Intersection Between Culture and Islam

This essay explores the intersection between culture and Islam, examining various intersections such as interreligious beliefs, transitional Islamic rituals, intersection with political values and law, inclusive belonging of Islamic women, intersection with feminism, and intersection with human rights. It discusses the impact of culture on Islamic religion and the different types of intersections experienced by the religion.

INTERSECTION BETWEEN CULTURE AND ISLAM
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Table of contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussions......................................................................................................................................3
Culture has given a shape to Islamic religion..................................................................................3
Interreligious intersection of beliefs................................................................................................3
Transitional Islamic ritual................................................................................................................4
Intersection between Islam religion and political values.................................................................5
Intersection between religion and law.............................................................................................5
Inclusive belonging of Islamic Women...........................................................................................6
Intersection between Feminism and Islam......................................................................................7
Intersection between Islam and human rights.................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference list...................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
Religion and culture are two opposite sides of a coin which produce direct impact upon one
another. Religion teaches social values to the people of its community in order to develop or
strengthen bond in social relationships and develop sense of secondary control towards social
affiliation. These essays throws light on the nature of intersection between culture and Islam and
examines the different types of intersections are experienced by the religion. The intersections
identified in this essay are ritual intersection, political intersection, legal intersection and other
cultures of the community people. Despite of the manifesting similarities between cultural
norms and worshiping styles among religions, there are observable intersections of Islam with
other that are discussed in the essay. Islamic messages and commands emphasize spiritual
development amidst many individuals since it plays a leadership role in cultural and ethical
development through its values and traditions. The nature of intersection between culture and
Islam abdicates Islamic culture as a glass view that promotes the essence of Islamic culture.
Discursions
Culture has given a shape to Islamic religion
Religion is a unified system of various practice and beliefs that conceptualize culture. Multiple
overleaping between culture and religion gives evidence about present intersections. For
instance, Islamic culture is a meaningful assembly of ritual beliefs and divine practices. The
religious practices performed by any particular community are known to transpire the culture of
the religion. Therefore it can be established that the cultural system that implicate religious
impact on cultural ideologies. Such differences are noticed in various forms for instance,
community thoughts and human rights in the society. Hence, some of the observable
intersections between Islam and its culture are discussed below.
Interreligious intersection of beliefs
There are evidence regarding cultural intersection of beliefs between two religions of Islam and
Christianity. According to Yip and Nynas, (2016) Islam and Christianity have evolved from a
common root. The holy books of the respective religion show quite intense consistency. The holy
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books Quran a bible give messages to spread peace and love with a common hatred towards
groups who tend to destroy interreligious bond. Hence at this point a strong intersection is can be
noted despite both the religion aims at restoration of cultural diversity.
Quran denies the fact of Jesus as God since Jesus was born of no human father. Quran alleges
that Jesus and Muhammad both shared the similar message being prophet messenger of god but
denies Jesus to be the savior of world. Christianity looks the miracles of their prophet as power
of divinity whereas Islam prophet denies being the dictator of all power by himself. Islam on the
other hand believes Muhammad to be the highest ranked prophets while Jesus being the second
one.
Christians believes crucification of Jesus Christ where Jesus was sent on the earth as a holy
messenger to spread peace against his holy sacrifice so that people can reach salvation. Islam
believe in Jesus’ rise in heaven simultaneously with Allah but Jesus was not crucified instead
god taken Jesus with him before without the knowledge of traitors.
Transitional Islamic ritual
According to Ratten et al. (2017) transitional Islamic charity has been noted as an intersection
between religious believers and migrant engagements. However migrant engagement in day to
day life is well known to many readers but its intersections in regular religious beliefs is poorly
understood. Ritualistic practices performed everyday express and reinforce ideals in Islamic
charity. According to Erdal and Borchgrevink, (2017) there is necessity to perform everyday
rituals since it serves as an essential tool in order to discover role of Islam religion that motivates
migrant engagements. Everyday rituals involve transcendental perspective and practices
connecting age old belief to contemporary.
