From the Book "The Clash of Civilisations: An Islamic View" by Bilal Philips
It is important to understand Islam from a cultural point of view. The word "culture" comes from the Latin caltura, derived from colere, meaning "tending" or "cultivation." It was first recorded in the Oxford Dictionary of English in 1510 as meaning: "training of the mind" or "manners." Anthropologically, culture may be defined as "the way of life of a specific group."
The culture of most of the world today is influenced by Western Europe and America. Harvard University Professor Samuel P. Huntington summed up the essential issues of the cultural clash in his observation:
"The underlying problem for the West is not Islamic fundamentalism. It is Islam, a different civilization whose people are convinced of the superiority of their culture and are obsessed with the inferiority of their power."
He identified two distinct qualities of Muslims that contribute to this issue. First, Muslims consider their culture superior to all other cultures, believing that divine law creates a civilization greater than human experiments. Second, Muslims desire to be governed by Islamic laws. However, today, the vast majority of Muslim governments rule according to Western legal systems, with Islamic law only partially applied in family matters. This book focuses on the foundations of Islamic culture and its significance.
Western Civilization
The Foundations of Western Culture
The roots of Western culture can be found in Europe. Western civilization is often referred to as a Greco-Roman civilization. The Greeks and Romans worshipped a multitude of gods. All gods were worshipped as idols in human form, and the most important act of Greek worship was sacrifice.
Effects of Religion
The effects of idolatry from Greece and Rome, as well as other European nations, can still be found in Western civilization. The names for the days of the week in English have become the international standard, and their origin is deeply rooted in idolatry. For example, Saturday comes from the Old English term Saeterndaeg, or Saturn’s day, referencing Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture.
Western civilization also identifies its roots as being Judeo-Christian. Christianity’s origins are in Judaism. Jesus was Jewish, but his teachings were paganized when they were transferred to Greece and Rome. The main day for congregational worship was shifted from the Sabbath (Saturday) to Sunday. In Rome, Sunday was designated for the worship of the Sun god, Apollo, the son of the chief god, Jupiter. The shift was made to attract Roman pagans by mirroring their beliefs. Christmas (from Old English Cristes maesse, “Christ's mass”) is another example of the paganization of Christianity. The 25th of December was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the “birthday of the unconquered sun” (natalis solis invicti).
The superstition surrounding the number 13 also has its roots in Christian tradition. According to this belief, at the Last Supper, Jesus ate with his twelve disciples. One of them, Judas, later betrayed Jesus, leading to his apparent crucifixion.
The Renaissance or “Re-birth”
The Renaissance marked the breaking of the shackles of Roman Catholic dogma that had long stifled and crushed independent thought and scientific inquiry. This period of church rule became known as “the Dark Ages.” The reform movement, which became known as the Protestant movement, rejected the accumulated rites, rituals, and hierarchy of Roman Catholicism. The worship of Mary, the mother of Jesus, was no longer emphasized, and intercession through saints was rejected.
On the other hand, an extreme rejection movement denied or questioned the existence of God entirely. For the first time in recorded history, pure atheism began to be propagated on a wide scale. Galileo was punished, and his books were officially banned. However, his ideas triumphed, leading to the end of Aristotelian science and the search for divine causes. Over time, scientists developed more mechanisms to explain how the universe and everything within it functioned.
Charles Lyell demonstrated how the natural forces of the Earth accounted for the irregularities in the natural landscape. Lyell’s geology did to the Protestant world what Galileo’s discoveries had done to the Catholic world. The young Charles Darwin took the first volume of Lyell’s Principles of Geology on his famous voyage aboard the Beagle in 1831. He embarked on this journey as a Bible-believing Christian but returned as an agnostic.
Darwinism
Darwinism introduced the idea of racial hierarchies, with white Europeans regarded as more “advanced.” In his book The Descent of Man, which he published after The Origin of Species, Darwin boldly commented on “the greater differences between men of distinct races.” This theory played a significant role in shaping racial and colonial policies in the Western world.
Secular Democracy
The primary ideology of Western civilization today is secular democracy. The foundation of secularism is in direct conflict with Islamic civilization. In the West, religion is separated from state affairs, while in Islam, divine law governs all aspects of life, including education and civil policy.
In secular democracies, human beings are regarded as products of the evolutionary process, with no greater purpose than any other species. According to this perspective, life is about pleasure: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die.” Religion, in this view, hinders human freedom. Morality is defined by human choices rather than divine commandments, and laws are created through democratic majority rule.
Democracy
Education in Western democracies is often free only up to a certain level, ensuring that the majority remains dependent on the explanations and interpretations of the educated elite. Democracy as a way of life is based on three main principles:
- Equality – The idea that all individuals are equal under the law.
