Muslims

Subculture Essays

America has many different subcultures. A subculture is subgroup that differentiates by status, ethnic background, residence, religion, or other factors that functionally unify the group and act collectively on each member.(Dictionary) A subculture that happens to standout a lot in America now days is Muslims. Ever since September 11, Muslims standout more, because the hijackers of the planes were Muslims. Since then they are stereotyped by Americans as being the bad guys, and now every time they board a plane, they are kept an eye on by the other boarding Americans. But, what Americans need to realize is that they too are Americans, and they are just as hurt by the September 11 attacks as we are. To understand Muslims we have to realize that they are Americans, but they are their own subculture also and their subculture is made up of several different components such as beliefs and the five pillars of Islam.

They believe in one God which they call “Allah”. Allah is the Arabic for God. Most of their beliefs come from the text of Quran, which is the Islamic bible. Inside the Quran are stories of what is believed to have happened, and guides the Muslims such as the bible guides Christians.

Other than their beliefs all Muslims live by the five pillars, which are the framework of muslim life which include; faith, prayer, the zakat, fasting, and the pilgrimage.(Islamic City)

The first pillar is Faith which means there is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula in which all the faith is pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa Llah, there is no god except God, ilaha can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God such as wealth, power, and etc. Then comes illa Llah meaning except God, the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: Muhammad is the messenger of God. A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.(Islamic City)

Second is Prayer, Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a experienced person who knows the Quran. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life. (Islamic City)

Third is the zakat, one of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means purification and growth. Possessions are purified