Arranged Marriages and Islamic Culture
Arranged Marriages and Islamic Culture
Arranged Marriages and Islamic Culture
Sociology paper #2
Ryan McClain
5/7/2021
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When one thinks of arranged marriages, one usually thinks of Muslim/Islam and the middle east.
Arranged marriages are still prevalent in many cultures around the world, even in the United
States. It is not as uncommon as many people might think, and in quite several societies, it is
expected. I will address these further, including here in the United States, amongst the Amish
and the Mormon communities. By definition, an arranged marriage is a marital union planned by
the two families, most typically by the couple's parents going to be married. Believe it, or not
more than half of the marriages around the world are arranged. It is estimated that over 20
million of those marriages are Today's figures worldwide, so close that dropped jaw! What is
even more interesting is that the divorce rate among arranged marriages is only about 4%,
compared to the rate of 40-50% of non-arranged marriage divorces. This is part in part by the
societal and cultural expectations of arranged marriages of the culture and the religions of those
societies and cultures. When an arranged marriage takes place, it is expected that the couple will
remain married.
Divorce in some cultures and religions is forbidden. If there is a divorce, there is shame and
shunning that takes place, and in some societal cultures, if there are children, the children remain
in the custody of the father and the father's family. For example, in India, over 90% of marriages
are arranged, and the divorce rate is 1%. This is because of their culture and their religious
requirements.
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Today, unlike arranged marriages of the past where the bride did not meet the groom until the
Today, one or both couples may veto the decision upon meeting their chosen spouse. There is a
lot of freer choice in the matter. That may or may not have an impact on the divorce rate.
It is more common for couples to let their parents "find" their mate, but if the person does not
like the chosen mate, they have the right to say no, mainly here in the U.S. and the west, but only
In other cultures, the old traditions continue in an arranged marriage from other parts of the
world. The woman has no option/choice but to marry the spouse chosen for them.
However, with all arranged marriages, the underlying tone of why divorce rates are so low is that
the women who enter into these marriages believe this is their life's responsibility, marry,
procreate, and serve their husbands' needs. Many also believe that they have no other option:
they are essentially trapped in the marriage, and they do not want to cause any problems. There
are more trends that young people are happy to let their parents look for their mate, and they get
to give the final yes or no. This has the traditional aspect and the modernization of independence.
China is another country where arranged marriages, called blind marriages, occur. Remember the
movie Mulan? The arranged marriage is addressed. Remember the musical Fiddler On The
Roof? Remember the Neil Diamond movie musical, how arranged marriages are addressed.
Arranged marriages were the norm of the societal culture in Russia before the 20th century.
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Before the first half of the 20th century, Japanese migrant families in the United States had
Even though arranged marriages have decreased in the more prosperous and capitalistic
countries, and societal negativity towards these marriages, and the increase in individualism,
arranged marriages are still the norm in Europe and North America, within the royal families, the
Sociologists categorize arranged marriages into subgroups. The following three are examples of
these subgroups.
Arranged exogamous marriage A third party finds and picks the bride and groom. Their
Arranged endogamous marriage A third party finds and picks the bride and groom. They are
Consanguineous marriage This is a form of and endogamous marriage. The bride and groom
share a grandmother or a near ancestor. The primary example of this is first cousin marriages
second cousin marriages. The most common are first cousin marriages. The following common
is second cousins. The number of first/second cousin marriages is around 25-40% in many parts
of the middle east. The number of consanguineous marriages in North Africa and Central Asia is
around 65-80%.
