DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar is a Muslim nation, with laws, customs and practices rooted in Islam. The country is neither as liberal as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates nor as conservative as parts of Saudi Arabia. Most of its citizens are Sunni Muslim.
Qatar's most powerful clan originates from the Arabian Peninsula's landlocked interior, where the Wahhabi ideology was born. Its national mosque is named after the 18th century religious figure, Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab, who spurred the ultraconservative interpretation of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism.
Visitors to this mosque and others in Qatar are asked to dress conservatively, with men covering their knees and women preferably donning loose-flowing robes known as abayas and headscarves.
Unlike Saudi Arabia, where adherence to Wahhabism led to strict segregation of unmarried men and women, banned women from driving and kept concerts, cinemas and even yoga off-limits for decades, Qatar has long sponsored the arts, allowed women to participate in high levels of governance and encouraged tourists to feel at ease in the country. It also permits the sale of alcohol in licensed hotels and bars.
As fans travel to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup this year, here's a look at how Islam is practiced in the country:
ISLAM IN QATAR
Mosques in Qatar amplify the Muslim call to prayer five times a day on loudspeakers, including at dawn and dusk.
It is common to hear Muslims use phrases such as "alhamdulillah", which means “praise be to God” or “thank God,” and “Inshallah,” which means “if God wills it." The traditional Arabic Muslim greeting of “as-salamu alaikum,” means “peace be upon you.” References to God, such “ya Allah” and “Allahu akhbar," can be heard in times of tribulation or celebration.