Sunday, April 5, 2009

Does Islam tolerate different cultures, especially non-Arab culture? And if so, to what extent?


No culture is completely unIslamic. For example, the hospitality of the Arabs during the Jahiliyyah days is acceptable because to honour the guest is also enjoined by Islam.

Islam maintains three basic positions towards any aspects of culture, according to their acceptability: positive, neutral or negative.

For example, Islam is positive towards a culture that enjoins on its youth respect for elders. The hospitality and courtesy observed in the traditional English home is acceptable in Islam even though it is found in the West. In short, not all western culture is bad.

Islam is neutral to some cultural practices e.g. how you prepare your food, since it is morally "neutral".

The same thing with other culture involving the wedding style, code of dress and etc which totally different from tribe to tribe. But the pre-requisite is, it is not against the rule set by Allah through His Messenger; prophet Muhammad S.A.W

On the other hand social activities that revolve around the consumption of alcohol are Islamically unacceptable. Existence of different cultures is recognised in Islam based on a passage in the Qur'an 49:13,and that superiority is based on who is most conscious of Him. Also see Qur'an 30:32.

No comments:

ISLAM UNTUK SEMUA DAN INDAHNYA ISLAM DENGAN DAKWAH

Erti Hidup Dengan Memberi, Erti Bijaksana Dengan Hikmah