In the Middle East culture, daughters are valuable as far as marriage goes, ,because it is tradition
the groom and his family must pay cash and property for the right to marry the daughter. This is
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called bride wealth. The bride's family always keeps the bride wealth after the marriage. It is
considered income for low-income families. In this situation, the brothers, father, and male
relatives of the bride are the ones doing "arranging her marriage to a man who is willing to pay
Some religions will only recognize marriages within the faith. The most common of these is that
Islam forbids the marriage of girls whose parents are devout followers of the Islam faith to only
marry within the Islamic faith. Islam forbids a Muslim female to marry a non-Muslim male, and
there is severe religious punishment for those who disobey the rule. This happens to be the
motivations of arranged marriages within the Islamic population of Europe and the middle east,
I chose to write on arranged marriages because it affects my life through my mother's family on
her father's side. My grandfather was a Cypriot Turk and was born and raised in Cyprus. He was
born into the Muslim family unit and was raised in the Islamic faith. He had two brothers and
two sisters. It was not until my grandfather immigrated to the United States and became a United
States citizen to change his religion to Catholic. My mother and her sister were raised Catholic,
However, all of my mother's relatives on her father's side are Muslim and practice Islam. All of
her living relatives born in Cyprus and live in Cyprus are of first and second cousin arranged
marriages. Several of her living relatives but not in the U.K and the United are first and second
cousin marriages, and half of them practice the Islamic faith. Those that do not practice the faith
still marry within the Muslim community because that is how it is done. They may not practice
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Islam, they may be more secular in their faith, but the spouse is Muslim. A few of her living
relatives have married outside of the Muslim community. It is not frowned upon because in the
U.K. and the United States, marrying outside of the Muslim community is accepted. The younger
ones, well, we will have to see how they chose their mate, or if their mate is chosen for them
when that time comes. I believe they will remain within their Muslim cultural upbringing.
It took some time for my mother to explain the arranged marriages and the first cousin/second
cousin marriages to me. It took some time to learn about the Muslim culture and their faith. It
was hard to grasp and understand, but I have it down now, and I am ok with it. They are my
family; I love them no matter what religion they follow or cultural traditions. It has been a
valuable learning experience for me to see how another culture and religion lives.
I have learned quite a lot about the Muslim culture, and I admit I was very skeptical because of
However, if everyone in our family, I have never seen a more tight-knit group of individuals who
genuinely love and care about each other as her family does. The family is extensive, with many
cousins, and I love that. They are loving and caring people who will give the shirt off their back
for you because you are one of them. They feed you all day long. Food in the Muslim
community and the traditions of the Cypriot Turks is essential. Everything revolves around food.
There are many traditional traditions, such as no shoes in the home. Men usually gather together
to talk and play backgammon while the women are in the kitchen. That is ok too. It is what they
like to do, and the food tastes incredible. There is most definitely respect for the parents and the
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elders in the family unit. Although my father became Catholic, many of his traditions never left
him; and my mother grew up with those traditions. She brought those with her to her marriage to
my father, and they have been married 41 years now. The family unit is essential to her, and that
is how I was raised. I am glad to be a part of a different culture than the standard way of life here
in the U.S. I am glad that I have traditions and values from another part of the world with me. I
believe it makes me more adaptable to understanding the different cultures that make up the
world.
Furthermore, I have not seen any form of discord within the arranged marriages of my mother's
family. No one on my grandfather's side has been divorced. All live in complete harmony and are
happy and healthy. This told me arranged marriages could and do work for some cultures and
some societies, and we should not look down on them because it is different from the norm here
in the U.S.
One final thought, our book states there is no dating. In Today's arranged marriage set up in the
United States, at least, a date can and does happen, in some instances.
Endogamy:
Scholars and Sociologists say it is race and ethnic relationships. Endogamy stems from the
relationship to the group and the group's boundaries; and the processes in which the boundaries
are maintained. It has to do with the processes of how boundaries are negotiated. According to
sociologists, endogamy is understood as the most critical social mechanism and is done by
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forming and reforming racial and ethnic groups. Endogamy, according to our text states it is a
"pattern of marrying someone similar in race, age, education, religious background, and social
class." These aspects of marriage will most likely influence me when I marry, although it will
not be a deciding factor. There is no way these five factors do not enter into the equation to some
degree.
Endogamy is a complex social process that is growing. For example, with the marriage of two
partners who are different in their ethnicity but have a similarity in their religion, a marriage
endogamous in one respect may not be so along another dimension. Furthermore, the endogamy
example is when one of the partners is of one religion. The other partner is of another religion;
one of the marriage partners converts to the other's religion, and thus the outsider from the other
is accepted into the new religion. The spouse has thus been incorporated into the "new" religion.
My grandfather was Catholic, and my grandmother was Baptist. My grandmother took classes to
become Catholic to be married in the Catholic Church, and thus my grandmother was the
outsider coming into the endogamous Catholic group. Thus my mother was raised Catholic. My
father was not raised with any religious affiliation. Thus when my mother and father married, my
father took classes to become Catholic and was welcomed into the Catholic church. This is how
In societies of late, endogamy is the norm. The most prevalent one is regarding the respect of
boundaries of one's social class and race. We see this every day here in the United States and
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around the world. In some parts of the United States, interracial marriages were illegal until the
1960s. Furthermore, even though it is no longer illegal, it is still heavily frowned upon in many
societies. Culture and societal norms can and do dictate how the society as a who runs.
