How are the terms Islam, Islamic, Muslims and Muslim used in Library of Congress subject headings?
1. The term Islam is used:
A. As the general heading for works on the religion of which Mohammad is the prophet. It is used instead of Mohammedism, Muhammadism, Muslimism and Mussulmanism. Islam may be subdivided both geographically and topically. Some of the most useful topical subdivisions under Islam are:
- Islam – 20th century (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – 21st century (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Apologetic works (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Appreciation (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Charities (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Customs and practices (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Doctrines (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Economic aspects (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Functionaries (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Government (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – History (not subdivided geographically)
- ‘Islam – Missions (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Liturgical objects (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Prayers and devotions (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Psychology (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Relations (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Research (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Rituals (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam – Study and teaching (may be subdivided geographically)
Please note that Islam – Study and teaching is assigned to works on the branch of Islamic Studies that focuses on Islam as a religion.
B. In a variety of pre-coordinated subject headings, such as:
- Islam and architecture (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and art (not subdivided geographically
- Islam and civil society (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and culture (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and humanism (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam and justice (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and literature (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and philosophy (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam and poetry (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam and politics (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and reason (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam and science (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam and secularism (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and social problems (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and state (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islam and world politics (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam in art (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam in literature (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam in mass media (not subdivided geographically)
- Islam in motion pictures (not subdivided geographically)
C. As a subdivision under certain topics related to religion (e.g. Mysticism – Islam).
D. As a subdivision under the free-floating subdivision Religious aspects (e.g. Freedom of speech – Religious aspects – Islam).
E. In parentheses after headings for certain religious concepts or ideas, such as God (Islam).
2. The term Islamic is used:
A. In a variety of multi-word subject headings focusing on various social and cultural aspects of societies in which Islam was or is the primary and/or official religion. Some of the most useful subject headings of this type are:
- Civilization, Islamic (not subdivided geographically)
- Civilization, Islamic – Study and teaching (may be subdivided geographically)
- Courts, Islamic (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic antiquities (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic architecture (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic art and symbolism (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic calligraphy (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic cities and towns (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic countries (not subdivided geographically)
- Islamic countries – Civilization (not subdivided geographically)
- Islamic countries – Study and teaching (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic drama (not subdivided geographically)
- Islamic education (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic Empire (not subdivided geographically)
- Islamic ethics (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic fundamentalism (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic inscriptions (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic law (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic literature (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic music (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic poetry (not subdivided geographically)
- Islamic religious education (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic sects (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic shrines (may be subdivided geographically)
- Islamic sociology (may be subdivided geographically)
It is important to note that Civilization, Islamic is used for works on medieval Islamic cultures of the Middle East, North African and Spain, with Civilization, Islamic – Study and teaching used for works on the branch of Islamic Studies that focuses on those cultures. The term Islamic countries is used for present-day countries in which Islam is the primary and/or official religion. The subdivision Islamic countries – Civilization is used for general works on the culture of Islamic countries, for works on the culture of Islamic countries in the modern period, for works on the pre-Islamic cultures of countries that later became Islamic and for works on the non-Islamic cultures in Islamic countries during the medieval period, with Islamic countries – Study and teaching used for works on the branch of Islamic Studies that focuses on the culture of Islamic countries.
B. As part of the free-floating subdivision Islamic influences under types of literature (e.g. Spanish literature – Islamic influences).
C. As part of the free-floating subdivision Islamic interpretations under sacred works (e.g. Bible – Islamic interpretations).
D. In parentheses following terms for various legal concepts and issues, such as Murder (Islamic law).
3. The term Muslims is used:
A. As the general heading for works on the community of believers in Islam. It is used instead of Mohammedans, Moslems, Muhammadans, Musalmans and Mussulmen. Muslims may be subdivided both geographically and topically. Some of the most useful topical subdivisions are:
- Muslims – Dietary laws (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslims – Intellectual life (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslims – Non-Muslim countries (not subdivided geographically)
B. As part of multi-word headings referring to ways in which Muslims are represented in various media:
- Muslims in art (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslims in literature (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslims in motion pictures (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslims in population (not subdivided geographically)
C. As part of multi-word headings referring to specific categories of Muslims, such as Muslims, Black and Older Muslims, both of which may be subdivided geographically.
4. The term Muslim is used:
A. In a number of multi-word headings referring to specific groups of Muslims. Some of the most useful headings of this type include:
- Muslim artists (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim authors (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim businesspeople (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim calligraphers (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim children (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim converts (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim converts from Christianity (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim converts from Judaism (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim criminals (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim diaspora (not subdivided geographically)
- Muslim educators (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim historians (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim martyrs (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim philosophers (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim pilgrims and pilgrimages (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim saints (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim students (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim teachers (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim women (may be subdivided geographically)
- Muslim youth (may be subdivided geographically)
- Scholars, Muslim (may be subdivided geographically)
- Theologians, Muslim (may be subdivided geographically)
B. As part of the free-floating subdivision Muslim authors under different literatures (e.g. English literature – Muslim authors).
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