Theology aside, the reality of most Muslim societies is one of much music and dance, including belly dancing. Movies enjoy mass patronage. Films are being made, artistic ones in Iran, mostly trashy ones in Bollywood, India’s film industry, the leading stars of which are Muslims.

Women loom large in the Muslim world of entertainment. Sheikha Rimitti is the reigning queen of rai. The popularity of Googoosh spanned both pre- and post-Islamic Iran. Mauritanian Dimi Mint Abba is among the world’s most powerful and evocative singers. The rapturous voice of the late Egyptian singer Umm Khultum continues to hold sway over Arabs, and the late Noorjehan’s over the people of the Indian sub-continent. Muslim women also feature prominently in the 200 or so cable and satellite Arabic TV channels.

provide rent-to-own alternatives.3 Major banks also offer Islamic banking. In 2005, Islamic-compliant investments, including mutual funds, totaled an estimated $665 billion (US) in more than 100 countries.4 The world’s top five banks by assets — UBC in Zurich, HSBC and Barclay’s in London, BNP Paribas in Paris and Citigroup in New York — all have Islamic units. In 2006, “sales of Islamic bonds (sukuk) grew nine times faster than international corporate bonds,” reported Bloomberg News. “The assets managed under Islamic rules will triple by 2015 to $2.8 trillion, according to the Islamic Financial Services Board, an association of central banks based in Kuala Lumpur.”5

Islamic Etiquette

A Muslim invokes God at all times. A Muslim gets on a plane and before it takes off, says, Bismillah-ir Rahman ar-Raheem (I begin in the name of Allah). Many pronounce those words at the start of almost every activity — sipping water, eating food, turning the ignition key of a car, conducting a business transaction, signing a contract, writing a letter or sending an email. Muslims worldwide repeat that phrase countless billions of times a day.

A Muslim hears that President Bush has held a party for Muslims at the White House, and says, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah).

A Muslim learns that Britain is pulling its troops out of Iraq and says, Mashallah (As Allah wills).

You make an appointment to meet a Muslim, and he or she says, Inshallah (If Allah wills).

You ask a Muslim about the terrorist mayhem, and he or she says, Wallah-o-alam (Only Allah knows).

These are routine Muslim responses, even for those who may not be very religious. It’s their form of speech.

THE QUR’AN

“What’s the big deal?” wondered some Americans about the widespread backlash against the desecrations of the Qur’an in the detention center on Guantanamo Bay. Here’s the answer. The Qur’an may be the most revered book in the world; it is certainly the most read and recited.

Muslims read from the Qur’an day and night. They read its opening chapter, the Fatihah, at least seventeen times a day in the five daily prayers. If only one-fifth of the 1.3 billion Muslims observe their daily canonical duties, those 260 million alone recite those verses more than 4.4 billion times a day. They follow up with readings from any of the Qur’an’s 113 other chapters.