Today interracial marriages are controlled by power and informal segregation of social networks.
Endogamy Marriages
"Policy of Separation." Some people will not live with others who are "outside" of their
endogamous group. An example is considering oneself as "pure white," and all others are
"impure.: Some people do not want to live with other people of outside groups. They considered
themselves pure while others impure. They want to live separately, and so they practice
endogamy.
group, who will bring her all she has accumulated in wealth.
"Sense of superiority and inferiority" People of one group consider themselves superior to
another group. Thus they will only marry within their group.
"Religious Differences." Religious differences will also make a person practice endogamy. It is
considered blood purity. They cannot mix with others because the other group is impure blood.
“Geographical Separation.” This involves two people from two different groups who live quite a
distance from each other. Neither will move from their ancestral home. They both stay with their
Advantages of Endogamy
If there is a partnership with marriage, one is not superior because they belong to the same
group.
Disadvantages of Endogamy
Ethnocentric behavior.
The family's wealth remains within the same family, for example, royalty, and in many cases
with the Muslim Community. This was also true with my mother's father's family.
In respect to the Greek/Turkish division of Cyprus. The Turks and Greeks do not like each other
and will not allow a marriage between a Greek and a Turk. My mother's family owns land in
Cyprus. It is forbidden to marry a Greek person, and the land ownership is to remain in the
family and the family only. My mother was told growing up if she married and Greek man, she
would be disowned.
"The parenting style used to rear a child will likely impact that child's future success in romantic,
peer and parenting relationships. Diana Baumrind, a clinical and developmental psychologist,
This is the type of parenting that took place in my home with my parents. It has had a very
positive and profound impact on my life. According to Baumrind, children reared with this type
of parenting have more self-confidence. They are more competent when they have high and
reasonable, and "consistent" expectations of their children and their behaviors. Parents in this
category communicate very well with their children. In my case, this is very true, and there has
always been open and honest communication between myself and my parents.
My parents have always been responsive to my brother's needs, and they have always reasoned
with us. We were never manipulated or coerced into behavior they wanted from us.
I believe that within the sociological aspect of parenting, you can see the difference in child-
rearing from parents with this type of style versus the uninvolved Parent and the social discord it
creates with the children; as we addressed in previous chapters in our book; and as we can see in
the neighborhoods in which the children live that have parents who are disengaged and
uninvolved. Sociologists and psychologists consider this type of parenting to be the optimal
parenting style in western cultures. Sociologists and psychologists have stated that children of
Authoritarian Parenting
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13
These parents have low support and high demand for their children. They demand and expect
obedience. These parents are "in charge." These parents bring up their children in an ordered and
structured environment.
There are clear rules that must be obeyed. It brings to mind Harry Potter and the strict and
stringent way they "raised" Harry. Same with Cinderella and her wicked stepmother. Low self-
Permissive Parenting
Parents with this style highly support their children but place little to no demands on them.
Children accordingly are not very happy and do not have good self-regulation. They tend to have
problems with authority, and thus in society, end up causing many problems within their
neighborhoods and at school. You can see that is some of the neighborhoods in which these
children are raised. They are on the street a lot and have little regard for rules because they can
do whatever they want. It causes a problem with the neighborhood and others that live in the
neighborhood. Many times others are taxed with guiding these children who receive little
guidance at home.
Uninvolved Parenting
These children have low support and low demands, and this type of parenting is the lowest
across all contexts. These children have a lack of self-control. These children have low self-
esteem. They are also more challenged educationally than their peers. These children's parents
are considered neglectful. They provide no parenting to their children. From a sociological
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14
standpoint, these children are in the poorest of neighborhoods, where the crime is high, and the
children are in the street just trying to survive and are hungry.
Children in this category are a part of the pipeline that end up seeing these children in prison.
It has been said the Baumrind's theory of parenting style is not practical. I am afraid I have to
According to our text, Diana Baumrind has general dimensions of the Parent-child interactions.
The text refers to them as disciplining strategies, warmth and nurturing, and communication
style.
