Cultural practices

Sometimes it can be hard to separate cultural practices from religion. Practices become a part of an event without further consideration. In some cases the practices are considered as traditions, not necessarily tied to religion itself, but still thought of as an important part of an event. “It’s always been like this, we did it when we were children”, and so on. This exists in every culture.

We are now experiencing “Easter” in the west, a big Christian event. In Sweden, where I am located (for the moment, as I am currently working to relocate), there is something that we can see as a good example. But first… what is Easter and why is it celebrated? Please note that the main reason for the event is not being disputed. We show respect and share this world with humans with our hearts directed towards kindness and peace…

سورة المائدة ٤٨
[…]
لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ

سورة الممتحنة ٨
لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

Surah Al-Maaida 5:48
[…] To each among you have we prescribed a law and an open way. If Allah had so willed, He would have made you a single people, but (His plan is) to test you in what He hath given you: so strive as in a race in all virtues. The goal of you all is to Allah; it is He that will show you the truth of the matters in which ye dispute;

Surah Al-Mumtahana 60:8
Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.

So the main reason for Easter as being described by the Swedish Church website, (translated from Swedish)…

“Easter is the church’s biggest holiday. Then we celebrate that Jesus rose and defeated death.”

سورة النساء ١٥٨
رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا

Surah An-Nisaa 4:158
Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise

So just to clarify that our ideas of how this occured may differ, but the end result is something agreed upon. The main point is this… we now know the main reason for Easter. However, there are other things that have become synonymous with Easter here which do not necessarily apply to the faith. As described by Wikipedia:
“In Sweden and Finland, it is an Easter tradition for children to dress as witches, old women and old men and go door to door for treats similar to the trick-or-treating tradition of Halloween on Maundy Thursday or the day before Easter. The children sometimes present hand-made cards and other greetings.”

In many cases, people think of witches, eggs, and bunnies… (traditional thinking), rather than on its main thing. Traditional thinking becomes a part of it. But then, sending out children “trick-or-treating” as witches may be seen as “harmless fun”.
It was an easy example to point to, perhaps especially since Easter is happening right now, but I am not singling it out. This type of thinking exists generally, and that includes matters of Islamic nature as well. We should be more careful to consider how we spend our days, to separate cultural traditions and religion and not practice them as one and the same. Some of these cultural traditions may actually be spiritually harmful and in some cases completely opposite to what religion teaches you. And with Ramadan and also the upcoming Eid around the corner, it might be a good idea to keep this in mind.

سورة البقرة ٢٠٨
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

سورة الأنعام ١٥٣
وَأَنَّ هَـٰذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ ۖ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ۚ ذَ‌ٰلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

Surah Al-Baqara 2:208
O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy.

Surah Al-An’aam 6:153
Verily, this is My way, leading straight: follow it: follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) path: thus doth He command you. that ye may be righteous.