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by mouth from just before sunrise until after sundown. Ill Muslims, small children, and pregnant women are exempt from this rule. When a person is following the fast, institutions must provide the environment for the safe observance of the practice.
There is also a practice of modesty, with women covering their heads with scarves, hijabs, and wearing long dresses, jibabs. The need for gender- specific care—that is, males caring for male patients and females caring for female patients, must be adhered to.
The Muslim lifestyle is strictly regulated. According to those who have practiced the religion for many generations, this stems in part from the need for self-discipline, which many Black people have not had because of living condi- tions associated with urban decay and family disintegration. Muslims believe in self-help and assist in uplifting each other. The Muslim lifestyle is not so rigid that the people do not have good times. Good times, however, are tempered with the realization that too much indulgence in sport and play can present prob- lems. To Muslims, life is precious: if a person needs a transfusion to live, it will be accepted. Because of the avoidance of pork or pork products, however, it is important to understand that a diabetic Muslim will refuse to take insulin that has a pork base. If the insulin is manufactured from the pancreas of a pig, it is considered unclean and will not be accepted. There are preparations of insulin and/or other products that can be prescribed.
Many Muslim communities differ in their practice and philosophy of Islam. Members of some communities dress in distinctive clothing—for example, the women wear long skirts and a covering on the head at all times. Other commu- nities are less strict about dress. Some adherents do not follow the Halal diet and are allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.
Sources: Ibrahim, I. A. (1996) A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam. Houston, Texas: Darussalam. Retrieved from http://www.islam-guide.com/, July 6, 2011; Office of Dawah. (2006–2008). The Religion of Islam. Rawdah: Author. Retrieved from http://www.islamreligion.com/, July 6, 2011