Week 11 Islamic Culture and Civilization PDF

ISLAMIC CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION; MEANINGS AND THE VITAL ELEMENTS  What is Culture? Culture Concept: Culture is a concept that encompasses the social behaviour, institution, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs ,capabiliti...

ISLAMIC CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION; MEANINGS AND THE VITAL ELEMENTS  What is Culture? Culture Concept: Culture is a concept that encompasses the social behaviour, institution, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs ,capabilities, and habits, of the individuals in these groups. Culture is often originated from or attributed to a specific region or location. Humans acquire culture through the learning processes of enculturation, and socialization, which is shown by the diversity of cultures across societies. Culture Definition and Theme: The word “culture” has many meanings. In Arabic it is called “thaqafah.” The culture is defined as patterns of behaviour and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create, and share. Culture distinguishes one human group from others. It also distinguishes humans from other animals. A people’s culture includes their beliefs, rules of behaviour, language, rituals, art, technology, styles of dress, ways of producing and cooking food, political and economic systems. Islam has a distinct culture. The culture in Islam is not Arabic or eastern or Middle Eastern. It is also not monolithic. It has varieties and a rich diversity. There are elements in Islamic culture that are constant and that are universally accepted by all Muslims; but there are also elements in Islamic culture that are diverse and different from country to country and people to people. The universals are based on the Qur’an and Sunnah while the variables are based on local customs (a‘raf and ‘adat) of various people. Wherever we live we should develop our distinct Islamic culture and we should collaborate and interact with people of diverse cultures. Our culture is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah as well as on great human experience and learning. We have benefited from the knowledge of all people and we should be open to all knowledge in order to keep our culture strong and dynamic. However, we should always keep in mind some basic features and characteristics of our Islamic culture. Wherever we live we should not forget these features. These features are constant and no Islamic culture can be without these features. Basic Concept Of Islamic Culture: Muslim culture represents the unification of all the cultures influenced by common beliefs and practices. The guiding religious phenomena and cultural aspects bind its people historically. The religious practices and beliefs of Muslims are centered around the religion of Islam. The original Muslim literature is in Arabic, as the Prophet's (S) language. Most of the literature is religious in nature. It comprises communication and documentation of the belief system from the Quran, Sirat and Hadith. History Of Islamic Culture: Prophet(s) Period: Meccan life, Madni life. Caliphs Period, Arab Muslims conquered large regions in the Middle East, including Syria, Palestine, Iran and Iraq. Islam also spread throughout areas in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The caliphate system lasted for centuries and eventually evolved into the Ottoman Empire, which controlled large regions in the Middle East from about 1517 until 1917, when World War 1 ended the Ottoman reign. characteristics of Islamic culture 1. God-centered or theocentric: First of all our culture is God-centered. We uphold strict Tawhid (monotheism). We believe in divine guidance that came to us through God’s many prophets and messengers and finally through the Last Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) and blessings be upon them all. We believe in life after death and the Day of Judgment. We emphasize worship and devotion: prayers, fasting, Zakat and Hajj. We also uphold that Allah has allowed us certain things and has forbidden us certain things. We emphasize the Halal and avoid the Haram. 2.Egalitarian, tolerant and fraternal Secondly our Islamic culture emphasizes that all people are equal. We do not accept any colour bias or racialism. We believe in the worth and value of all human beings and all creation of God. We believe in the freedom of religion and accept no compulsion in matters of religion. Our culture is tolerant of people of all faiths, especially the People of the Book. We believe that all Muslims are brothers and sisters. The sense of brotherhood in faith must be very strong among Muslims, regardless of the geographic boundaries or changing political or economic conditions. We also must keep good relations with all human beings, especially our neighbours. 3. Dignifying and moralistic: Our culture places great emphasis on the dignity of human beings and their morality. We emphasize truthfulness, honesty, modesty (Haya’), cleanliness or Taharah. We are against extravagance, show off, or extremism. Our Islamic culture 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, extended families, love and respect for the elders. We abhor adultery, fornication, homosexuality, gambling, or use of intoxicants. Wherever we live at any time and among any people we must uphold these values. We cannot be true Muslims if our culture compromises on these principles. 