars of Islam

These five tenets compose the framework of obedience for Muslims:
1. The testimony of faith (shahada): “la ilaha illa allah. Muhammad rasul Allah.” This means, “There is no
deity but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” A person can convert to Islam by stating this creed.
The shahada shows that a Muslim believes in Allah alone as deity and believes that Muhammad reveals
Allah.
2. Prayer (salat): Five ritual prayers must be performed every day. 
3. Giving (zakat): This almsgiving is a certain percentage given once a year.
4. Fasting (sawm): Muslims fast during Ramadan in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. They must not
eat or drink from dawn until sunset.
5. Pilgrimage (hajj): If physically and financially possible, a Muslim must make the pilgrimage to Mecca in
Saudi Arabia at least once. The hajj is performed in the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

A Muslim's entrance into paradise hinges on obedience to these Five Pillars. Still, Allah may reject them.
Even Muhammad was not sure whether Allah would admit him to paradise (Surah 46:9; Hadith 5.266).

Compared to Christianity, Islam has some similarities but significant differences. Like Christianity, Islam is
monotheistic. However, Muslims reject the Trinity—that God has revealed Himself as one in three Persons:
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Muslims believe that paradise can be earned through keeping the Five
Pillars. The Bible, in contrast, reveals that sinful man can never measure up to the holy God (Romans
3:23; 6:23). Only by God’s grace may sinners be saved through repentant faith in Jesus (Acts
20:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). Because of these essential differences and contradictions, Islam and Christianity
cannot both be true. The Bible and Qur’an cannot both be God’s Word. The truth has eternal consequences.
 5. Food

According to the Quran, the only foods explicitly

forbidden are meat from animals that die of themselves, blood,
the meat of swine (porcine animals, pigs), and animals dedicated
to other than God (either undedicated or dedicated to idols).
All vegetarian cuisine are halal and allowed for Muslims.
However, a person would not be guilty of sin in a situation
where the lack of any alternative creates an undesired necessity
to consume that which is otherwise unlawful. (Quran 2:173) This
is the "law of necessity" in Islamic jurisprudence: "That which is
necessary makes the forbidden permissible."

6. Culture
1. One God: ‘Allah’; Prayer Customs at Home, during Travel, and In the Mosque
2. Role of Imam, or Prayer Leader
3. Prayer protocol and Pets
4. Drawing visual depictions of  prophets
5. Dietary Restrictions
6.Celebrations: Eid-ui-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha
7. Wearing the Hijab
8. Politeness and Respect for Elders
9. Emergency Treatment
10. Shaking Hands
11. Social Distance
12. Eye Contact
13. Sitting with soles of feet or shoes facing a person sitting close by/accidental touching of feet
14. Removing shoes when entering the home
15. The “Namaste” greeting common to some Indian-Hindu groups
16. Passing an item to someone with the left hand

7. Practices
Certain sacred practices and rituals are very important to Muslims.
They are a significant way that followers of Islam remember history,
express conviction, and grow in devotion.

Some rituals are practiced daily, like prayer; others are practiced
annually, like those aligned with specific Islamic holidays. The religious
practices and rituals of Islam are relatively few in number, but great in
importance. The Five Pillars of Islam are five practices regarded by all sects
of the Islamic religion as essential to the Muslim faith.
References:

The History of Muslim in The Philippines. Retreived from http://ncca.gov.ph/subcommissions/subcommission-on-

cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/central-cultural-communities/the-history-of-the-muslim-in-the-
philippines/

Islam in the Philippines. Retreived from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_the_Philippines

Boyd, D. (2011). Why do Muslim Men have beards and Muslim Women wear head and face coverings? Retreived from
https://supportdanielboyd.wordpress.com/about-islam/why-do-muslim-men-have-beards-and-women-wear-head-and-
face-coverings/

Retreived from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_world:Demographics

(2009). Arabic: The Language of Islam. Retreived from https://insideislam.wisc.edu/2009/09/arabic-the-language-of-

islam/

Muslim Culture. Retreived from http://sharonpluralism.org/cultural-protocols/muslim-culture/

What is Islamic Music. Retreived from http://themuslim500.com/what-is-islamic-music

A History of Islamic Clothing. Retreived from https://www.thoughtco.com/islamic-clothing-glossary-2004255

Retreived from https://www.gotquestions.org/Islam.html