Islamic Thoughts

Cultural Slavery Vs Cultural Diffusion.

42 : CULTURAL SLAVERY VERSUS CULTURAL DIFFUSION

In simple terms, culture is a common trend of beliefs or practices (pattern of dress, food, religion etc.) among a group of people. Cultural slavery can be defined as blind following of others' cultures (particularly the upper-class people) without judging their merit, in a way the servants blindly follow their masters. In this situation, the followers are open to the risk of harming themselves by absorbing a wrong culture. For example, some Muslim immigrants to the western countries are seen to quickly pick up some indecent cultures like drinking alcohol, wearing quarter pants, free mixing with the opposite sexes etc. But they seldom adopt if there is anything good with that society like honest earning, promise keeping or truthfulness etc. In this way, they are making bad choices, by contrasting with the tradition of Prophet who wanted his followers to avoid any bad things and accept any good things even from foreign countries.

Compared to cultural slavery, cultural diffusion or spreading of your good cultures is likely to have positive impacts on other people. It is therefore advisable that if you are used to any good culture, hold on to that and at the same time try to help that spreading among others. For example, if you are in a non-Islamic society, stick to your non-alcoholic culture of Islam which may be a model for others. But you should not lose your personality by subjecting yourself to their drinking habits as that will help neither you nor them.