The
Observatory

Good choice

From here we can look out and over the World of Islam

and see just how many different ways people live their lives as muslims

and if we're talking about the whole world of Islam

that's an awful lot of people

you see, nearly a quarter of all the people in the world call themselves muslims

one muslim for every three people who aren't muslim

you can find them in every country

in every part of the world

they come in all sorts of colours

from golden brown to almost black

some are reddish glowing like copper

some are almost yellow with just a hint of buttercups

some are nearly white but turning pink when hot and kind of blue when cold

and some are even covered in little brown dots

as though they would really prefer to be leopards

muslims come in all shapes and sizes

dress in many different fashions

and speak many different languages

muslims live in deserts and jungles

tents and cities

boats and tower blocks

they build mosques and minarets

palaces and forts

public baths and libraries

schools and hospitals

they work as surgeons and doctors

scientists and engineers

writers and poets

artists and patternmakers

diggers and carriers

cooks and gardeners

they shape where they live and what they use in the way that they have learned together

and different tribes in different places can do things in different ways

but they all call themselves muslims

they all seem different

but somehow they are all the same

And because they are different they often end up fighting each other

but it's often said that Islam means "Peace"

so how come they are fighting each other all over the place?

if we really want peace surely what is important

is to find out as much as we can about the things that make us the same

What do muslims look like?

How do muslims dress?

Where do muslims live in the world?

What kinds of places? What kinds of weather?

What kinds of buildings can we find in the world of Islam?

What else have muslims made?

In what ways have muslims worked together?