4. Dynamic, progressive, world affirming and not world-denying or ascetic Our culture emphasizes struggle, change, social justice, removal of oppression and evil. Our culture encourages learning, education, seeking of knowledge. Our Islamic culture makes no bifurcation between the religious and secular education. We believe that all knowledge is important. We must emphasize open mindedness and willingness to accept the wisdom from any source. Islamic culture promotes good art, architecture, aesthetics, health, healthy environment and clean entertainment. 5. Non-exclusivist but Da`wah-oriented and optimistic: Finally, our Islamic culture emphasizes promoting good things with wisdom and patience. Ours is not a dominating or colonizing culture, but it is also not an exclusivist and isolationist culture. We believe in inviting all people to Islam without coercion. Our culture teaches to listen and 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. We strongly believe that the truth will prevail and falsehood will vanish. Our culture emphasizes patience and reminds us that we should keep working in a steadfast manner and put our total trust in our Creator, Allah the Lord and Sustainer of the worlds. Whatever features of Islamic culture I have mentioned are based on the authentic and clear sources of our religion. Most of us believe in these features. We should always emphasize these values of our religious culture and wherever we may have shortcomings we should try to remove them. I pray to Allah to keep us on the right path and help us to promote peace and justice in this world and remove injustice and oppression. Festivals and Marriage: Festivals like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha and Lailat al Miraj are classic examples of the influence of religion in the lives of Muslim people. According to Muslim culture, marriage is, in the words of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) 'half of religion'. The bonding of tow souls in holy matrimony is looked upon as a legal bond and social contract.  What is Civilization? Civilization: ‘Civilization’ comes from the Latin word ‘civil’ which means ‘universal’. The word civilization means growth, achievements, and a manner that forms a well- mannered personality and society that shape a country. ► Islamic Culture And Civilization: In Islamic Culture and civilization there is reflection of the Islamic values. In the name of art and culture, Islam does not encourage open or hidden obscenity. Rather, it declares obscenity of all kinds as clearly unlawful (haram (. Likewise, Islam does not permit the doing of any action which is against human development and dignity. There are over a billion Muslims throughout the world, and though they speak hundreds of different languages and live in dozens of different countries, they still share a common Muslim culture. This culture is embedded in certain common beliefs that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad(s) is His messenger. Muslim customs and traditions include Islamic/Muslim clothing, food, wedding traditions and other aspects of Islamic life that Muslims have adopted in their respective countries. ► Art and Architecture in Muslim culture: The abstract, decorative and floral designs are unique to Islamic art and architecture. Muslim art is always devoid(free from) of depictions of the animate, especially human beings according to the dictates of Islam or Muslim religion. Islamic art focuses on the omnipresence of Allah, the 'One who cannot be represented by imagery'. Arabic calligraphy is a recognized art form used to write verses from the Qur'an. As Islam spread, the first mosques to be built outside Arabia were definitely influenced by the local houses of worship and churches. Though the architectural form and simplicity of the mosque remained, frequently, materials for columns and beams were taken from other edifices of previous cultures. ► Fundamental of Islam: Islam propagates the five laws that are fundamental duties to unite Muslims in spirit. These are: Shahadah or the worship of one God only. Salah or prayer, at least five times a day. Zakat, or donation of alms. Sawm, or fasting during Ramadan. Haj, the pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca. In today's troubled world, it is important to differentiate between what is truly Islamic and what is just culture as Muslim culture covers a wide variety of subjects. Many Islamic customs or traditions that are practiced today are not supported by the Word of Allah in the Quran or the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (s) in the Hadith, but are simply local customs assumed to be Muslim culture. ► Basic Concept Of Islamic Civilization: Civilization consists of four main elements: 1: economical resources. 2: political systems. 3: moral traditions. 