Arab Muslims

Arab Muslims
Arab Hafez at English Wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by Beao at Engl · Public domain · source
Group	Arab Muslims
Religions	Islam

Arab Muslims are people who identify ethnically as Arabs and who adhere to Islam, encompassing diverse communities across the Middle East, North Africa, and global diasporas. They include adherents of Sunni and Shia traditions and of various legal, theological, and mystical schools linked to historical centers such as Mecca, Medina, Cairo, Baghdad, and Damascus. Arab Muslim identities intersect with national, tribal, linguistic, and sectarian affiliations shaped by events like the Arab Revolt (1916–1918), the Sykes–Picot Agreement, and decolonization processes including the Treaty of Sèvres and the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty (1930).

Overview and Identity

Arab Muslim identity often combines lineage, language, and religious affiliation centered on the Arabic language as used in the Quran and on communal practices associated with pilgrimage to Mecca and rites in Medina, while also engaging with national formations such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Sectarian varieties include communities influenced by leaders and institutions like Al-Azhar University, the Council of Senior Scholars (Saudi Arabia), the Ja'fari school, and movements linked to figures such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Khaldun, and Sayyid Qutb. Arab Muslim identity is negotiated in relation to pan-Arab initiatives such as the Arab League, postcolonial states like Algeria and Tunisia, and transnational networks including the Islamic Development Bank and diasporic centers in Paris, London, New York City, and Detroit.

History

Historical development traces from the rise of Islam under the Prophet in Mecca and Medina through the Rashidun, Umayyad, and Abbasid caliphates centered in Damascus and Baghdad, with landmark events like the Battle of Yarmouk, the Conquest of Alexandria (642), and the translation movement at the House of Wisdom. Medieval periods saw cultural florescence tied to institutions such as Al-Azhar University, the Great Mosque of Córdoba, and patrons like the Abbasid Caliphs and the Fatimid Caliphate, while legal and theological developments emerged in schools associated with names like Imam Malik, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi'i, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Encounters with the Crusades, the Mongol invasions, Ottoman rule from Istanbul, and European colonialism including the French conquest of Algeria and the British occupation of Egypt reshaped social and political orders, leading to nationalist and reformist currents exemplified by figures such as T. E. Lawrence (in context of the Arab Revolt (1916–1918)), Gamal Abdel Nasser, Said Qutb, and Rashid Rida.

Demographics and Distribution

Arab Muslims constitute majorities in states including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon (where they live alongside Maronite Christianity communities), Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, and significant diasporas are found in France, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia. Urban centers like Cairo, Riyadh, Baghdad, Alexandria, Casablanca, and Beirut concentrate populations and institutions such as Cairo University, King Saud University, American University of Beirut, and Université de Sfax, while migration flows have been influenced by conflicts like the Syrian civil war, the Iraq War, and the Libyan Crisis (2011) as well as labor migration to the Gulf Cooperation Council states and to European metropoles.

Culture, Language, and Society

Cultural life draws on Arabic literary traditions including the Mu'allaqat, the works of poets like Al-Mutanabbi, Nizar Qabbani, and novelists such as Naguib Mahfouz and Tayeb Salih, alongside religious texts like the Quran and tafsir by scholars such as Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari. Artistic expressions include Arabesque ornamentation, Andalusian music legacies from Al-Andalus, modern films from Egyptian cinema and festivals like the Cairo International Film Festival, while culinary traditions feature dishes tied to regions like Levantine cuisine, Maghrebi cuisine, and Gulf cuisine with staples served at events such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Media and publishing networks involve entities like Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Asharq Al-Awsat, and literary magazines, and intellectual currents engage with thinkers from Ibn Rushd to Edward Said and institutions like Dar al-Ifta.

Religious Practices and Schools of Thought

Religious life encompasses ritual practice centered on the Hajj, the Umrah, the five daily prayers practiced in mosques such as the Masjid al-Haram and the Al-Nabawi Mosque, and jurisprudential guidance from schools like the Hanafi (prominent historically in Ottoman Empire territories), the Maliki, the Shafi'i, the Hanbali, and the Ja'fari tradition. Movements and currents include Sufism with orders such as the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandi, reformist trends associated with Salafism and scholars like Muhammad Abduh, revivalist politics linked to Muslim Brotherhood, and contemporary theological debates addressed by institutions like Al-Azhar University and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy.

Politics, Movements, and Contemporary Issues

Political dynamics span national governments such as Republic of Iraq, Syrian Arab Republic, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, and revolutionary movements including Ba'ath Party, Arab Nationalism, and Islamist organizations like Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, while international relations involve actors such as United States, Russia, European Union, and regional organizations like the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League. Contemporary issues include state-building and governance challenges after uprisings like the Arab Spring, conflicts exemplified by the Yemen Civil War, the Syrian civil war, and the Iraq insurgency (2011–2017), human rights debates before bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, economic pressures addressed by institutions like the International Monetary Fund and development initiatives by the World Bank, and social transformations driven by youth movements, digital platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, and diasporic activism in cities like Detroit and Marseilles.

Category:Ethnic groups