Muslim youth are being greatly influenced by western ideas and this is very apparent in the way they dress, the foods they eat, the way they socialize, and the entertainment that they prefer and participate in. Today, through the media, social media and the internet, the Muslim youth are bombarded with so much information on western culture, which greatly influences them and they tend to forget about their own culture and way of life. The parents may be too busy earning a living to be fully involved in the lives of the youth, leaving the youth to turn to social media and the internet. Is it possible that these Muslim Youth are losing their cultural identity? Yes.
The following is a short Interview with a Muslim Religious Education teacher (MK), on the effects of westernization on Islamic culture and way of life:
Me: To what extent do you think westernization has affected Muslim culture and way of life?
MK: I feel westernization has had a very big effect.
Me: Would you say this effect is positive or negative or both?
MK: I strongly believe that westernization has mainly had a negative effect on Muslim culture and way of life.
Me: What particular areas of the Muslim culture do you think have been negatively affected?
MK: Firstly Islamic law prohibits the consumption of anything that is intoxicating such as alcohol, drugs and smoking. However due to western influence, our Muslim brothers and sisters, especially the youth, are participating in such activities.
Me: How do you think these influences reached the Muslims?
MK: Mainly through media, movies, songs and the internet which exposes the Muslims to such Western influences.
Me: What other types of negative influences are there?
MK: In Islam gambling and lottery are prohibited but in the western world such things are marketed so well as get rich quick schemes and our Muslims are picking up such habits.
Me: What do you have to say about the effects of western entertainment?
MK: Islam does not approve of entertainment and recreation that destroy our morals. However, entertainment, pass times and recreation from the west can have immoral messages which can have negative effects.
Me: What about western dressing and style?
MK: The law of Islam requires everyone to wear very decent and dignified clothing. The western world however does not take decency fully into consideration in their fashion and style and that is why they wear indecent clothes that expose their bodies. Again through the media, our Muslim brothers and sisters have picked up such dressing styles.
Me: In what other areas do you feel westernization has had a negative influence?
MK: Some of the other areas include the types of food we eat, the fact that we do not pray as required, the disrespect amongst family members especially the younger generation not respecting their elders, treatment of women, living together and having children without being married. In this way Muslims tend to lose their cultural identity and this is very bad for our present and future generations if something is not done about it.
Me: To what extent do you think westernization has affected Muslim culture and way of life?
MK: I feel westernization has had a very big effect.
Me: Would you say this effect is positive or negative or both?
MK: I strongly believe that westernization has mainly had a negative effect on Muslim culture and way of life.
Me: What particular areas of the Muslim culture do you think have been negatively affected?
MK: Firstly Islamic law prohibits the consumption of anything that is intoxicating such as alcohol, drugs and smoking. However due to western influence, our Muslim brothers and sisters, especially the youth, are participating in such activities.
Me: How do you think these influences reached the Muslims?
MK: Mainly through media, movies, songs and the internet which exposes the Muslims to such Western influences.
Me: What other types of negative influences are there?
MK: In Islam gambling and lottery are prohibited but in the western world such things are marketed so well as get rich quick schemes and our Muslims are picking up such habits.
Me: What do you have to say about the effects of western entertainment?
MK: Islam does not approve of entertainment and recreation that destroy our morals. However, entertainment, pass times and recreation from the west can have immoral messages which can have negative effects.
Me: What about western dressing and style?
MK: The law of Islam requires everyone to wear very decent and dignified clothing. The western world however does not take decency fully into consideration in their fashion and style and that is why they wear indecent clothes that expose their bodies. Again through the media, our Muslim brothers and sisters have picked up such dressing styles.
Me: In what other areas do you feel westernization has had a negative influence?
MK: Some of the other areas include the types of food we eat, the fact that we do not pray as required, the disrespect amongst family members especially the younger generation not respecting their elders, treatment of women, living together and having children without being married. In this way Muslims tend to lose their cultural identity and this is very bad for our present and future generations if something is not done about it.