4: science and arts. The development and progress of a civilization requires many factors such as geographical and economic factors, and psychological factors such as religion, language and education. The collapse of a civilization stems from factors which are the opposite of those which lead to its rise and development, the most important of these. ► Characteristics of Islamic Civilization: Like the human being, every civilization has a body and a soul. The body of a civilization is its material achievements in terms of buildings, industrial facilities, machinery and anything which reflects welfare and earthly advancement. Its soul is the set of creeds and concepts which condition the behaviors of individuals and groups, their mutual relationships and their worldview. These are the elements which constitute the characteristics of the Islamic civilization. ► Five main characteristics do distinguish the Islamic civilization from other past and present successive human civilizations and place it at an outstanding position: 1: The first characteristic is the fact that it is a civilization based on Islamic faith, injucted with its values and principles. It is a monotheistic civilization based on the belief in the oneness of Allah Almighty, the Creator of men and all creatures. It is also partly a man-made civilization, built on very strong religious background of faith. 2: The second characteristic is that Islamic civilization is predicated on the idea that Man has precedence ‫ﻓوﻗﯾت‬over the rest of Allah's creatures, that all human activities should lead to the happiness and welfare of Man and that any action intended to serve this goal is a God-blessed action, indeed a human action in the first place. 3:The third characteristic is its being a generous civilization which drew on the human civilizations and cultures experienced by the peoples of the ancient world, but contributed copiously to the advancement of science, knowledge and the values of justice, equality, beauty and virtue. Its output benefited humanity at large, regardless of race, color or even religion. 4: The fourth characteristic is its being a well-balanced civilization which secures fair equilibrium between the materialistic and the spiritual sides with exemplary moderation that has always been a characteristic of Islamic thought and a distinctive feature of the Islamic civilization throughout its history. 5: The fifth characteristic is its being a perennial(lasting) civilization which will last as long as Islam, because it is based on the very principles of Islam which Allah will preserve eternally. Thus, it is a civilization with unique characteristics, a civilization that never withers‫ ﻣرﺟﮭﺎ ﺟﺎﻧﺎ‬away since it is not a national or a racial civilization nor does it run counter to human nature. Tawheed Tauheed forms the very core distinction of the Islamic Civilization from other civilizations. Its concept of oneness of God lifts human beings from degraded status they had experienced during earlier civilizations. If we look back into the history, the common human beings were mostly considered slaves due to the alteration of teachings of earlier scriptures or due to the influence of royal families. Islam totally destroys the concept of slavery on the basis of religion or royalty and takes humans to a plane of moral enlightenment. Islam has given so much importance to this concept that it says that Allah will forgive any sin except Shirk or Polytheism. Self-Purification The other main character of the Islamic Civilization is self-purification or Tazkiyah Nafs. This concept clearly states that the purpose of a human should be to purify its soul or inner-self before asking anyone to follow the teachings of this true religion. Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was returning from Jihad with his companions, he said to them that we are returning from a smaller form of Jihad to a bigger form of Jihad- Tazkiyah Nafs. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) once said,” I was appointed for the prophethood so that I may accomplish the important task of Human perfection”. Dignity of man The center of attention of the Islam is human and human life. All human beings are equally dignified as per the rules set by Allah in the Quran but some people have been given better stature due to their commitment to the message of Allah and to the welfare of the fellow humans. Once a companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was standing in front of the Kabba and was saying that the Prophet once said that,”indeed Kabba! You have a great sanctity but the sanctity of a human being is greater than your sanctity”. Equality A very important element of the Islamic civilization is the equality or equity. In Islam, everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah as a human being but it also distinguishes bad deeds from good ones. In Islamic teachings, the element that makes a human superior to other is piety or Taqwa. In his last address, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab and non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab; a white has no superiority over a black and a black has no superiority over a white except by piety alone. When Makkah was conquered by the Muslim Army under the leadership of Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w). He ordered a black slave from Africa to ascend the roof of Kabba and say Adhan. This was a unique experience in the history of the world when all were standing below and listening to a black