In today’s Khutba, I intend to talk to you about our Islamic culture. My Khutba will address questions such as “What is culture?” Does Islam have a distinct culture? What are some of the core features of the Islamic culture? Is the Islamic culture monolithic or is it diverse? Are there some elements in the Islamic culture that change and some other elements that do not change? We should know that one of the many beauties of Islam is in its culture.
What is culture? People generally think culture to mean art, music or some social habits. The word culture, however, is more comprehensive in meaning. Culture is the total range of activities and ideas of a group of people with shared traditions, which are transmitted and reinforced by members of the group. There are over 1.6 billion Muslims throughout the world, and though they speak hundreds of different languages and live in numerous different countries, they still share a common Islamic culture. This culture is embedded in certain common beliefs, modes of worship, rules of behavior, styles of dressing, ways of producing and cooking food, political and economic systems, and so on.
Islam has a distinct culture, but it has varieties and a rich diversity. It is not monolithic. There are elements in Islamic culture that are inherent and integral to the Islamic way of life. They do not change and are universally accepted by all Muslims. There are also elements in Islamic culture that are diverse and different from place to place and from people to people. The universals are based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah while the variables are based on local customs of various people. Thus, there is an Arab Islamic culture, an Indo-Pakistani-Bangladeshi Islamic culture, an African Islamic culture, a Chinese Islamic culture, an American, European or Western Islamic culture, an Indonesian Islamic culture, a Malaysian Islamic culture, and many other Islamic cultures.
Wherever we happen to live, we have to develop our distinct Islamic culture while cooperating and interacting with people of other diverse cultures. Our culture is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah as well as on legacy of human experience and learning. We have benefited from the knowledge of all people and we should be open to all beneficial knowledge in order to keep our culture strong and dynamic. However, wherever we live, we should always keep in mind the basic features and characteristics of our Islamic culture. We should not forget these prominent features. These features are constant and no Islamic culture can be without them.
What are some characteristics of Islamic culture? First of all, our culture is God-centered. Islam is founded on the belief that there is only one God without associates or partners. He is the universal Creator, Sustainer, and Cherisher of all. We believe in divine guidance that came to us through God’s many prophets and messengers and finally through the Last Prophet Muhammad (SAW). According to the Qur’an, a Muslim must believe in all the prophets of God, without discrimination and must accept them and respect them. They all represent one brotherhood of faith. They were all Muslims. They all submitted themselves to God, and they all conveyed the same universal message. We also believe in life after death and the Day of Judgment. We give emphasis to our various modes of worship: salah (prayers), siyam (fasting), zakah (obligatory charity), and hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). We also uphold that Allah has permitted us certain things and forbidden us certain things. Therefore we uphold the do’s and abandon the don’ts.
Secondly, Islamic culture emphasizes that all people are equal. Islam does not discriminate people on the basis of their color, race, ethnicity, nationality, or the language they speak. We believe in the worth and value of all human beings and all creation of God. We believe in the freedom of religion. There is no compulsion in matters of religion. Islam accepts plurality in human societies. Pluralism means living peacefully with those who hold contradictory beliefs and convictions. Addressing the entire human race, Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an,
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
“O humankind! We (Allah) have created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Surely, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (al-Hujurat 49:13)
This sweeping statement in the Qur’an about broad human brotherhood and sisterhood is a profound basis for promoting peace among all. Humanity is like a bouquet of flowers in which each flower is beautiful in its own right. Yet, the combination of all flowers and the rich diversity of their colors is more beautiful. God is one and is impartial toward His creation. He provides for all, including those who deny Him. He cares for the well-being of all and gives them ample opportunity to repent to Him; to end the state of separateness suffered by those who reject Him or are unmindful of Him. This belief implies that all humans are equal before God in terms of their humanity, irrespective of their particular beliefs. No human should be oppressed or mistreated by other fellow humans because of the “theological position” he or she holds.
