Islam & Culture
\r\nWhile Islam is a universal and timeless religion, it is expressed and practiced by people who are products of their environments, and who are very much of this world. As a result the practice of Islam has taken on many different cultural expressions of the universal elements it contains. For example, modesty is a universal value that has a minimum defined by Islamic law (shariah), but modesty is expressed differently in the cultural norms of different societies. For another example, customs related to hospitality may\tdiffer in different Muslim cultures. Within the boundaries dictated by Islamic law, many such variations can exist; they are a sign of the complexity and intricacy of God's creation.
\r\nIt has been said that Islam itself is like a clean and pure stream of water. It runs over bright rocks of different colors—the cultures of the Muslims. The purity of the water allows the color to still be seen. It is not opaque; it does not prevent or obstruct the expression of the culture. Instead, it refines and enhances it. Mosques (masjids) in sub-Saharan Africa are African in architecture and different than mosques in Asia. Islam encourages us to be ourselves, removing the cultural customs that contradict the teachings of Islam and enhancing the ones that don't.
\r\nMany cultures have had Muslim influences for generations, and as a result, Islam has become nearly inseparable from their cultural customs. This does not mean that each of their cultural customs is an accurate expression of Islamic principles, although some may assume so. But such cultures, where many customs are indeed founded in Islamic principles, are fortunate in that people can subtly absorb the teachings of Islam without needing to learn them explicitly.
\r\nNo Muslim should be made to feel as if their native culture as a whole is antithetical to Islam. Some elements within it will no doubt be so, while others will be in perfect synchrony with the religion. Your criterion in these issues should be Islamic law, which will guide you in finding your place of comfort in your culture as a person, and in your faith as a believer. The production of cultural norms that are both genuinely native and genuinely Islamic takes time, sometimes generations, and if your native culture is not predominantly Muslim, you should proudly contribute to this process.
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n "Being Muslim: A Practical Guide" - Asad Tarsin, pp. 213, 214