Islam Culture Versus Islam Religion & The Western Perception of Islam

Islam Culture Versus Islam Religion & The Western Perception of Islam

Throughout this course we have learned several different aspects of

Islam as a culture and as a religion we have also been able to put to

rest several myths that have plagued Islam in the eyes of the Western

World. In this paper I will discuss the significant difference of

Islam as a religion versus Islam as a culture as seen through the eyes

of a Malay Muslim. I will then go on to discuss how the Western world

views Islam and how it is progressively changing for the better.

Islam is a religion based on the teaching of the Profit Mohammad,

passed down by the angel Gabriel. But, to many Malay Muslims, Islam is

a culture. It is a practice handed down by their fathers, and their

father's father before that. It is something they do out of habit and

tradition that than from principles of the religion. That is why by

taking shadat, non-believers convert to Islam, and referred to as

"Born Again Muslims" they seem to make better Muslims, because they

are able to embrace the religion whole-heartedly.

Converts learn the religion from scratch and throw away their old

beliefs on becoming Muslims. Newly baptized Muslims re-learn the

religion and are able to differentiate between Islam as a culture and

Islam as a religion. They are brave enough to reject what is unIslamic

as learned through their new understanding of the Qur'aan. They fallow

this religion, separate from the culture even though they run the risk

of being branded fanatics.

Unfortunately, the majority of Malay Muslims confuse what is religion

with what is culture. They take both as one and the same and pract...

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...knows. My hope and prayer is that the

healthy process of advancement in mutual respect and trust, love and

compassion should always remain the real winner among Christians,

Muslims and Jews - all the Children of Adam and Eve.

References:

1) Kuala Lumpur. “Mahathir badly hurt as Malay Muslims vote for

Islamic party” (Muslimedia: December 1-15, 1999).

2) Abu Talib Ahmad. The Malay Muslims, Islam and the Rising Sun.

3) Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad and Adair T. Lummis, Islamic Values in the

United States (Oxford University Press, 1987).

4) Council on American-Islamic Relations, “Report Outlines Political

Attitudes of American Muslims: 96 Percent Believe Muslims Should Get

Involved in Local and National Politics” (December 22, 1999).

5) Jeffrey Lang, Even Angels Ask: A Journey to Islam in America

(Amana, L.L.).