OK this topic could be in the religion forum but it’s more culturally heavy so I decided to start it here.
Over the years, we have come to realize that many celebrations such as aqiqa, bismillah, ameen have been given a cultural flavor rather than islamic.
In fact, things are getting even more fancy now. Do you think our society’s influences are creating a wider gap between religion and culture?
Re: Culture vs. Religion
**In fact, things are getting even more fancy now. Do you think our society’s influences are creating a wider gap between religion and culture?
**
No.
I like fancy culture. :AID:
Eidee is part of our culture, derived from a religious celebration/ event
It is beautiful tradition :k:
Agar mily tuuuuuuuuuu:chai:
OK this topic could be in the religion forum but it's more culturally heavy so I decided to start it here.
Over the years, we have come to realize that many celebrations such as aqiqa, bismillah, ameen have been given a cultural flavor rather than islamic.
In fact, things are getting even more fancy now. Do you think our society's influences are creating a wider gap between religion and culture?
The best description that I have heard regarding culture and religion is that
"Islam removes the negatives from a Culture, and leaves its good intact."
Without culture, Islam can never be expressed properly. Look at the madness that comes out of Saudi Arabia from the strict interpreters.
OK this topic could be in the religion forum but it's more culturally heavy so I decided to start it here.
Over the years, we have come to realize that many celebrations such as aqiqa, bismillah, ameen have been given a cultural flavor rather than islamic.
In fact, things are getting even more fancy now. Do you think our society's influences are creating a wider gap between religion and culture?
:) This question is fit for an essay response! Good question Niksik
I'd like to see how other folks are responding, then I'll put in my two cents as well.
Re: Culture vs. Religion
As long as cultural influece does not take over the religious aspect and does not conflict with religion, it should be OK, although that is not the case ..
For instance, Valima is nothing but a fashion parade now.
Re: Culture vs. Religion
Religion influences some aspects of our culture that too not for micro management purposes just to give us guidelines. For example religions specifies that we eat from halal and tayyab but it does not dictate that we eat biryani , nihari , lahori murgh cholay or not.
It specifies that we should get married but it does not specify the minute details in which we should celebrate this occasion.
If religion has given us broad frameworks for all aspects of our life then why we want to use religion to micro manage our lives ?
Re: Culture vs. Religion
I believe that here in the subcontinent we have a culture almost different from the real spirit of Islam. I believe culture and your life style springs from your beliefs. If you ask about the real culture we should follow and adopt is ofcourse the saudi-arabian, since that is the land from where Islam sprang. Good or bad, our culture is more of hinduish and asian kind. There might only be 5% to 10% we have derived from the religion and adopted as a culture here such as the sacrificial rituals, and other religious events. Other than that, we are all hinduish from the brides wearing red to basant and etc.
I believe that here in the subcontinent we have a culture almost different from the real spirit of Islam. I believe culture and your life style springs from your beliefs. If you ask about the real culture we should follow and adopt is ofcourse the saudi-arabian, since that is the land from where Islam sprang. Good or bad, our culture is more of hinduish and asian kind. There might only be 5% to 10% we have derived from the religion and adopted as a culture here such as the sacrificial rituals, and other religious events. Other than that, we are all hinduish from the brides wearing red to basant and etc.
i agree with you. in pakistan culture dominates religion. we totally follow indian culture/religion, directly or indirectly. even though after creation of pakistan, indian culture has strong influence on our lives caste system in villages, is a great example. even though islam is strongly against caste system and its openly practiced. i had hard time, explaing to many people i know including my family members that we shouldnt follow it as its against our religion. there are so many examples of indian influence on our lives.
i went to parlour once, in lahore, and the lady was tell us that she spend alot to get floor tiles similar to those in romala sikin's house in kahian kissi roz.
The best description that I have heard regarding culture and religion is that
"Islam removes the negatives from a Culture, and leaves its good intact."
Without culture, Islam can never be expressed properly. Look at the madness that comes out of Saudi Arabia from the strict interpreters.
well said , but who defines the 'good" and the "negative" thats the problem
the madness from KSA is actually their culture just as madness in NWFP is their culture in the garb of islam
[QUOTE]
If you ask about the real culture we should follow and adopt is ofcourse the saudi-arabian, since that is the land from where Islam sprang
[/QUOTE]
i am all for earning arabic but are u seriously going to wear arabian clothes in winters of europe/N america
or if I like biryani and not shawarma that makes me less of a muslim ?
what about bellydancing a classic part of arabian culture shud we adopt that too ?
islam does not mean arab imperialism , nor does it mean arabphobia i.e we delibrately try to erase all things arabic in our culture]
our culture is a mixture , just as the people are and thats not going to go away ...however I do strongly agree that hindu influences shud be suppressed as they lead many people astray.
And lets start with that infernal bollywood the biggest cause of corruption in pakistan
i agree with you. in pakistan culture dominates religion. we totally follow indian culture/religion, directly or indirectly. even though after creation of pakistan, indian culture has strong influence on our lives caste system in villages, is a great example. even though islam is strongly against caste system and its openly practiced. i had hard time, explaing to many people i know including my family members that we shouldnt follow it as its against our religion. there are so many examples of indian influence on our lives.
i went to parlour once, in lahore, and the lady was tell us that she spend alot to get floor tiles similar to those in romala sikin's house in kahian kissi roz.
o b v i o u s l y!
