The 6 differences between being an Arab and being a Muslim

It's nothing out of the ordinary to hear often the associations made between being Arab and Muslim, as if it were something indivisible, as if both were dependent variables one of the other or, directly, synonymous. This is, in part, because of centuries of orientalist scholars who (wrongly) identified Arab ethnicity with the religion of Muhammad.

Ignorance is the big problem in confusing these terms. In Spain, specifically, the concept "Moor" is used to refer to any person who professes the Muslim religion or belongs to the countries that are part of the Middle East. In this article we will review just What are the differences between being an Arab and being a Muslim? to make it clear that both concepts refer to very different things. Let's start with a couple of basic definitions.

• Related article: "Types of religion (and their differences in beliefs and ideas)"

What does it mean to be Arab?

As paradoxical as it may seem, the fact of being an Arab responds to a fundamentally linguistic and geographical cause

. Geographically, the Arabs extend from North Africa to Western Asia, where curiously they remain excluded from this category are some of the countries with the most Muslims to their credit, with approximately 90% of the population.

And this is where the surprise comes: in Turkey, almost one hundred percent of citizens of the Muslim faith are around, they are not Arabs. Indonesia, another exaggerated example of the same character, has 97% Muslims residing in the country. Pakistan or Iran are other the clearest examples of differentiation between Muslim and Arab.

What about being a Muslim?

The story is very different when it comes to religion. The prophet Muhammad himself preached an Islam without borders, as if it were a transnational organization, from there the term "Ummah" was born, which means the encompassing of the entire Islamic community worldwide, regardless of gender, origin, nationality or ethnicity, among others.

Nor should one confuse being a Muslim with being Islamic. In this article from differences between islam, muslim, islamic and jihadist We already categorize what each specific case implies.

Differences between Arab and Muslim, in 6 points

These are the six basic differences that exist between being a Muslim and being an Arab.

1. Territory

It is perhaps the most distinctive element of all the rest. Islam knows no borders, does not recognize the modern system of States and its followers do not pay homage to any flag or political ideology. Arabic, on the other hand, is well defined geographically.

2. Culture

Culture is another reason to separate Arab from Muslim. In itself, Islam offers patterns of behavior for very specific aspects of life, which strictly adhere to the parameters that govern the Koran, such as avoiding depicting naked human figures, or the prohibition of drawing Saints and Prophets. Yet across the globe, Muslims they live according to a whole series of nuances and cultural variations that make them a diverse community.

3. Music

There is much controversy regarding music in the Islamic community. For some purists who are experts in interpreting Islam, music is off-limits. It distracts from the prayer and from the obligations of reciting the Qur'an. However, this is not a view shared by all Muslims.

4. culinary differences

The ban limits the culinary taste of Muslims. As can happen with vegans, for example, Muslims have strictly restricted intake of pork meat, as well as other products derived from the same animal (sweets, jellies, artisan pastries). But in addition to this characteristic, Arab culture is associated with a type of diet and cuisine that does not exhaust all the gastronomic possibilities that a Muslim person chooses.

5. Language

As we pointed out in the introduction, the fact of being an Arab practically forces the subject to be knowledgeable and practitioner of the Arabic language to recognize said identity and integrate into the countries that are part of this cluster. Without it, for example, it is very difficult to find a job, in the same way that someone who does not know Spanish will have difficulties in Spain. On the other hand, a Muslim cannot be required to know Arabic.

6. Policy

As far as political regulation is concerned, Muslims or Muslim countries are usually governed by Sharia, a very strict way of applying politics within society. However, Arabs in general, even within Islamic countries, tend to distance themselves from this trend advocating for cultural integrity, the secularism of the State and greater equality between the sexes.

7. Religion

It is another of the great differences between Muslims and Arabs. The Muslim, by definition, follows the precepts of the Koran, but not all the inhabitants of Arab countries are Muslims. The Copts, the Druze, the Maghrebi Jews and the Christian communities in general that live in the Arab countries are also part of this type of society.