I’m very much against culture when it opposes religion because it promises failure, it’s proof in our cultures! Sorry to say, but most of our afghans in ‘kharij’ (western countries) have lost themselves.
Examples- drinking ‘moderately’ thinking it’s okay! Not praying because only dehati (a term used to describe the backward) ppl do that, or looking down at girls who wear hijab.
They also consider themselves raseeda (advanced) if they adapt to the western way of life and sense of dressing, but when they open their mouth… they talk like they haven’t completed 10th grade.
Culture is backward and pagan! Islam liberated nations from pagan rituals, culture literally imposes sanctions. For example; in Afg culture- when a girl gets married, she has to have a massive wedding because they have this theory that the more the groom spends, the more he’ll love her. Instead, what implications does this cause? Financial burden for the newly wed couple. Materialism!
Other examples:
Culture- boys do what they like- club, drink, pre marital sex.. it’s all okay! bacha ast. but for girls, they have to be home by 6pm… sexism, inequality!
Islam- demands equality.
Culture- arranged marriages, you have to marry who your parents chose.
Islam- the girl has the ultimate say and final decision.
Culture- divorce is completely WRONG (especially in Pashton culture). So you live the rest of your life abused by your husband
Islam- Use divorce BUT as your last resort!
Why do u think the world is the way it is? Because gov’ts have substituted religion with secular, man-made systems with so many flaws. Democracy exists in Islamic political/legal systems (and i’m not referring to the Islamic systems we have in the present day Muslim countries). Look at the teachings, not the people. The Ottoman Empire was a system of perfection.
Now for the practical side of things…
Picture this: Your family is a culture loving family and considers culture as ‘Islamic’. So you guys move to ‘Kharij’ a western country. You’re fed up with the cultural issues which don’t make sense, so you rebel, going against it. You replace your parent’s culture with your own culture, the kharijee way… the ‘wrong’ way. Your parents disapprove, and so does the community.
So, what happened to Islam in the picture?
It was never there, so you’ve lost urself. The only understanding of Islam you have is the Islam your parents fed you.
Culture can not be integrated into the western society because the values clash. Islam can be integrated quite simply. It’s a simple religion as God tells us in the Quran;-
‘This day have I perfected your religion for you,Completed my favor upon u, And have chosen for you Islam as your religion, (Al-Maida 5:3)
So, who are we to judge Islam as ‘backward’? And attempting to modify it!
I am all for Islam!
My advice to the youth of today: Learn Islam for yourself! Research. Analyse. Debate. Most importantly- QUESTION! Don’t expect your parents to hand over Islam to you on a plate, they’re only human and bound to make mistakes.
Don’t preach with your mouth, preach by your actions- PRACTISE!
Finally, don’t follow what ppl do or say, find out for yourself. The perfect being, Prophet Moh’d left us with two things- The Hadith (his examples) and Quran.
Most ppl think being ‘afghan’ is being ‘muslim’. this where the confusion lies!
Afghans think that culture = religion.
In actual fact;
afghan= culture
muslim= religion
I rest my case!
Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion and this is mine.
lol, good points….I’d like to add that most ppl think that culture = religion. not just afghans.
but, the culture you’ve described up there (w/ ur examples) don’t sound like the AFGHAN culture I know.
it sounds more like western culture, or perhaps a westernized afghan who is lapping up western culture instead of afghan culture.
Of course, i’m not restricting it to Afghan culture. This is applicable to any culture, particularly Middle Eastern and our part of the world.
What you said in the latter part of your comment is correct;
“perhaps a westernized afghan who is lapping up western culture instead of afghan culture”
I mentioned;
“Picture this: Your family is a culture loving family and considers culture as ‘Islamic’. So you guys move to ‘Kharij’ a western country. You’re fed up with the cultural issues which don’t make sense, so you rebel, going against it. You replace your parent’s culture with your own culture, the kharijee way… the ‘wrong’ way. Your parents disapprove, and so does the community.
So, what happened to Islam in the picture?
It was never there, so you’ve lost urself. The only understanding of Islam you have is the Islam your parents fed you. ”
But… let me emphasise that culture does not equate to religion and vice versa.
Culture, in western countries, is a superficial thing. In afghanistan it was more like tradition and stuff that is unique of afghanistan. Religion mmm, the only thing that is making me to be a sceptic is that people don’t talk for themselves. They can interpret Quran in a wrong way and then not only that they push their will on others. True Islam is the way. But I don’t think true islam holds a chance in this world. This world is due for armageddon. Now don’t say you need medications. I just believe in armageddon more than status quo of religion. Peace
Asalamu’alaikum! I agree with you 100%!! I hate how Afghan lives revolve around their culture. I am Afghan and at one point in time I thought our culture was really great. Lol I was studying it as if it was Islam, asking questions left and right, trying to become a “pure Afghan”. Then the topic came to women and I would ask things like, “What if an Afghan girl wants to marry someone who is MUSLIM, but not Afghan.” Afghan’s would respond to that as if it was a sin. Another thing that became a concern for me was the abuse Afghan culture encourages against women. Like the whole divorce thing. I know that we all know some woman who is suffering with her husband (verbally and abusively), yet she will take it all and make her life a living hell and why? Oh, because “I don’t want to ruin my families izaath (honor)!!” WHAT THE HECK?? That’s oppression!!
