Culture and/vs Religion?

            "In the past few years I've made so many accomplishments, I graduated, I became a lawyer, I got a job in a law firm, yet all she congratulated me about was losing weight!" She was appalled at what the old lady had to say but can you blame her? I would feel the same way... We as humans, well most of us anyways, in the population that I've been exposed to at least, focus mostly on everything that is negative about everything and everyone. Prophet Muhammad SAW said "Who ever is not kind to the younger ones and does not respect the elder ones is not from my nation." (Bihar-al-Anwar, v.2, p. 137) Even if you do not look at this from a religious stand point I'm sure all of us have heard this one, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it." It humors me that people come up with such comments for each other. I personally do not feel that there is one person to blame, but in fact a whole culture to blame. If we tell an elder how their comment was rude we will be viewed as disrespectful, however, if we continue to let people pass comments like such, they will never know that they are wrong. Religiously, we do have the right, in a respectful manner of course, to tell them. However, culturally there is a dilemma. Our cultures have drawn that line of what is normal and abnormal. 

             This brings us to the never ending struggle of culture vs. religion. We were asked in class what our cultural back ground is and several students began to list their ethnic backgrounds and ancestries. So someone asked the professor to specify what she meant. Her response was "tell me which ever one influences you the most, but keep in mind that religion can also be a culture." Many student who were Jewish made a point to add their religion to their cultural backgrounds, but knowing that there were Muslims in that class as well, I was shocked that no one had mentioned it. The truth of our society is that we do not let Islam influence us as much as it should, it is not engraved into our cultures. All of our cultures expose us to their version of it, or what works to their benefits. For example, we will be told to respect our elders but no one remembers that the younger ones are to be respected too. Respect is universal, we give it to animals too. Or in some cultures, parents will force their children to marry someone and say that Islam says to be obedient to your parents. However, Islam also forbids forced marriage and that marriage will not be accepted either. 

*I'm sorry if some of my posts are enraging or controversial. However, I would love to hear your feed back and get your constructive criticism on my writing so please do comment with your thoughts and if you have anything you would want me to write about please do leave a comment. 

We reap what we sow

Think about how much time we waste in doing useless things.
Lets take out at least 2 hours of our day and devote them to prayer and see what we reap. 

Is it that time?

I feel as if this year the new thing is getting married. Everyone is doing it; societal pressure. But if that isn't bad enough, our parents have already given into that pressure. They want us to get married early, it happens to be the new trend. Now there is nothing wrong with getting married but when is it really the right age? Or when is it the right time? Is it or should it be different depending on gender? We talk about innovation, moving forward, and how women should have careers but at one point or the other we have a decision to make. Family life or our career? For those of you who disagree, let me show you my point of view. Say you don't choose right away, and you get married, seem to be balancing life fine and then you have a child. The upbringing, and not just any upbringing, the proper upbringing is something that, culturally, is a woman's job. Even if we don't look at that, what about being there for your child or even your husband. Or say if you're selfish and want to look at it from your own well beings perspective, eventually it will take a toll on your appearance as well and in the process of keeping up with it all, it all might catch up to you. It is a decision that we all have to make and regardless of what it is, we should be thanked. If a man is blessed with a patient and understanding significant other, he too should be understanding of her needs.

Epiphainein

I woke up that day not caring anymore about the worldly things, not completely of course, and I knew that the only place I would find peace was in sujood. I thought about how I suffered and my heart ached when I was unable to make salaah and how it completed me and how the acceptance of my du’as brought me at ease, they made me believe more in him. Until we are 9 we are unaccountable for the lack of sinful behavior. I was 20. That left 11 years of sinful behavior, I was sure of it. I had suffered so many hardships at such a young age and I would always end up in front of him.