Symbolic Interactionism
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15
Religious Symbols. This is the use of acts, artwork, events that will create a way to express the
teachings of a religion.
Religious symbolism Symbols help create ways of expressing the moral values of a society and
or the teachings of the religion. It creates solidarity among the people, bringing them closer to
When Christianity was legalized in the 4th-century, more recognizable symbols (such as the
Rituals and symbols are widely used in symbolic interactionism. A ritual is a rite. It is a repeated
set of actions. Regarding the sociological concept of rituals, a ritual can serve as a social
function. It can express, fix, or reinforce shared values and beliefs of the society in which the
religion is practiced. A ritual is a set of actions that are performed simply for their "symbolic"
value. All religions have symbolic interactionism and place a high value on their symbols.
Rituals are known to all human societies. This includes worship rites, sacraments of organized
religions. They include oaths of allegiance, coronations, presidential inaugurations. They include
marriages, and funerals, graduations, college pledges, parties, parades, Confirmations, Bar and
Bat Mitzvah's, and even Christmas Shopping. Rituals and symbolic interactionism are in every
aspect of society and cultures of Today, which makes sociology interesting as a construct.
Social Ritual. In conjunction with personal attachment with worship and reverence, rituals also
have social functions. It is a way to express the shared values and beliefs of a society, which is
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16
essential to sociology. Rituals have a way of creating a sense of group identity, thus social
interactionism. The aspects of a ritual and its proceedings are ingrained in society.
Ritual actions are not only prevalent to human cultures; animal rituals exist as well. Many animal
species use ritualized actions to a court or to greet each other, or to fight. At least some ritualized
actions have a powerful selective purpose in animals. For example, ritualized fights often help
Symbolic Interactionism
symbols, because symbols are things, whether material or immaterial, a person attaches meaning
to. They are the building blocks of human society. They consist of ideas, notions, and
conceptions; whether they are positive or negative, they will encourage or discourage people
from behaving a certain way. With symbolic interactionism, everything is a symbol: self,
level, the theory of symbolic interactionism focuses on the interactions of individuals when they
are in the presence of one another. Religion, in this manner, is divided into sets and subsets of
smaller symbols. For example, in Catholicism, God is the creator o of the world, and God has the
right to rule the world. God has the right to dictate how one is to behave, and God rewards those
who behave according to His rules and ultimately grants the person eternity in Heaven. Those
who do not adhere to God's teachings are punished and will go to Hell for eternity.
Therefore, in Catholicism (and other religions), God Himself is a Symbol. We then have subsets
of symbols that we interact with: the crucifix, the Chalice for the Blood of Christ. You have the
Host, which is the body of Christ. There is the alter, and the altar cloth, and more. These are all
essential aspects of Symbolic interactionism within the Community of the Catholic Church. The
rituals of the Catholic Church and the symbols and interactionism within the faith are essential
aspects of my life. I hold to my faith and my beliefs, and the cross. It has meaning and purpose in
end of the agreement that God and his ten commandments are a good foundation for choosing to
Another example of symbolic interactionism within the Muslim peoples and culture; they do not
and will not tolerate joking about religion. Symbolic interactionism looks at the micro aspects of
religion. With symbolic interactionism, interactionists will look at the role religion plays in our
daily life. It looks at the way we tend to interpret our religious experiences. Symbolic
interactionism and reactionists emphatically state that our beliefs and practices are not holy or
sacred unless we, the people, regard them as being holy or sacred. If a Catholic does not regard
receiving the body and blood of Christ as being sacred, then there is no meaning to its symbolic
interactionism, and that person is a hypocrite. This is how symbolic interactionists study how
They look at how people interact in their churches and places of worship and how they interact
in other religious settings such as a retreat. Symbolic interactionism also looks at how and why
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faith and practices have a positive psychological and physical outcome on one's overall well-
being.
The value of a religious symbol weighs heavily on symbolic interactionism and how the
Universal Education
With universal education, all children of a given age are given general- education with a set of
educational requirements. The idea of universal education is guaranteed with a system of state
legislative acts regarding education and state-funded allocations for schools for their construction
Universal education was a demand of the people for several centuries. French Revolution
proclaimed compulsory education at the end of the 18th century. The demand for free public
education as set forth by none other than Karl Marx and F. Engels in the Communist Manifesto.