“Islam, like any other religion is facing challenges to evolve and adjust to modernity and in particular to the economic and cultural power of a dominant West” (Islam and the West, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/themes/west.html ). Muslims strongly feel that the values and ideas of the West are beginning to penetrate their societies, particularly the youth, and these Western values and ideas are harmful, especially those on the media, internet, music, dressing, and dance forms. Muslims generally feel that these things are bad for their cultural identity, and negatively affect their way of life.
According to Abul A’La Mawdudi (1980) “The Shariah forbids the use of all those things which are injurious to man’s physical, mental and moral existence (2)”. The law in Islam requires men and women to wear dignified and decent clothes. However, today many of the Muslim youth are not following the Shariah and are wearing western clothes, especially the women who wear revealing clothes like mini-skirts. Although most Muslims believe that the democratic, political and economic principles of the West is good and in line with the Islamic faith, they do not support the social norms and values that are from the West. The Muslim youth of today feel that in order to be civilized, one has to be westernized in their clothes, in their mind, in their education, and this is due to what they come across in the media, through social media, and the internet.
“Modernity is constructed, shaped, produced, invented by values which were not values of Muslim countries…Earlier, there was this either/or thing. If you are modern, you can’t be a Muslim. Now we are going beyond this either/or and you can be both Muslim and modern…I think this is one of the basic stakes we face today…(Islam and the West, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/themes/west.html )”.
According to Abul A’La Mawdudi (1980) “Absurd and wasteful entertainments wherein thousands of people witness depraving scenes of crime and immorality are the very antithesis of healthy recreation”. Such entertainment which include discos and dance parties at bars and dance clubs, according to Islamic law can have no place in Islamic culture and society. To Muslims, the morality of the West is threatening to brain wash the Muslim youth, who then tend to imitate the way the people in the West live, and this then over time makes them lose their own cultural identity, as well as their way of life.
It is therefore extremely important that the Muslim Youth are informed about Muslim culture and way of life, and are taught what Islamic Law says so that the generation of today and future generations of Muslims do not lose their cultural identity.
According to Abul A’La Mawdudi (1980) “The Shariah forbids the use of all those things which are injurious to man’s physical, mental and moral existence (2)”. The law in Islam requires men and women to wear dignified and decent clothes. However, today many of the Muslim youth are not following the Shariah and are wearing western clothes, especially the women who wear revealing clothes like mini-skirts. Although most Muslims believe that the democratic, political and economic principles of the West is good and in line with the Islamic faith, they do not support the social norms and values that are from the West. The Muslim youth of today feel that in order to be civilized, one has to be westernized in their clothes, in their mind, in their education, and this is due to what they come across in the media, through social media, and the internet.
“Modernity is constructed, shaped, produced, invented by values which were not values of Muslim countries…Earlier, there was this either/or thing. If you are modern, you can’t be a Muslim. Now we are going beyond this either/or and you can be both Muslim and modern…I think this is one of the basic stakes we face today…(Islam and the West, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/themes/west.html )”.
According to Abul A’La Mawdudi (1980) “Absurd and wasteful entertainments wherein thousands of people witness depraving scenes of crime and immorality are the very antithesis of healthy recreation”. Such entertainment which include discos and dance parties at bars and dance clubs, according to Islamic law can have no place in Islamic culture and society. To Muslims, the morality of the West is threatening to brain wash the Muslim youth, who then tend to imitate the way the people in the West live, and this then over time makes them lose their own cultural identity, as well as their way of life.
It is therefore extremely important that the Muslim Youth are informed about Muslim culture and way of life, and are taught what Islamic Law says so that the generation of today and future generations of Muslims do not lose their cultural identity.
For further information please refer to the resources below:
Major Themes - Islam And The West | Muslims | FRONTLINE | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/themes/west.html
Major Themes - Islam And The West | Muslims | FRONTLINE | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/themes/west.html
Mawdūdı̄, A. l. (1980). Towards understanding Islam (New rev. ed.). Leicester: Islamic Foundation.