Islamic Families in the Middle East

The recipient of an MA in history/history of science from Rice University, Joel A. Bartsch is a seasoned Texas-based museum executive who guides the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) as president and CEO. Having made over 30 trips to different parts of the globe, Joel A. Bartsch enjoys traveling internationally and loves learning about new cultures, particularly interested in Middle Eastern culture.

According to history, the Middle East roughly encompasses 20 countries and is the birthplace of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The vast majority of the population in this part of the world speaks Arabic, mainly attributed to their religion (Islam). While most families have adopted the western style (especially in terms of family size), some countries in the region of the world still have populations that practice almost all the primitive traditional cultures.

Muslims in the ancient Middle East used to live in extended families. Much importance is placed on each household as each member of the household is considered the inheritor of certain traits/qualities attributed to their families, such as respect, loyalty, and honor. Each household may have as many as three generations of relatives. In some Middle Eastern countries, like Egypt, these types of households exist in modern times. However, the majority of Muslim families in urban regions are nuclear families.