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.