- Rational empiricism – Confidence in human reason and experience as the sole arbiters of truth.
- Discussion and consent – Decision-making by majority vote.
Since democracy is based on majority rule, concepts like truth, falsehood, good, and evil all become relative. In contrast, Islamic civilization regards the laws revealed by God as absolute and unchangeable.
Islamic law does not deny the role of society in creating some laws, but these laws are secondary to divine legislation. In the West, secularism is so deeply entrenched that it often takes precedence over democracy itself. This explains why the West supports military dictatorships in countries like Turkey and Algeria when secularism is threatened. Although the West promotes democracy, it values secularism even more.
India, which has a Muslim minority of over 100 million, chose secular democracy to avoid internal turmoil. However, Hinduism lacks a cohesive socio-economic system, making Islam the only real alternative to Western civilization.
Islamic Culture
Cultural Islam: Traditionalism
Although the West recognizes Islam as the only civilization capable of opposing its dominance, the Muslim world today struggles to meet this challenge. The primary reason for this failure lies in the adulteration of Islamic teachings throughout the Muslim world today. This phenomenon is often referred to as Cultural Islam or Folk Islam by Christian missionaries.
The defining feature of Cultural Islam is the blind following of local traditions. Although it is well known among Muslims that Islam is based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, many cultural Muslims hesitate to fully adhere to these teachings. When advised to follow instructions from the Qur’an and Sunnah, they often provide excuses for why they cannot. For Islamic civilization to be re-established, the inherited excess baggage of Cultural Islam must be eliminated.
Influence of Non-Islamic Traditions
Many Islamic customs have been influenced by non-Islamic traditions. For example, in South Asia, the red wedding dress worn by most Pakistani and Indian Muslim brides is identical to the Hindu wedding dress. Similarly, in Islam, mahr (dowry) is meant to be given by the groom to the bride as a symbol of his preparedness to care for her. However, in the Indian subcontinent, the Hindu tradition of giving dowry to the husband has been retained by many Muslims.
Some Islamic traditions were also influenced by neighboring non-Islamic states. For example, the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday was introduced nearly 400 years after his time by the Fatimid Shiite state in Egypt. Under colonial influence, Christian religious practices, such as wedding and engagement rings, also spread among Muslims.
Sufism - Mysticism
Sufism is often defined as an experience of union with God and the belief that man’s primary goal is to seek that union. Just as the ultimate goal of Hinduism is unity with the world soul, and the goal of Christian mysticism is union with God, Sufism developed a similar idea. The movement promoted Fana (the dissolution of the ego) and Wusul (the meeting and unification of the human soul with Allah in this life).
Over time, a body of heretical beliefs emerged within mysticism. Some Sufi orders claimed that Allah could be seen when the state of Wusul was achieved, leading to controversial theological implications.
Religious Fanaticism and Factionalism
Islamic jurisprudence has four main schools of thought. However, to understand the divisive role played by different legal schools, one must first comprehend the term Shari’ah. The word Shari’ah literally means “a waterhole where animals gather daily to drink” or “the straight path.” It refers to the sum total of Islamic laws revealed to Prophet Muhammad and recorded in the Qur’an, as well as those derived from the Prophet’s guided lifestyle, known as the Sunnah.
Fiqh, on the other hand, refers to the true understanding of what is intended in Islamic law. An example can be found in the Prophet Muhammad’s statement:
“To whomsoever Allah wishes good, He gives the Fiqh (true understanding) of the religion.”
Shari’ah represents the core revealed laws found in the Qur'an and Sunnah, while Fiqh consists of laws deduced from Shari’ah to address specific situations not explicitly covered by the primary sources. Shari’ah laws are general, while Fiqh rulings tend to be more specific.
Evolution of the Madh-Habs
During the era of the Righteous Caliphs, the Fiqh principle of Ijma (decisions by unanimity) evolved, and Ijtihad (reasoned rulings) became an independent principle under the name of Qiyas (analogical reasoning). However, by the latter period of the Abbasid dynasty (950 CE–1258 CE), debates between scholars of different schools for the entertainment of the caliphs became popular. This fostered competitiveness and dogmatism, as losing a debate meant losing personal and scholarly prestige.
Consequently, defending one’s school of thought became a priority, even at the expense of open-minded scholarship.
Emergence of Taqlid (Blind Following)
From the sacking of Baghdad in 1258 CE to the mid-19th century, scholars widely accepted Taqlid (blind adherence to established legal rulings). The door of Ijtihad was effectively closed, as scholars believed all major issues had already been addressed.
