ethnic culture versus islam

8/13/2019 Ethnic Culture Versus Islam

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EDC 6050 Advanced Philosophical & Historical of Islamic Education

Ethnic Culture Versus Islam

Definitions:

Ethnic- relating to a sizable group of people sharing a common and

distinctive racial, national, religious, linguistic, or culturalheritage.

- relating to a people not Islam, Christian, Hindu

(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethnic)

Culture

- Culture is the acquired knowledge people use to interpretexperience and generate behavior.

(Anthropologist: James Spradley)

- Culture is formed up of the knowledge we acquire as we growup in a certain social group. Our attitude, behavior, customs,philosoph, lifestle, ! tradition all make up our culture."g# $hen we are born and raised in %alasian, we are all the

product of the %alasia Culture.

Islam

- &eligion ' a sstem of faith(belief ! worship of a controllingpower )Allah*.

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Malay Culture versus Islam

Introduction

It is undeniable that both religion and culture affect each other withdifferent degrees of influence. How much religion affects culture, orvice versa, is actuall down to the person concerned. It is sub+ective.

orn %ala %uslim

- practice handed down from their father, and father-s fatherbefore that ' one generation to the other.

- practicing Islam is something that the do out of habit ratherthan education the have received.

orn gain %uslim / Converts

- learn the religion from scratch and throw awa their old beliefs- re'learn the religion / able to differentiate between Islam and

%ala Culture )adat*

Culture & Malay Muslim

Biar mati anak, angan mati adat!

- mala proverb which means , culture is ver important that thewould sacrifice their child as long as the culture is protected.

- and not sacrifice for Islam.

- often man %ala %uslim are confuse between religion andculture.

- at man occasion, the practice religion as part of %ala culture.- sometimes culture over'rides religion

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"g#- 0ecorating homes before "id(Hari &aa

o house / cleaned and nicel set up in preparation for "id.

o miss the last da of fasting or else there would be no

energ left for the great task ahead.o Impressing the guest who would be visiting is more

important than fasting.

- &amadhan reaking 1ast 1east(azaaro %ala %uslim will spend their evenings before breaking

fast at 2&amadhan azzar- overspending on food items+ust to get on the 2band wagon- of the Culture /2everbod else is doing it and I will do it as well-.

o Islam encourages moderation and forbids over

expenditure.

- 2Bomohs"or $itch 0octorso ct of bida-ah or shirik

o %ost %alas believe in the power of 2bomohs- and seek

assistance from them.o 3he swear b the power of the 2bomoh- rather that do

their 2Ha+at- praers to get their wishes fulfilled.o Contrar to the principles of the Islamic faith / makes a

moker of the One 4od / acknowledges the existence ofother force equall powerful.

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Influence of Hindu Culture in Malay Islamic Practices.

- 3he earl %alasian %ala originated from Indonesia / greatinfluence of Hindu &eligion

- %ala 5ultan of earl %elaka had 5anskrit names / Hinduinfluence.

- ecame %uslims not through the influence of rabs but throughthe influence of Indian merchants / came to %elaka for trade.

- t that time, nation owed loalt to the 5ultans / when 5ultansconverted to Islam' the whole nation followed without anquestion asked.

- ecame %uslims due to the tradition of loalt to 5ultans ratherthan because the were committed to the religion.

- 3he brand of %ala Islam is similar to Indian as compared tothe Islamic practices to that of the %iddle "astern %uslims.

"g#- 6ighting of lanterns / last seven nights before the end of

&amdhan.o %odelled after the Hindu religious celebration of

0eepavali )festi#al of lights*

- $edding ceremono $Bersanding" % similar to Hindu practice / bride and

bridegroom sit on stage so everbod could see them andto receive the blessings of the crowd who sprinklescented water and flowers on them.

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Conclusion

7. Is culture a subset of religion or vice versa89. Is being a %ala means being a %uslim or vice versa8

- I believe ever effort must therefore be made to preserve theculture of the :ur-an and 5unnah as compared to the culture ofthe certain ethnic group. 3his requires adopting the compan ofthose who are sunnah conscious, learning about the varioussunnats and making an effort to bring them alive in ones home,communit and the ;mmah at large.

- 3he onl success for us in this world and the Hereafter is in

upholding the wa of life or the culture of the :ur-an and5unnah.

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ethnic culture versus islam

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