Traditions

bismillah
assalamu alaiakum

So everyone agrees that Islam is a way of life. Infact, everyone will argue for how complete Islam is and how it answers everything. That's what our parents taught us, that's what we say when we argue with non-Muslims, that's what we hear in alot of nasheeds and poetry. That is what the prophet (saaws) said. Now how about we stop for a moment and ask ourselves if we actually follow what we preach. I do apologise as I too hate it when a Muslim with a voice starts having a go at the ummah and calls it incompetent, not practising and not deserving of him. I am not having a go at the Muslims over here as they are the greatest nation, have always been and never have went nor will go below that position no matter what some of the self-proclaimed salafis tell you. What I am going for here is a particular element that exists with some Muslims.

First, let us define tradition. Tradition is a practice or a belief that is passed down from generation to generation in a specific region. Traditions are usually followed for the simple argument that "it has always been followed". Now since we all believe that Islam is complete may I then ask, is there any need for following ANY traditions? The answer is simply no. However not all traditions are to be attacked. Traditions could simply manifest in a form of a physical personal matter or preference. For example food, clothing, architecture, etc. These things create a special character to a region and should be celebrated and loved as they show the humanity of a people. Obviously, these traditions would then have to be given the Islamic restrictions if the follower is a Muslim. For example in the food, it has to be halal. For the clothes, it has to cover the aura in both men and women. For the architecture, it should not include any idols. Neither Allah (swt) nor his prophet (saaws) every told us what to eat for dinner, but they did say that the meat should be halaal meat. Thus if the meat is not halaal then it is haraam in which case we steer clear of it. Matters which Islam did not give an opinion in (like what's for dinner) is called mubaah and thus we can make our own opinions on such things.

However, what if traditions deal with issues that are not mubaah and thus Allah or his prophet gave an opinion about already. And we all know that the opinions of Allah and the prophet (whom of which Allah said in the Quraan, does not speak of his own whim but it is all a revelation) are above all other opinions and thus invalidates everything else that clashes with them. Such traditions then become haraam. Since Islam only speaks for the benefit of mankind as a whole (and not only the ummah) this means that any traditions or opinions that conflict with Islam will certainly harm the people effected one way or another. For example the tradition of burying the daughter alive the Arabs used to have before Islam, or the three different ways women used to get married in before Islam came that saida Aisha told us about, etc. Islam came and abolished such acts as they go against Islamic law and thus hurt the individual AND the community.

Today, unfortunately, we are not free from such traditions in the Muslim world. Several families still hold to traditions that go against Islam and thus is forbidden to be held. What is the most common of these traditions that managed to survive usually revolves around the domination and the enforcement of this domination of man over women. I am specifically talking about marriage. Such traditions exist in the poorer parts of this ummah like in rural areas of Syria and Egypt or specific regions in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Ignorance is excusable in Islam. Thus if you are not aware and nobody taught you what is right and what is wrong, then you cannot be blamed. However, what is very sad, is that some of those followers of tradition actually know better. They know what is right and what is wrong and yet they are too weak in imaan to do what is right. An example (not of traditions but of people who knowingly choose the wrong option) is mothers who cannot bear listen to their son asking for shahadaa. They do know that a shaheed will enter firdous, the highest level in jannah. However they are too weak in imaan to bear thinking about it in dunya. This is an example of how the heart could be stronger than the mind and thus if the heart is not pure it could have negative effects on the mind. The mind logically knows what is right and what is wrong, but the heart follows whims and desires. It weeps and laughs and makes us all human.

May Allah make our imaan stronger, our hearts pure with your love and our mind knowledged in your deen ya rab al alameen. ameen. ameen. ameen.

Assalamu alaikum