African saying Adhan from the rooftop of Kabba. Social justice One of the main element of the Islamic civilization and the chief driving force for the development of society both in material and spiritual terms is Social Justice. In Quran and in the sayings of the Prophet it has clearly been mentioned that every of Muslim should abide by the rules of social justice. In Quran, Allah (SWT) says, “ No doubt, Allah (SWT) commands you to deposit trusts to whom they belong and when you judge, judge with justice” (Surah Nisa). Islamic teachings had laid a complete model of how to attain social justice in a society. It has ordered its followers to give Zakat to the poor and needy of the society. Islam also designates some specific proportions of wealth that should be given to a person’s heirs when the appropriate time reaches. Moral values Some people claim Islamic as only the religion of prayers and rituals but is not the case clearly. One of the main topics of Islamic civilization is how to reach a higher level of morality. Islamic teachings are a clear manifestation of the fact that Islam attaches high importance to the moral values that distinguish good from the bad and vice versa. Some of the moral values that I mention here are patience, truthfulness, truthness to the promise and abstaining from backbiting and from using bad language. Allah says in the Quran,” Indeed, Allah is with the patient”. (Surah Baqara).Regarding truthfulness, God says in the Quran,” Talk straight and with Truthfulness” (Surah Ahzab). Similarly, Quran gives instructions to follow morality in every walk of life. Tolerance One of the most important teachings of the Prophet of Islam was tolerance as displayed practically by him during his life. There is a famous story of a Jewish woman who used to throw garbage on the Prophet’s clothes when he would go to pray. The Prophet though experienced this situation almost daily but with tolerance and moral courage. When one day the woman, became ill the Prophet himself visited the woman. This clearly shows that how much tolerance the Prophet of Islam displayed during his life. Quran also tells us to be tolerant and in the Surah Baqara, it says that Allah is with those who are patient. The exemplary tolerance showed by the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) during his social boycott and during the victory of Makkah are some glaring examples of the level of tolerance he had. Rule of Law The concept of the rule of law in Islamic civilization is deeply rooted in the principles of justice, equality, and accountability as outlined in Islamic teachings. The rule of law, known as Shariah (Islamic law), governs all aspects of life and is derived from the Quran (the holy book of Islam), Hadith (sayings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad), Ijma (consensus of scholars), and Qiyas (analogical reasoning). Supremacy of Divine Law: In Islamic civilization, the rule of law is based on the supremacy of divine law (Shariah), which is considered immutable and applies to all individuals regardless of their status or power. The belief is that all laws must conform to the teachings of the Quran and Hadith, establishing a system where no one is above the law, not even rulers. Justice and Equality: Justice (Adl) is a cornerstone of Islamic governance and legal philosophy. The Quran emphasizes fairness and equality in the administration of justice, ensuring that every individual, whether a ruler or a commoner, is subject to the same legal standards. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said, "The destruction of the nations before you was due to the fact that they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich." Accountability of Leaders: Islamic law holds leaders accountable to the same legal and moral standards as ordinary people. The Caliphs, especially during the Rashidun Caliphate (the rightly guided caliphs), were expected to follow the principles of justice and could be challenged or removed if they violated Islamic law. The famous incident of the second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, being questioned by a common man in a public assembly over his use of public wealth exemplifies this accountability. Protection of Rights: Islamic law protects the rights of individuals, including their right to life, property, honor, and religious freedom. It lays down strict rules to prevent injustice, oppression, and corruption. The legal system in Islamic civilization incorporated the principles of due process, ensuring that no one could be punished without evidence and a fair trial. Judicial Independence: The judiciary in Islamic civilization was independent of the executive and legislative branches. Judges (Qadis) were appointed based on their knowledge of Islamic law and were expected to deliver verdicts impartially. Their duty was to uphold the rule of law according to Shariah, irrespective of the ruler's influence. Ijtihad and Legal Reasoning: The process of Ijtihad (independent reasoning) allowed for the development and adaptation of Islamic law to changing circumstances. Scholars and jurists employed Ijtihad to interpret the Quran and Hadith and to derive rulings for new issues, ensuring that the legal system remained relevant and just.