Islam, is it a culture or a religion?

abjad wrote: Caringheart wrote: As I am reading tonight I have some thoughts.  I don't know how well to express them.  (I am not at home on my own computer so not as easy to hold a thought ) So anyway, just so I don't forget altogether I thought I would at least post the question that is in my mind.   Islam, is it a culture or is it a religion?  (or a regime?... I feel I have to ask that too)   The reason this question comes to my mind is because when I think of the people who are joining Islam... I believe it is the culture that attracts them.  I believe the Muslim people live in a way that has been missing in the world ever since the 1960's, and the drifting away from strongly held values, that we have seen change and alter the world, and not in good ways.  I believe we are seeing the bad fruits of drifting away from those values, while the Muslims, which came later, are still holding to those values.  I think we see something in them that we miss in our own society.   But I do not think the religion and the culture are one and the same. I see a great deal of confusion in the religion, though the culture is attractive. And though the culture is attractive, because the religion is not clear, it can also be dangerous.   I don't know if that really says what I am trying to express, but I gave it a shot.  I may add or change later.   But I would love any feedback.   Deen Islam. a religion. In red above, try to twist your mind and think to others parallel to your writings. Are you taking about ISLAM or Muslims?

Greetings Abjad,

Is not the definition of a Muslim one who follows the religion of Islam? 

This is what I am trying to define.  Because being a Muslim seems to include a certain cultural way of life which is pleasing in many ways, but not in all the ways that the religion of Islam teaches.



Edited by Caringheart - 23 July 2012 at 7:44pm

Caringheart wrote: Abu Loren wrote: Matt Browne wrote: Islam is a cultural, religious and political system. Wrong. In what way is Islam cultural or political? Leaders who govern countries according to Sharia (or Islamic law) - political Those who call themselves Muslim but do not know the religion - cultural

Abu Loren wrote:     As'alaamu Alaikkum   ... this can be said of all of the other faiths,...   To accuse the religion of Islam and whole of the Muslim community of such things is wrong.   I know many many many many Christians who will only grace the footsteps of a church on Christmas Eve, after getting drunk...

I agree with what you have said here.  It can be said of all faiths, and I do not accuse the whole of the Muslim community, and did not mean to seem as if I did.  I do not accuse anyone.  I was just making a statement regarding the make up of the Islamic community.  There are those who are there because they are religious and there are those who are there because they like the culture.   I think people do not recognize the difference between belonging to the culture and belonging to the religion.

And I agree, those who call themselves Christians but do not live the life prescribed by God are deceiving themselves.   They do not belong to God. On judgement day they will be told, "I never knew ye, because ye never knew Me, though you proclaimed My name".

I left off the 'out of their minds' bit because I have to say, when I see Muslims shooting off weapons in the streets in the mid-east, that is 'out of their minds' to me.  In countries where the people do not have enough they waste money on ammunition?  I did not care to own a weapon because of the cost... ammunition is not cheap, and not what is considered a necessity.  I often wonder what might be accomplished, if overseas, they took all that money they pour into owning and firing weapons, into cultivating the land, building machinery and technology, irrigation systems and such.  How might life be improved.
Anyway, I digress.


And thanks for sharing as regards sharia law.  Still unclear on that one as the state law seems to come from the Qur'anic law, which still makes the religion of Islam political.

Thanks for your reply.
Caringheart


Edited by Caringheart - 24 July 2012 at 12:27pm

Caringheart wrote: Abu Loren wrote:     As'alaamu Alaikkum   ... this can be said of all of the other faiths,...   To accuse the religion of Islam and whole of the Muslim community of such things is wrong.   I know many many many many Christians who will only grace the footsteps of a church on Christmas Eve, after getting drunk... I agree with what you have said here.  It can be said of all faiths, and I do not accuse the whole of the Muslim community, and did not mean to seem as if I did.  I do not accuse anyone.  I was just making a statement regarding the make up of the Islamic community.  There are those who are there because they are religious and there are those who are there because they like the culture.   I think people do not recognize the difference between belonging to the culture and belonging to the religion. And I agree, those who call themselves Christians but do not live the life prescribed by God are deceiving themselves.   They do not belong to God. On judgement day they will be told, "I never knew ye, because ye never knew Me, though you proclaimed My name". I left off the 'out of their minds' bit because I have to say, when I see Muslims shooting off weapons in the streets in the mid-east, that is 'out of their minds' to me.  In countries where the people do not have enough they waste money on ammunition?  I did not care to own a weapon because of the cost... ammunition is not cheap, and not what is considered a necessity.  I often wonder what might be accomplished, if overseas, they took all that money they pour into owning and firing weapons, into cultivating the land, building machinery and technology, irrigation systems and such.  How might life be improved. Anyway, I digress. And thanks for sharing as regards sharia law.  Still unclear on that one as the state law seems to come from the Qur'anic law, which still makes the religion of Islam political. Thanks for your reply. Caringheart

Many Islamic states are run by tyrants who suppress the people and they live a life of luxury. The sad thing about that is that these countries are oil rich and the ordinary people should be living a comfortable life, instead most live in squalor.