Learning and adopting much from each other is quite natural, when two different cultures are forced to live together as the Hindus and Muslims did for centuries. Add joint family system as well, to the examples you mentioned. This is another gift of hindu and sikh culture, since in Islam, I do not see any such example. But the lamentable fact is, we are still copying the things from other cultures and civilizations (since we have 101 channels on the cable all making us more and more familiar with the indian life style, their language, manners and everything, without bothering the fact that it is only to the detriment of our own identity, whatever it is. And it becomes a challenge to your identity when you see young ones proclaiming hindu chantings like Om hari and all that. This is not being prejudiced. We have an identity and we should preserve it.
well said , but who defines the 'good" and the "negative" thats the problem
the madness from KSA is actually their culture just as madness in NWFP is their culture in the garb of islam
i am all for earning arabic but are u seriously going to wear arabian clothes in winters of europe/N america or if I like biryani and not shawarma that makes me less of a muslim ? what about bellydancing a classic part of arabian culture shud we adopt that too ? islam does not mean arab imperialism , nor does it mean arabphobia i.e we delibrately try to erase all things arabic in our culture] our culture is a mixture , just as the people are and thats not going to go away ...however I do strongly agree that hindu influences shud be suppressed as they lead many people astray. And lets start with that infernal bollywood the biggest cause of corruption in pakistan
Islam may not mean the arab imperialism forsure. Our religion basically demands its own code of life. Well I believe if one reads the dos and donts carefully, one would come to know there is no such thing as belly dancing Islam allows/ suggests :)
Observing veil is ofcourse Islamic, as much as a culture as it is a compulsion. This you will find global, either it be Europe/ North America or Congo. And so are the other compulsions. But they are actually for those who wouldnt mind adopting them without creating pretexts whatsoever :)
well said , but who defines the 'good" and the "negative" thats the problem
the madness from KSA is actually their culture just as madness in NWFP is their culture in the garb of islam
i am all for earning arabic but are u seriously going to wear arabian clothes in winters of europe/N america or if I like biryani and not shawarma that makes me less of a muslim ? what about bellydancing a classic part of arabian culture shud we adopt that too ? islam does not mean arab imperialism , nor does it mean arabphobia i.e we delibrately try to erase all things arabic in our culture] our culture is a mixture , just as the people are and thats not going to go away ...however I do strongly agree that hindu influences shud be suppressed as they lead many people astray. And lets start with that infernal bollywood the biggest cause of corruption in pakistan
I agree with you. Here lies the problem though when someone promotes something from Arabic culture because it has been mentioned in the ahadith. So it takes the form of an argument where people impose that you are discarding a sunnah or giving preference to your cultural tradition over a sunnah.
Re: Culture vs. Religion
Culture and religion co-exist, often melding practices with each other.
Sleeping on a bed is north american culture.
Sleeping on one side is Islamic.
Keeping your mouth cleanly is Islamic.
Brushing your teeth with a toothbrush is north american culture.
I find nothing (personally), wrong with the existence of either. More often than not, they do coexist with eachother. They may influence each other (such as a typical sunday dinner in america having had pork now has beef), but they cannot exist without each other.
Re: Culture vs. Religion
Arab culture is not better than any other. People forget that before Muhammed (and even now), people killed their children for sake of poverty or sex. It's part of the bigger culture. Simply taking out a few aspects of it doesn't mean it's changed. So people really need to stop being such a stickler for "needing," Arab culture. It's no better than any other.
(Remember, there was a reason that Muhammed came from that area. It needed a lot of changing, and it hasn't done much of that changing since).
So you're looking at sunnah from a time period when it was attempting to change, but it hadn't. Don't glorify it. Just follow your beliefs and continue to follow your culture as it allows.
Re: Culture vs. Religion
regardless of what arab culture or pakistani culture is; i think we should practice what islam tells us and if anything from our culture or arab conflicts with islamic teachings, we shouldnt adapt that.
should follow anything that is given to us regardless of culture or tradition with out exploring it.
Culture and religion co-exist, often melding practices with each other.
Sleeping on a bed is north american culture. Sleeping on one side is Islamic.
Keeping your mouth cleanly is Islamic. Brushing your teeth with a toothbrush is north american culture.
I find nothing (personally), wrong with the existence of either. More often than not, they do coexist with eachother. They may influence each other (such as a typical sunday dinner in america having had pork now has beef), but they cannot exist without each other.
I find this utterly wrong, the USA can exist without Pakistani or Arab culture very easily.
There is no need or benefit from Arab/Pakistani/Islamic culture.
^^^^:) ....Soap and washing with soap was part of the Mid Eastern Culture long before the West started taking regular bath.........
They learned that during the Crusades.....
Miswaak was aprt of personal hygiene long before any tooth brushes appeared on the scene in the West....
Bidet which is a novelty even now in the west was long before preceded by and an "Uff Shoot" of the Mid Eastern Lota!
^^ :) UFF Shoot.......:)
that is not a spelling mistake........that is what ones reaction is to when you use the Bidet....
"UFF SHOOOT".........when the COLD Water hits you!.......:D
Re: Culture vs. Religion
excellent inspiring query, dear Niksik.
i absolutely agree, that cultural stipulations which are all wrong most of the times have clouded religion in to a kind of system that one does not follow whole heartedly.
sadly, tpeople do not discern the clear difference between true and admonished religious practices.
all of the many many self created ways of people to make religion look like painful and illogical is really bad.
especially younger generations are turning away because they feel that religion is reduced to culture.
our best antidote against is not going along with the collective organized misrepresented 'religious' injunctions by non scholars.
as a society, people must begin to go back to Quran & be cautious when they read about hadith.
any explicative that smells like an addition to the words that Quran and hadith might have stated, must not be given an iota worth of import.
the practice of true faith and its living code is something, i feel, we are all able to recognize and our hearts do tell us to follow.