Culture distinguishes one group of mankind from another. Human culture covers the sphere of beliefs, rules of conduct, language, ritualism, art, technology, clothing style, nutrition, political and economic systems.
The formation and development of Muslim culture begins in the 7th century. In a broad sense - the classical and modern culture of all peoples who profess Islam and live on the territory of its distribution.
Islam is a separate specific culture. It is not Arabic, Middle, or simply Eastern. She is rich and diverse.
In Islamic culture, there are fundamental elements that are common to all Muslims, but there are others that differ from country to country and from nation to nation.
The universal foundations of Islamic culture stem from the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and the particular ones come from the local customs of various peoples.
The greatest flowering of Arab culture occurred in the 8-11th century. Dogma and Islamic law were formed, theological issues of faith and reason, free will and predestination were solved, samples of refined poetry, philosophical and historical works, medical treatises, works in physics, chemistry and astronomy were created. At this time, poetry successfully developed, giving the world many poets, for example: Omar Khayyam, who was inherent in a secular, cheerful and at the same time philosophical character.
The fairy tales “A Thousand and One Nights” were compiled. Firdousi wrote the poem "Shah-name." Arabs made a significant contribution to world mathematical science, the development of medicine (encyclopedic scientist Ibn Sina (Avicenna)), philosophy (Ibn Rushd (Averroes)), astronomy (Biruni). Numerous architectural monuments were created - mosques in Mecca and Damascus, the originality of which is given by decoration with their ornament - Arabic script.
The influence of Islam led to the underdevelopment of painting and sculpture in the Arab culture, since tradition forbade depicting Allah and everything divine (first of all, the person he created).
The culture of Islam is focused on the moral and dignity of the human person, emphasizing such values as truthfulness, honesty, modesty, and purity. Islamic culture is against wastefulness, flaunting itself, extremism.
Islamic culture teaches self-confidence and independence, emphasizes mercy and generosity. Our culture is a culture of family values that emphasizes a healthy relationship between spouses, parenting, love and respect for elders.
Thus, Islamic culture is dynamic and progressive, clearly calls for training and knowledge, without making any opposition between “religious” and “secular” education. Islamic culture supports art, architecture, respect for health and the environment.
A. Tokmurzina, expert of the department of interfaith relations.