This rigid approach led to further divisions. Followers of different Madh-habs (schools of thought) refused to pray behind imams from other schools. This resulted in the construction of separate prayer areas within the same mosques. In fact, separate places of worship for different Madh-habs remained around the Ka’bah until the early 20th century when Abdul Aziz ibn Saud’s forces united all worshippers under a single Imam in 1924.
Reformers and Modern Movements
Reformers called for a return to the true sources of Islamic law—the Qur’an and Sunnah—over inherited cultural practices. Foremost among them was Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah (1263 CE), who faced opposition and imprisonment for challenging the status quo.
In the 19th century, Muslim intellectuals openly rebelled against Cultural Islam. This revolt produced two major trends: modernism and fundamentalism. In India, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817–1898) advocated for Muslim revival through cooperation with the British colonial administration. Other movements, such as the Ikhwan Muslimiin (Muslim Brotherhood) in Egypt and Jama’at Islami in India, emerged to challenge secular governance.
However, some movements prioritized recruitment over correcting beliefs, leading to divisions within the Muslim community. The only viable solution to the current challenges facing Muslims is to return to the true roots of Islamic civilization, free from cultural distortions.
Pillars of Islam and Cultural Effects on Them
I. The Shahadatan (The Two Declarations of Faith)
Many world religions have their own god, but in Islam, all other gods are considered false. The Shahadatan represents the foundation for human salvation in Islam. If a woman marries a non-Muslim, knowing that he is only declaring his faith to marry her, she is committing fornication.
Open Declaration: The declaration of faith should be made publicly, except under circumstances where one’s life is at stake. Culturally, a beautifully written Arabic calligraphy of the Shahadatan is often framed and displayed in living rooms. A Muslim could not live and work alongside non-Muslim neighbors and coworkers without informing them about Islam.
II. Salah in Cultural Islam
Many cultural Muslims treat formal daily prayers (Salah) casually. Some view the prayers only as a way to accumulate good deeds, performing them only during the two major Islamic festivals: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Islamic Teaching: Allah says, “Indeed, formal prayer prevents evil speech and evil deeds” (Qur’an 29:45). If one’s prayers do not prevent them from corrupt behavior, they are not performing Salah as intended.
III. Zakat in Cultural Islam
Zakat is a form of charity that supports the less fortunate. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Look to those less fortunate than you, and do not look to those above you.”
Cultural Effect: Ideally, Zakat should help those in need, but in cultural Islam, it is often neglected, leading to dependency on external aid. Islam emphasizes direct giving to the poor in one’s community.
IV. Fasting in Cultural Islam
Fasting during Ramadan is meant for religious contemplation, self-discipline, and abstinence. However, in some cultures, Ramadan has become a time for nightly feasts and celebrations, reversing the day-night cycle.
Cultural Effect: This shift from spiritual reflection to ritual celebration diminishes the deeper religious purpose of fasting.
V. Hajj (The Pilgrimage to Mecca) in Cultural Islam
Hajj is a journey for Allah, requiring physical worship and financial sacrifice. For the pilgrimage to be accepted, it must be driven by pure belief in God.
Cultural Effect: Many returning pilgrims adopt titles like “Hajji” and wear distinct garments, yet without internal spiritual growth, their Hajj may not be truly accepted.
VI. Belief in Allah, Angels, Jinn, and Books
Jinn: Jinn, an unseen creation of Allah, is significant in cultural beliefs. They are divided into three types: those that fly, those appearing as animals, and those remaining on earth. Fortune-tellers once used Jinn for predictions, but after Prophet Muhammad’s mission, their access to divine knowledge was restricted.
Cultural Effect: Engaging in fortune-telling is condemned in Islam, as it associates with Jinn and disbelief.
VII. Belief in the Resurrection and Judgment
Belief in the Resurrection and Judgment Day shapes a strong sense of accountability.
Cultural Effect: The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) connected good deeds with belief in the Last Day, saying, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good or be silent.”
VIII. Belief in Qadr (Divine Decree)
Muslims believe all things happen according to Allah's divine will (Qadr), but this does not excuse inaction.
Cultural Effect: When Caliph ‘Umar heard of a plague in Syria, he decided to return to Madinah, stating, “We are fleeing from Allah’s destiny to His destiny.” This illustrates that human action aligns with divine will.
Personal Traits: Belief in Qadr fosters patience and contentment while discouraging justification of sins through fate.
Closing Thoughts:
Don't get influenced by any Culture or Scholar Hold Fast to Quran & Sunnah
Stay safe, and keep exploring the world through the lens of culture and history.
Allah-Hafiz.