Interconnectedness in the Islamic World

Islam is not a modern religion. It is known as one of the oldest religions in the world. Nevertheless, the same belief, that God passed His doctrines through prophets, was retained through the centuries. Nowadays, we can observe the same faith in the Muslims’ eyes.

Islam, as the other religions, which exist in the world, has a considerable amount of doctrines. Though, there is the doctrine, the main idea of which is the interconnectedness of people. There is a small chapter in the Quran, which is known as “Small Kindness”, the main idea and the main point of which, is to show the importance of the people’s interconnection and interdependence. God describes the person, who has lost the interconnection with other people and, consequently, has lost the faith:
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?
For that is the one who drives away the orphan
And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.
So woe to those who pray
[But] who are heedless of their prayer –
Those who make show [of their deeds]
And withhold [simple] assistance (Quran, 107).

This small chapter shows the whole nature of Muslims. They believe, that real faith can be observed through the interconnected faith. Only in that way the faith may be called a religion. Religion should be seen in eyes, should be issued from the heart of every person of the nation.

Muslims’ recitation from the Quran during Ramadan shows their interdependence from each other and their strong connection with religion and God.

Ramadan is a time of spiritual meditation and purification, increased piety and worship. During Ramadan, Muslims have a meal only after the sunset and before the dawn. The fast is indispensable for every Muslim, because the time is expected to be led in the profound cognition of the Quran’s doctrines. In such a way, they purify their organism not only of food, but of creature comforts, about which all people are usually thinking. All the time, that is left, must be spent in learning, thinking and understanding of God’s words. The fast is prohibited for children; nevertheless, they are trying to keep the fast as long as it is possible and allowed. The interconnectedness is seen in the desire to stick to God’s words and doctrines. There is seen the dependence of people from the religion and the interdependence from each other, which shows the close link between people that is not seen, but is sensed.

The Middle Ages are known as the period of Islamic art’s flourish. The term “Islamic” does not mean that everything was done according to God’s doctrines and only applied to faith. Islamic art shows all the best that has been collected for centuries: it shows abundance and diversity of Muslims’ culture, customs and traditions. Islamic art comprises architecture, painting, ceramics, calligraphy and others.

Architecture is considered to be the most significant and the most impressive. The most symbolical architectural works, for Muslims, are mosques, palaces, minarets, forts and sepulchres. There is a large quantity of architectural edifices in Muslim World: the Darb-I Imam shrine in Iran, Taj Mahal in India, the sacred Mosque in Mecca, Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul, Mughal Agra Fort, Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Uzbekistan, Sheykh Lotfollah Mosque in Iran and many others. Each of the edifices was constructed with some purpose. Mosques, palaces and sepulchres were built in honor of sultans and sovereigns. Forts were built in order to protect people and territory from invaders. Each edifice has its own history. Nevertheless, all of them were constructed with the help of ordinary people, who were living in that time. It means that every edifice was a result of strength connection, mutual understanding and mutual assistance. Those works of art would be impossible without the interconnectedness of people and their interdependence.

Islamic architecture is famous for its beauty and impressiveness. Examining the interior of each edifice, it can be ascertain, that every building embraces religious ideas, values and traditions, historical context and historical imprint, social persuasions and physical power. In such instances the notion and significance of the notion “interconnectedness” is comprehended and realized.
Ibn Khaldun is known as medieval Islamic philosopher, who was interested in history and worked out the scientific understanding of history. The main topics of his works were religion and history.

Ibn Khaldun believed strongly, that people were God’s representatives on the earth, and, as such, needed the social organization of civilization to flourish. His persuasions show the connection between people and religion is the invisible bond that connects humans on the earth and their God.

Flourishing civilization is impossible without social unity and interdependence. Muslims’ interdependence and mutual relations are seen in every sphere of their life. It is seen in their faith, in their religion, because Islamic religion has made Muslims a united community, which is bonded to the trust. Islamic religion was the motive power, which prompted Islamic followers to act. Religion bonded people and helped them to realize the importance of mutual understanding, cooperativeness and, consequently, interdependence. That is why, everything, that can be seen in the Islamic World today, is the result of social and physical collaboration on the basis of religion.

Ibn Khaldun was right in his discourses, that in the Islamic World and Islamic culture everything is interrelated. History and historical events are closely connected with religion, these two systems have developed under the similar conditions. Religion is closely connected with the society, it linked people without any bond, it united them without any actions and it helped them to cooperate on the basis of the faith.