Being that in Sociology, the concepts of Karl Marx are referred to throughout, I found this
relevant to the sociological concept of Universal Education. As of the 20th century, Universal
Education is provided free in all societies. In the most highly developed capitalistic countries
such as the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and France, universal education is provided to
students. In capitalistic societies, schools are classroom-oriented. With the tuition-free schooling
these children receive, we see the offset in capitalistic societies making up for expensive tuition
"Education generally refers to a social institution responsible for providing knowledge, skills,
values, and norms. Universal education in the United States grew out of political needs."
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/sociology/education/universal-education-growth-and-
function.) It started because of economic needs and because of the many diverse populations and
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cultures and diverse communities throughout the U.S. Every child should be allowed to receive
FAPE. In many socioeconomic communities, this would only be able to be provided with
universal education. Educating our children is necessary for the continuation of society as a
whole.
The modern idea of universal educational access came about in the United States because of the
concern for the education of people with disabilities. Universal education is supported through
federal and state governments that cover the cost of free public education.
As we know, Today, the way schools include differently-abled students in regular education
classrooms are still being researched. It is an ongoing process. "Inclusion" is a method that
involves educating the special needs student in the regular education classroom and is called
"mainstreaming." This is where there is a balance of regular education instruction and instruction
because this area of universal education hits home. I had particular special needs, and though I
did not require a special education classroom, some adjustments and supports were in place to
help me progress through my education and continues to help me in college. It is also personal
because my older brother is cognitively disabled and has some medical issues that disrupt his
education. The majority of my brother's education took place in the special education classroom,
but he was also included in many regular education classrooms. Without this form of universal
education, my brother would not have had the necessary education to become of productive adult
in society.
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21
to the United Nations, there appear to be more than 57 million children not enrolled in school.
Islam
Today, Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions. Islam is practiced by more than 1.2 billion
"Islam is a faith and comprehensive way of life that means 'peace through submission to God.' It
provides a clear understanding of a person's relationship with God, purpose in life, and ultimate
destiny. A Muslim is someone who adopts the Islamic way of life by believing in the Oneness of
God and the prophethood of Today, Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions and is practiced
by more than 1.2 billion Muslims across the world." Islam was developed over 1400 years ago.
monotheistic belief in God. In Islam, Muslims are highly encouraged to develop a direct and
personal relationship with God. In Islam God is referred to as Allah, which means God in
Arabic. Indecently, Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians refer to God as Allah as well.
Islam is a culmination of a universal message of God taught by all of His prophets. Muslims
Some of the prophets of God in the Islamic faith are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob Moses, Joseph, Jesus, and of course, Muhammad. All the prophets conveyed the one
message of worship, God. In Islam, it is believed Muhammed was sent by God to re-deliver His
message because the original message was lost and abandoned and even changed.
In Islam, it is believed that the Angel Gabriel visited Muhammad with the first original message
from God. Over the next 23 years, Muhammad was given more revelations at which the original
message was complete. It is said that Muhammed brought people together in believing in One
God. Muhammed is said to tell the people to be merciful and just to one another.
Muhammed told people that he was the living proof of God's existence and the Muhammed was
In Islam, the Muslims also believe that God sent many books as a guideline to humanity through
all of the prophets previously listed. These books are referred to as the Torah, the Bible, and the
The Quran is said to be the last book from God. In Islam, it is believed that the Quran is God's
In the religion of Islam, what is the purpose of life is addressed, which is studied thoroughly by
Sociologists. Through the many theories and ideologies, cultures, and societal norms,
sociologists are always looking to find new ways to define life's meaning.
