Answer
Salam (Peace) Eva,
Thank you for your comments. It is my pleasure to explain some of the beautiful aspects of Islam to you.
Let me first mention that humility, devotion, and sincerity are the prerequisites for any and every act of worship in Islam.
Worship itself has been discussed in other answers on this website, thus I will simply say that “worship” may be defined as an action performed solely for the sake of Allah and not contradicting the legal ways of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Muslims show their humility to Allah in their exemplary conduct with others and through their prostrating to Allah in their prayer. Allah says:
{And unto Allah falls prostrate whosoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the morning and the evening hours.} (Quran 13:15)
Regarding kindness and love, a Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reflects the ideals of Islam perfectly:
A man asked the Prophet, ‘Whom should I honor most?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ ‘And who comes next?’ asked the man. The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ ‘And who comes next?’ asked the man. The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother!’ ‘And who comes next?’ asked the man. The Prophet replied, ‘Your father.'” (reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
This indicates the position of the mother in Islam and the respect due to her. The Prophet (peace be upon him) furthermore told one of his companions, “Stay with [your mother], for Paradise is under her feet.”
Allah tells us in the Quran:
{And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) “Ugh” nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word. And make yourself submissively gentle to them with compassion, and say: O my Lord! have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was) little.} (Quran 17:23-24)
But it is not only to our parents that we have obligations, but to all Muslims, every Muslim is the brother or sister of all other Muslims, and to humanity in general. Allah says:
{Surely, Allah enjoins the doing of justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving to the kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion; He admonishes you that you may be mindful.} (Quran 16:90)
In Islam, goodness is not only what we do, but it is also what we say. Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said:
Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent. (reported by Bukhari and Muslim)
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) a leading companion of the Prophet and the second Caliph of Islam advised:
If you know 99 bad things about a person and only one good thing, make room in your heart for that one good thing.
Additionally, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent by Allah as a Mercy to all the worlds.
As such, his establishment of mercy and justice extends to include all living creatures, including animals. A famous Muslim Tradition relates that the Prophet said:
While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well, and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, ‘This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine.’ So, he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being)”.
Where you mention customs and traditional costume, I think it is necessary to separate cultural traditions and customs from what is religiously mandated.
For example, many mosques do not have adequate facilities for women, and as a direct result, women are not always welcome. This is actually unIslamic, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has said:
Do not bar the women worshipers of Allah from Allah’s mosques. (reported by Muslim)
However, many Islamic centers do have facilities for women and thus women are encouraged to attend and a variety of programs are often organized in the mosques to specially cater to their needs.
You refer to Muslim women’s wearing “traditional costume,” I don’t know if you mean the head covering or the long dresses or both.
Nevertheless, Muslim women wear modest clothing in order to ensure that their value as human beings is based on their intellectual contributions to society and their human qualities, and not exploitatively based on their sex appeal.
If there is a low status of Muslim women this is not because of Islam, rather it is a problem facing women of all cultures and religions. Islam raised the status of women. Please see the links below for more on women’s status in Islam.
As for your reference to “singing very loudly during assembly,” I fail to understand this as Muslims do not sing in mosque assemblies.
The Quran is recited, and this may be a rhythmic and melodious recitation, but there is most definitely no singing in formal Muslim worship. Hymns and choir performances are strictly a Christian phenomenon.
I urge you to study up on the true teachings of Islam, and not let your opinion be affected by personal bias and un-Islamic cultural practices.
The religion of Islam is pure in its beliefs and brilliant in its understanding of human nature. It offers the path to success in this world and the next.
Please peruse our site for more information about Islam and specifically check out the links below. Thank you and please stay in touch.
Salam.
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Prophet Muhammad–The Liberator of Women
Manners of the Prophet- A Brief Account