I slowly started to hate the Afghan culture even more when I dicoverd what Islams teachings were!! I was like WOOOWW, HOW JUST ALLAH IS!! I would start to point out things out in Afghans that were against Islam, against Allah, OUR CREATOR!! You know things like, stop over praising pple and then gossip behind their backs!! Stop acting like the world revolves around you and your family and you izaath!! Allah said that izaath ( honor) is for Allah, his messenger (pbuh) and for the believers. You know what else I am tire of hearing from Afghans, THE WHOLE, “POOR AFGHANISTAN” and “YA ALLAH, RESTORE AFGHANISTAN SO WE ALL CAN GO BACK TO OUR COUNTRY” Earth to Afghans, yeah you should ask Allah for any sort of trouble you are in, but that does’t mean sit back and relax and expect Allah to fufill your duwa.
Finally if Afghans really consider themselves Muslims, then you have to follow what Allah said, not what our culture says. How can you critisize the religion of The One who created you? Annddd, as MUSLIMS, we are suppose to be one. That means no nationalism or tribalism. We shouldn’t consider ourselves better than other Muslims of other nations. We are all Muslims and are apart of the Ummah of Muhammd salallahu ‘alayhi wa salam. That means all the Muslims (from Arabs nations, Asian nations, African nations, Western nations) are ONE. Our beloeved Prophet (SAW) called nationalism a disease. If you really truly considr yourslf a Muslim, then you would follow what our beloved (SAW) words. His words are the Words of Allah.
While I understand your perspective because you subscribe to Islam and I respect your opinion you are incorrect in many ways. If you want to follow religion thats fine but know that many things in Islam are pagan regardless of the culture you live in. Basically your culture and your religion are Patriarchal which means they are by design dedicated to killing the female essence and keeping it down. If you do your research and look at what was going on in the Arab/Persian world prior to Islam you will see that basically it is all Pagan worship. While they are both parts of the old Babylonian religion which had many Gods. Jesus represents the Sun God and Allah represents the Moon Goddess of Babylon even though it has been turned to something masculine. That is why Islam uses a lunar calendar and Christianity uses a solar one. It’s that simple. Two parts of Babylonian Pagan worship created into two modern mainstream religions. I know this maybe hard for you to swallow and you will undoubtedly be furious of what I have said above, it is unfotunately true but the Koran will not teach you these things. It will teach you to go against your natural senses and “submit” aka Isam. That is the what the word literally means…right? Oh and don’t let me forget you are also to kill anyone who does not believe. So although I agree that Afghan culture is not equal by any means I must contend that neither is Islam. Also, ask yourself does it really matter because without Islam or your culture your own essence and mental sense should tell you whats right or wrong if it hasn’t been corrupted by culture, religion or politics. Afghan women are great representation of how the female essence has been attacked and destroyed. First by their culture and then by Islam when it came into our country. And even if Islam in its original form was something that was true and real we are now given a version that has been manipulated to give certain groups control. That is the bottom line. What you are interpreting today is most likely not what it was originallly. So what are you following really. Follow your heart and your common sense and stop being mystified. I don’t believe that God is writing books for us through some uneducated man who had others write it for him. By this definition alone man is writing the book. God gave you everything you need at birth. Brain to think…..lungs to breath………heart to love. Use what you are given by God and not by man. Research more than just your religion and culture. Read more books than just your Koran. And if you are reading the Koran consider the contradictions. Ask yourself if it makes sense. Don’t just blindly follow your religion or culture.
wow do ur research lolz
ur amazing with out knowledge of islam u just jumped 2 justify the islam and muslims .
the moon God that was halirouse cuz Allah has said in the qur’an about that he knew that ppl like you would suggest that moon God or sun God .
so thats what exactly quran says in the sura of Ibrahim
that is chapter 14 that not 2 worship moon.
but here comes ppl like you the conspiracy theorists who just wanna object every thing .
now ofcours i dont mind that objection only if u have read and have done ur own research now the question is have
ever read the quran?
did u know that it contains the life time or i should say eternal challenge for ppl like you who have doubt
it .
2 come up with a chapter like it if ur in doubt about it.
now what u need 2 do is read that book and then think it was read writing by a man who could not even write or read and then he wrote a book and it gaves the challenge 2 not only the ppl in his time but the whole man kind IF UR IN DOUBT ABOUT THIS BOOK BRING A CHAPTER LIKE IT and now it has been 1429 years nothing like it
has ever came up.
so now a good start for u and for those ppl who dont follow or dont even know go read it and think the same brain that u said that God gave us 2 think .
now u think about it
Atash Parcha you did an amazing job may ALLAH reward a BILLION times ^ = ^
Thanks and Ameen
A O A.
Hello In charge,
I visited your website and deeply impressed by your work and teachings. I found that you are doing a great work for the Islam and Islamic people in the meantime. I am a professional translator as you know that the Urdu is the language of different countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan,etc. i want that your work Should be appreciated in these countries. I want to do work with your ministry OR organization as a Urdu Translator’s. Hopes that you will consider me for this great option.
Yours Sincerely,
Zainab Naseem
HI
i realy appricate u .u take the issue of afghan culture and islam .i think the afghan culture are totaly change then isalm
the afgani peopel make the afgan culture to islam they have no knowlgde about the Islam .