In Islam, and for Muslims, the meaning and purpose of life are to worship God. Sociologists do
not adhere to this belief; they are looking for other answers to the meaning of life. For me, that
brings up the question, does religion, any religion, have a valued meaning to the meaning of life
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from the Sociologists aspect? Furthermore, as we have learned from the study of sociology in
this class, societies and cultures gravitate to some form of religion and belief in a God or God's
or God-like beings to help them define the meaning of life is. So I would have to believe that
sociology has a great need to keep religions of the world in their continued efforts to answer the
question of the meaning of life. I believe that there needs to be a belief that there is a higher
power that is part of our everyday life, explain the unexplainable, and helps cultures and peoples
Whether it be Islam or whatever form of religion one adheres to, the meaning of life falls in the
realm of there being some form of higher power within the universe. If for nothing else, religion
has provided the foundation for sociologists to address how people and cultures live and work
In Islam, it is a comprehensive belief that tends to draw people to be conscious of God in their
lives; and provides people with the framework that helps people live what the religion says is a
"balanced and virtuous life." This is something that sociologists have been interested in for many
years. According to the teachings of Islam, the way of life that one is striving to achieve is strong
in moral character, is in good standing with relationships with other people, and lives in harmony
with other societies. They are living one's life responsibly and having accountability. A concept
Worshiping in Islam is a very intricate part of the daily life of a Muslim person. This worship is
not confined to a mosque. In Islam, there are five pillars that every Muslim is required to meet to
have a divine relationship with God. Sounds a lot like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
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Not unlike sociology, Islam has a practical approach to living. When it comes to dressing and
behaviors, the message is modesty. Through other teachings about other societal norms and
practices within the world of sociology, many societies and cultures believe modesty is a good
foundation of dressing, both with men and women. Those that do not adhere to the more modest
way of dress are called deviants. Parental obedience and duty to one's parents are fundamental in
Islam.
Just as in Baumrind's Parental styles, the style of authoritative and authoritarian style is essential
and raising children who are morally upstanding and responsible people within their society and
community. Family ties are significant with the Islamic religion, and family ties are a crucial
study point in sociology and how it affects society as a whole and how it is seen within the
culture.
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The Muslim view of sociology revolves around the family, the Mosque, and the state."
The societal view of marriage in the Islamic Muslim religion is well defined and very much
modern Muslims are uncomfortable with the traditional view of marriage and its teachings and
practices regarding marriage. The most unacceptable traditional Islamic rule that societies
adamantly are against is that unsub missive women may be beaten "lightly."
Unfortunately, this practice and teaching of the most deviant forms of Islam have brought much
discord and unrest throughout the world and within the Muslim societies themselves because the
"beatings' are never "light." Women who cheat on their husbands are severely punished up to and
including death.
This is unacceptable and considered deviance by societal norms. Divorce in a Muslim marriage
is not allowed to be filed by a woman. She is the property of the husband, and so are the
children. These traditions are found in countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, where
Muslim societies are considered to be patriarchal. This societal role and cultural role are
expected in the Muslim Islamic community. Women are expected to have children. Muslim
families are often large, and it is expected in the culture to give a man a son. Women are also in
fear of not being able to give a man a son within this culture.
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Muslims who live and have been educated in westernized and European cultures and societies
realize that these traditions in direct conflict with genetics. However, men have expectations that
the wife will give him a son, and women living in fear that they may not do so, is very real in the
Muslim society, no matter where the Muslim grows up and lives and is educated.
Although he changed his religion to Catholicism, my grandfather was raised Muslim, still
expected my grandmother to give him a son. When my grandmother was pregnant with my
mother, the doctors told my grandparents my mother was a boy. My grandfather was overjoyed
because they had a girl already. When my mother was born, and of course, was not a boy, my
grandfather was disappointed she was not a boy, so my grandparents compensated for that by
giving my mother a more traditional middle name that encompassed my grandfather's male
lineage namesake. Interestingly, when my mother was growing up, she had a more stable
relationship with my grandfather than my grandmother. This is living proof that traditions and
cultural norms are transferred over generations in every society. My grandfather carried over
more of his Muslim traditions than not. Another reason why Islam and my Muslim family are
One thing that is very important to note when looking at Islam sociology, Islam does not
distinguish between social institution and the state. Islam is considered a comprehensive reality.
Whereas, in western sociology, there is the separation of church and state. In Turkey, where my
grandfather's lineage originated before settling in Cyprus. Turkey is a Muslim nation whose
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constitution is not based on Shari'ah law. Although the people of Turkey are Muslim, Turkey
A little on the political aspect that is beginning to affect the sociological aspect of Turkey,
President Erdogan is attempting to return Turkey to its more traditional state. He is also trying to
do this to the Turks in Northern Cyprus. This is not going well for him. The Muslims are more
secular there, and they do not wish to return to the "old ways."
One last note it is evident that Islam and Christianity are similar. This is because Muhammad
took the teachings of Christianity and applied them to the teachings of Islam. I could go into the
Catholic Church, Muhammad, and the Knights Templar relationship, but that is another story for
another time.
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References
https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/17-3-sociological-perspectives-on-religion/.
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