Islamic charity holds some set of ideologies evolved from Islamic theories. Amongst the
practices, some are made obligatory while others are voluntary. Under obligatory charity 2.5% of
the annual revenue needs to be submitted with detailed mentioning about the donor and recipient
mentioned in scriptures including other sacrifices as per their holy rituals. According to some
researchers there is least interactions between the logic and the charity practices. As opined by
Frank and Çelik, (2017) such kind of articulated practices are socio cultural for secularized
Muslims.
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The sacrifice in some case tends to intersect with motivation of people who are not always able
to perform the sacrifice for several reasons. some people don’t obey the practices whereas other
see it as an imposed compulsion.to some people animal offering is a cruel approach that shows
diaspora intersection with ritual. According to Piratti and Cattelan, (2018) some rituals will
always intersect with religious culture and negotiations. As noted in literature contemporary
Muslims hold strong obligations to some religious acts than their ancestors.
Intersection between Islam religion and political values
Intersection between Islam and politics is highly significant despite strong interactions between
the two. Islam follows personal identification representing Mahmoud (Ehrkamp, 2016). It
highlights political piety that forwards probable challenges against any action that is initiated by
citizen of a country. However Islam proposes set of guidelines guiding people to develop values
of citizenship. Hence an alternative was offered to the citizens of a nation that is remarkably
different from the vision considered by other religion or nationals.
There has been found a strong opposition between Muslims and Dutch as stated by (Badran,
2016) yet the opportunity of introduction of Islam ethos in political debate has set the Muslims to
place a contradictory argument in the name of their religion into the political sphere. It tends to
reduce the debated distance between religion and politics. As opined by Ehrkamp, (2016) certain
Muslims dislike attention paid to them due to the cultural differences. However immigrants
intersect this approach and seek more attention by speaking from a different stand point
differentiating them. For some people equity rights in the society are just a myth because there
are Muslims who describes themselves against every religious tradition and norms that rupture
the transition between generations of immigrants. However some people want the origin of
Muslim community not to be pursued in socioeconomic level but their category is disclosed in
public with Islamic reference.
Intersection between religion and law
Islam in criminal court
Researches have been undertaken by many scholars where there are evidence showing
substantial contradictions in relationship between secularism of countries and Muslim beliefs.
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There arise incidents where Muslim defendants plea religious claims in front of court of justice
that gives rise to conflicts in the western permit of practices. According to Ahmad, (2016) when
the plaintiff’s religion is alleged with the charges of terrorism, then only it had right to appeal as
legal claim. However, prosecutors deliberately mention religious practices in particular forms
that strengthen allegations against the defendants. There are restrictions in ways of raising Islam
before court by the terrorism prosecutions (Piratti and Cattelan, 2018). Court allows Islam as
evidence that is able to produce necessary charges rather appealing claim. The cause behind such
an approach is there were many criminal offences where the Muslim defendant charged against
terrorism action tries to defend their action for the sake of religious reasons. Hence the jury of
developed nations does not consider any religious claims that differ in sovereignty conceptions
in trial.
Science to intersect Islam
According to researchers the burial practice has proved unsanitary to some extent in Muslim
cemetery. The practice of purification bath before burying directly into soil without any casket is
a concern for environmental pollution. In addition to practice of taking bath in public washrooms
has also prohibited in some of the countries against a claim for safety hazard. Instead Islam
followers are asked to wash hands and feet before offering prayers in mosques. Hence it can be
established from these studies that western countries value the essence of environment and
scientific hygiene of public more over the religious ideologies (Ehrkamp, 2016).
Inclusive belonging of Islamic Women
There are many controversies regarding position of Muslim women in the societies. However,
gradually with the passage of time, their position is being upgraded and given equity in every
perspective. Countries have permitted Muslim women to drive cars and enter theater but for a
few people Muslim women identity is tied to a veil. Amidst the minorities, there are traditions of
negotiations where evidence shows about negotiations for cultural roles from Muslim women
end (Frank and Çelik, 2017). Islam has a set of patriarchal constructions constituting parameters
regarding women centered issues.
