Diversityin Muslim Communitie
am is the second largest religion in the world, with over 1.8 ion followers. Although many people attribute Islam and uslims primarily to the Middle East, in reality only around % of Muslims are from a Middle Eastern background. uslims also come from cultures originating in countries such Indonesia, Malaysia, Bosnia, Somalia, Cyprus, and even stralian Aboriginal language groups.
This diversity is also reflected in Australia, where Islam is the second largest religion, making up 3.2% of the population. Almost 40% of Australian Muslims were born in Australia. The other 60% have migrated from over 185 countries, most commonly Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Lebanon.
It’s also worth remembering that Islam is a religion, and so people of any cultural or linguistic background can be Muslim if they choose to be. A recent study estimated that up to 15% of Australian Muslims are converts to the faith. Muslim communities are broadly made up of two sects – Sunni and Shia, but there are many other sects that form part of the Muslim community, including Alawi, Alevi, Ismaili, Bohra, and Ahmedi communities.
The establishment of Sunni and Shi’a sects happened early in Islam’s history, and related to differing beliefs around who would succeed as the religious leader of Muslims after the Prophet Muhammad’s death. One group, which eventually became Shi’as, believed that the Prophet (PBUH) appointed his cousin, Ali (RA), as his successor. The other group, which became Sunnis, felt that no successor was nominated, and leadership should therefore be elected from the Prophet’s inner circle. Approximately 80% of the world’s Muslims are Sunni, while around 20% are Shi’a.
SunniMuslims 80%
Shi'aMuslims 20%
In addition to cultural, linguistic, and ethnic differences in Muslim communities, there is also diversity in terms of religious interpretation and practice of the faith, adherence to different schools of thought, and varying emphasis on tradition. One example of this is through beliefs and traditions related to Islamic dress. As you might have observed, some Muslim women cover their head and hair, but the style they choose to adopt can be influenced by things like cultural background, age, and individual preferences. Likewise, there are Muslim women who do not cover their hair and may have differing views on what is required by their faith. Some Muslim men also look to their religion for guidance on how to dress. This is just one example of diverse practice and beliefs surrounding one aspect of the faith, but it applies to a range of elements of Islam and Muslim culture.
The incredible amount of diversity in Muslim communities means that it’s impossible to generalise about what the community thinks, feels, and believes on any particular issue. There are countless ways to be Muslim, and there is always an interplay between religious practice, culture, and individual belief.
If you would like to know more about diversity in Islam, you can visit the ‘ resources ’ section of our website, where we have lots of information about this topic –www.amwchr.org.au/resources