The
Observatory

Now we know that muslims around the world are very different from each other

in all sorts of different ways,

different tribes in different countries and nations

having their own ways of seeing the world,

and their own ideas of what is the right way to behave.

Yet underneath it all

there is something about being muslim that ties them all together.

These different cultures were formed over history,

as muslims took over places that already had their own culture,

and people from other cultures

took on the understandings of Islam,

and a two way process took place.

muslims influenced the local culture,

and the local culture influenced muslims.

Add to that the changes that happened over history,

with the ebb and flow of political power,

and the impact of new inventions

and new ways of thought,

and we have what we know as the muslim world today.

But the muslim world doesn't have, sharp edges.

and never did have,

Even including the time of the Messenger in Madinah,

places that were almost entirely muslim

always had non-muslims living amongst them,

and there were places where just a few muslims were the only ones around.

And the same is true today.

People might think

that Makkah and Madina are forbidden to non-muslims,

but there are plenty working there.

And people might think

that in the outer islands of Scotland there would be no muslims,

but they can be found scattered around,

doing their best to learn Gaelidgh,

do something of value for the community,

and trying to be good neighbours.

There are two sides to Islam,

one of which is the 'Ibadat,

the service of muslim practice,

the essential things that muslims need to try to do,

like the Hajj once in a lifetime,

the fast of Ramadhan each year,

and the Sala throughout each day,

and the rules for how to do these things,

their Fiqh,

are quite tightly defined.

But the rest of the Deen,

the muslim Way of Life,

is incredibly flexible, as it has to be.

It is how muslims deal with all the other aspects of life,

the things that constantly change

and crop up every moment,

each situation needing to be assessed

as to how to deal with it in the best way possible,

how to be good,

how to live in the way of Ihsan,

the way of goodness,

the Deen of Islam.