There are debates on Muslim women for attire, inheritance, separation, purity, education and
marriage. A few people from the community is known to involve in hostile exchanges for
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marriage bill. But now every civilized and progressive society holds equal rights for Muslim
women for legal marriage bill. Also Muslim women are accessed to enter mosque after
introduction of ‘women in mosque campaign.’ Therefore it can be seen from the stated examples
that the mosque campaign and marriage recognition to be the stark intersections to Islam
education.
Intersection between Feminism and Islam
Islamic education is not associated to be used to trigger social injustice for instance, Muslim
women exclusion. It influences both the pursuer and practioner. Culture has always given shape
to religion that helped it to interpret. The connection between the two variables implies that
Muslim women are acculturated; the major point of differences between Muslim women in
different countries does not depend on her centrality views of Quran education, but her freedom
of education, speech, drive and attire. According to Frank and Çelik, (2017), one needs to make
remarkable contribution in order to achieve inclusive belonging.
Intersection between Islam and human rights
The global community has reconstructed effective treaty between human rights and Islam in
order to prevent violation of human rights. During mid-70’s many Muslims of the Islamic world
debated against human rights where Muslims questioned the authenticity and universality of the
rights. On contrary some of the critics argued secular power separation along with the Muslim
authorities can suspend political thought of Islam. According to Ratten et al. (2017), Islam and
human rights are two competitors of universal ethical system. This has been the reason for
hostility in Muslim communities also some liberal politics were included in both nonwestern and
western states. Worthwhile example to mention here is Islamic revolution against shah’s
modernization and universal declaration of human rights authors are reported to consider
standards of western civilization. There are also studies by critics that religious thoughts on
sexualities intersect dynamics of marriage producing female subjectivity. The intersectionality
concept is applicable for women who feel themselves outsiders. Islamic feminism raised when
then the concept of woman with questioning verity was rejected. Islamic feminism is exploration
of struggles and difficulties that is faced by Muslim, understanding their ideologies from a
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feminist perceptive. It is not reinterpretation of Quran neither adapting feminism to (Islam Yip
and Nynas, 2016).
Conclusion
The different attributes of religion and culture are quite complicated to study their impact on the
society. The two terminologies are debated and illustrated by scholars and critics in order to
study the comprehension of community. In the essay it is observed that religion is a category
where the people following it have different perceptions. As for example all people belonging to
Islam do not hold the same principles and ethos towards their religion. Practices and beliefs are
somewhat restricted to living standards to some of the extent. Islam followers in the western
countries have been reported to be more civilized than the others despite having the same beliefs
and Islamic education. Time has taught people to use religion to spread love and unity and not
for defending any negligent professional behavior. However motive of every religion is to
contribute productivity in society hence it can‘t be avoided easily. If all of a sudden a particular
religion starts obsession and strong belief with own religion, it might produce adverse effects on
the culture and rise in conflicts with other religion as a result, and hostility is created those
results to intersections. The particular religion becomes iconoclast and despotic to adapt
beneficial changes.
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Reference list
Ahmad, I., (2016). Democracy and Islam. London: Springer, Cham.
Badran, M., (2016). Creative Disobedience: Feminism, Islam, and Revolution in Egypt. New
York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ehrkamp, P., (2016). Beyond the mosque: Turkish immigrants and the practice and politics of
Islam in Duisburg-Marxloh, Germany. Abingdon: Routledge.
Erdal, M.B. and Borchgrevink, K., (2017). Transnational Islamic charity as everyday
rituals. Global Networks, 17(1), pp.130-146.
Frank, A. and Çelik, A.B., (2017). Beyond Islamic versus secular framing: A critical analysis of
reproductive rights debates in Turkey. Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, 13(2), pp.195-
218.
Piratti, M. and Cattelan, V., (2018). 9 Islamic green finance. Islamic social finance:
entrepreneurship, cooperation and the sharing economy. Abingdon: Routledge
Ratten, V., Ramadani, V., Dana, L.P. and Gerguri-Rashiti, S., (2017). Islamic entrepreneurship
and management: Culture, religion and society. London: Springer, Cham.
Yip, A.K.T. and Nynäs, P., (2016). Re-framing the intersection between religion, gender and
sexuality in everyday life. Abingdon: Routledge.
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