This value inculcates the attitude of being non-judgmental and accepting people as they are. Our culture is tolerant to people of all faiths, especially to the People of the Book; that is the Jews and the Christians. The human is a free agent, and as such, each person is individually responsible before God for his or her beliefs and moral choices. A person can be held accountable in this life only if such a moral choice infringes on the rights of individuals or society, such as the commission of crimes or acts of aggression. In other words, no human is entitled to dehumanize or punish another human on the sole ground that the latter is following a different religion or no religion at all. This value implies that peaceful co-existence among followers of all religions and respecting their humanity is not only possible, but also mandated.
The Qur’an gives various reasons why each human being must be honored and dignified on account of being human and irrespective of his or her chosen beliefs. Such honor is symbolized by the way the Qur’an describes God’s creation of the human in the best of molds. Human is the crown of God’s creation. The Qur’an describes the human as the trustee of God on earth. God created everything on earth and in the heavens for the benefit of the human race. Human life is held sacred. In the words of the Qur’an,
مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا
“If anyone slays a human being, unless it be for murder, or for spreading mischief on earth, it shall be as though he had slain all humankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all humankind” (Al-Ma’idah 5:32).
We also believe that all Muslims are brothers and sisters in faith irrespective of their cultural backgrounds. The sense of brotherhood in faith must be very strong among Muslims, regardless of the geographic boundaries or changing political or economic conditions. We must also keep good relations with all human beings, especially our neighbors.
One of the most prominent features of our culture is that it emphasizes struggle, change, social justice, and removal of evil and oppression. Let us pray to Allah (SWT) to keep us on the right path and help us to promote peace and justice in this world and to try to remove all forms of injustice and oppression.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Another important feature of the Islamic culture is that it stresses truthfulness, honesty, modesty, and cleanliness; both outward and inward. It is against extravagance, show off, or extremism. It teaches self-confidence and self-reliance. It emphasizes charity and generosity. Our culture is family-oriented with great emphasis on good spousal relations, good care of children, and love and respect for the elders. The sharing and caring attitude goes beyond one’s immediate family to one’s extended families and ultimately to the entire human family.
Among other things, Islamic culture encourages learning and seeking knowledge. It does not differentiate between religious and secular education. We believe that any beneficial knowledge is important. We must emphasize open mindedness and willingness to accept the wisdom from any source. According to a hadith, “Wisdom is the lost property of the believer, so wherever he finds it then he has a right to it.”
The Islamic culture also emphasizes promoting good things with wisdom and patience. Ours is not a dominating or colonizing culture, but it is also not an isolationist culture. We believe in inviting all people to Islam without coercion. Our culture teaches to listen and engage in dialogue with others. We believe that human nature is good and if people are given chance to know and learn Islam as it is, they will find it satisfying and fulfilling.
Islamic culture promotes art, architecture, aesthetics, healthy environment and permissible entertainment. Islamic culture, as such, does not give a detailed list of the entertainments that are allowed. It does, however, give a list of items that are not allowed. In other words, all entertainments are allowed except those that fall in the forbidden category. Islam would caution you that you haven’t come in this world primarily to enjoy. However, if you get bored, or in order to keep your spirits alive, you do at times feel like doing something different; in that case, you can get involved in any entertainment of your choice provided it is within the bounds of the Islamic laws, ethics and values.
There are certain matters of belief and practices that are poles apart from the Islamic culture. For example, the notion of multiple deities or objects of worship is completely ruled out in the Islamic culture. Dealing in riba or usurious transactions, eating pork, drinking alcohol, using drugs and other intoxicants, indulging in gambling or any game of chance, engaging in any intimate spousal relationship outside the institution of marriage are some of the practices that are totally in contrast to the Islamic culture. Please note that wherever we live, at any time, and among any people, we must uphold these constant values of our Islamic culture. We cannot be true Muslims if our culture compromises on any of these principles.
Last but not least, our Islamic culture emphasizes patience and reminds us that we should keep working in a steadfast manner and put our total trust in our Creator, Allah (SWT), the Lord and Sustainer of the worlds. We strongly believe that the truth will prevail and falsehood will vanish. Every believer has to become a part and parcel of the process of pursuing this goal.
وَقُلْ جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا
“Say: Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Falsehood is always bound to vanish.” (al-Isra’, 17:81).
It is our duty to educate people about these values of our Islamic culture. Needless to say, we must keep trying to improve ourselves, especially in areas where we find ourselves deficient.
