Islam's Impact On The Middle East

Imagine taking a stroll down the busy streets of Iraq. The hastened commuters, heat of the day, sound of honking cars and tall, first world-like buildings can distract from all of the magnificent things that Islam has made the Middle East to be. Out of all of the religions that exist and have been created in the Middle East (such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam) Islam has been the most impactful in this region. After learning about and analyzing the effects of Islam, it is recognized that Islam has impacted the Middle East through its Quranic literature, mosques and Islamic law.

To begin, one of the major ways that Islam has impacted the Middle East is through the Quran’s classical Arabic literature. The Quran, practically defines the classical

Mosques provide a place for community gathering, which is a very important aspect in Middle Eastern culture. The first mosque was built in the courtyard of Mohammed’s humble home in the seventh century and have thrived in every region Muslims have settled in since. In the past, mosques have “served as a central gathering point…to consolidate Muslims in their faith…” (Gu157), and still continue to do so today. They also provide the opportunity to work together as a community such as the “small mosques (that are) built and operated by various groups within the community” (BridgingCultures). Not only do mosques provide a place for gathering and working together in the Middle East but they also provide a place that “During times of crisis, Muslims (can) gather... for mutual support and guidance” (BridgingCultures). Devout Muslims residing in the Middle East all gather together when they hear the Muezzin reciting the Quran, calling them to one of their five prayers a day. This gives the opportunity for the whole community to come together and, united, pray to their shared belief, Allah. Many small mosques are funded by charities’ generous donations and ran by small organizations in the community which allows residents to work together on something that they are all passionate about and that benefits their community and fellow Muslims. This brings about unity and not only

In the Middle East, there is no separation of religion and state like in first world countries such as the United States, Canada and Great Britain. In the unique case of this region, it is safe to say that “in Islam a separation between law and religion is impossible… Islamic law cannot be understood, and cannot be studied, without an appreciation of the religious nature of its sources” (Zufari). Middle Easter governments base their laws on Islamic laws such as the, “…Muslim law-makers in Saudi Arabia…” who passed laws “…that prohibit women from driving. They based their law on Islamic principles of modesty and piety” (Zufari79). Essentially, to obtain a basic understanding of laws enforced in the Middle East, one must acquire some knowledge about Islamic law and its main source, the Quran. This is due to the fact that Islamic laws and government laws are one in the Middle East, but the amount of laws and the way they are executed depend on the countries’ interpretation of the Quran. The country Saudi Arabia takes more of the extreme approach, so to speak, when it comes it their laws such as the law that prohibits women from driving. Although some may see it as unnecessary or even degrading, it is their unique interpretation of what the Quran says is the will of Allah. This law shows that Islam has exceedingly impacted government enforced laws through Islamic law and its unity of religion