Is there uniformity in the culture of Islam?

Question

lets have an international dialogue, if there is no "localization" (unislamisation) then how to resolve it? How to follow the Quaran at all times?

Answer 1

There is no such thing as the culture of Islam anymore than there is a culture of Christianity.  Religion can be a large part of culture, but it is not, nor has it ever been the only item.

The Taliban in Afghanistan is Islamic, but their Sunni culture is all their own.  It bares little resemblance to Sufi Dervish culture and both of the are very much different than the Shia / Sunni culture of Bangladesh.

Diversity in culture does not mean that each citizen is not capable of following the Quaran at all times.  Resolution based upon uniformity is only a top priority if one believes that they know the best method or have the best culture and everyone else is wrong.

  

Answer 2

Why do you think localization is unislamisation. I am a Bangladeshi Muslim. We have different culture than Arabs. That does not make me less islamized than the Arabs. Have respect to other cultures.

Answer 3

I would have to say no on two counts:

1. Differing sects interpret and follow the traditions very differently. Similar to Baptists and Catholics - they don't really consider the other the "right kind" of Christians.

2. Islam is practiced in many parts of the world with strong local cultures.

I could also argue yes:

There is just as much (more really) uniformity in cultures that practice Islam as there is in Christian cultures. Islam affects many parts of the culture including architecture and in some ways urban design and family units, just for examples.

Answer 4

Religion does not equal culture.  Religion only informs one part of the culture.  To be sure, there are many regional variations of Islam, incorporating many folk elements particular to the area in question.  As to "following the Qu'ran at all times," what's your idea of that?  Even if you take a fundamentalist approach to that, there's still always room for hermeneutical variation in the sect, culture, and individual.  An interesting anthropological take on this very subject is Islam Obscured: The Rhetoric of Anthropological Interpretation by Daniel Varisco, written as a reaction to Clifford Geertz' Islam Revealed by recognizing the fact that there is no "one" Islam, nor any "one" belief system, nor can there be.  It's really interesting, I promise :)