GROUP ASSIGNMENT (GROUP 7)
COURSE: ARABIC LITERATURE
COURSE CODE ALL105
Culture is the name of the development of the human capabilities and human behaviour and their
expression in the environment.Art and literature are not culture. Rather those are the instrumentalities
of the culture. In Islamic Culture there is reflection of the Islamic values. In the name of art and culture,
Islam does not encourage open or hidden obscenity. Rather, it declares obscenity of all kinds as clearly
unlawful(haram/ .)‫حرام‬Likewise, Islam does not permit the doing of any action which is against human
development and dignity.
Islam has its own values according to which it moulds the human character.Any culture which is anti
Islamic will be anti-culture. Rather pure pollution.
Islamic culture and Muslim culture refers to cultural practices which are common to
historically Islamic people. The early forms of Muslim culture, from the Rashidun
Caliphate to the early Umayyad period and the early Abbasid period, were
predominantly Arab, Byzantine, Persian and Levantine.
Islamic culture and Muslim culture refer to cultural practices which are common to
historically Islamic people. The early forms of Muslim culture, from the Rashidun
Caliphate to the early Umayyad period and the early Abbasid period, were
predominantly Arab, Byzantine, Persian and Levantine.
A Culture evolved upon the Islamic basis takes a human being to the high station of crown creation
while common concept of culture which is vehemently propagated nowadays degrades a human being
to the level of animals. The reason is that the components of such culture are those which are found to
the maximum in the animals. Hence those cannot be the cause of an honour for a human being.The
basis of Muslim Culture is Islam. And any interpretation of Culture cannot be acceptable which is
against the basic concepts of Muslims.
Muslim Culture is fully constructive, full of peace, full of excellence, and based on welfare and well
wishing of the people. By its expression purity, modesty and sincerity prevails in the atmosphere.
In Muslim culture there is full guarantee of payment of rights. The extortion of rights has been made
practically impossible. In a culture which is character building culture there is no scope of any such
word or conduct that may cause a stigma to an innocent person.
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Arabic literature is the writing, both prose and poetry, produced by writers in the Arabic
language.
Arabic literature emerged in the 5th century with only fragments of the written language appearing
before then. The Qur'an,(the holy book of Islam) widely regarded by people as the finest piece of
literature in the Arabic language,[2] would have the greatest lasting effect on Arabic culture and its
literature. Arabic literature flourished during the Islamic Golden Age, but has remained vibrant to the
present day, with poets and prose-writers across the Arab world, as well as rest of the world, achieving
increasing success.
Islamic Cultural Identity
Abu Sadat Nurullah, has very correctly identified the Islamic culture based on scholarly views. He
says:“Culture is socially learned and shared behaviour and ideas which are found universally among
humanbeings, and it also exists in a more specific way because all cultures are not the same (Miller,
2004). Culture embraces all aspects of social life, including both thought and behaviour (Harris, 1999).
Hence, culture refers to the totality of the group’s thought,experiences, and patterns of behaviour and
its concepts, values, and assumptions about life that guidebe haviour and how those evolve with contact
with other cultures (Jandt, 2004). This identity is not static and the changes occur when an individual
from one culture is placed in, or faced with, another culture for a significant period of time (Bhugra,
2004). Cultural identity consists of several important components, including religion, religious rituals,
leisure activities, languages spoken,aspirations,functioning and importance of family, dietary habits,
shopping, marriage, decision making in family,employment, and feelings regarding contact with others
of the same ethnic groups (Bhugra, 2004).
Islam as a social religion (due to its focus on group life rather than individualistic one) has shaped its
own cultural identity which is meant to be upheld by Muslims. Islamic culture is characterised by a
dynamic sense of moderation. It harmonizes both the material and spiritual dimensions of human
personality.It is not based on mere imitations.
Islamic cultural identity is valueladen. Islamic cultural identity follows a dynamic pattern, and it is not
static as it is often being misunderstood by both Muslims themselves and the secular Westerners. The
majordifference between the secular Western and Islamic culture is faith in one God. The Islamic faith
controls the lives of its members (Muslims) in all areas of life. These areas include spiritual beliefs,
lifestyle, law, and government. It is obvious that Muslims around the world do not share the same
cultural trait among themselves, but they are identical in their common cultural identity and practices
in being Muslims. For instance, cultural traits of Muslims in Saudi Arabia are not similar to that of
Muslims in Malaysia. However, they are guided by the similar principles and injunctions prescribed by
Islam. Islamic culture is based on faith, humanism, and constructive work, which strengthens in the
psyche the spirit of optimism, of confidence, to do righteous deeds, and to appreciate beauty; and is
marked by its flexibility and openness to other cultures )Altwaijri, 1997).” If we make an observation
of the things surrounding us, this fact will come to light that there is no contradiction in the universe
and its parts. Rather they all are continually advancing towards the completion of a specific purpose
unitedly and with full harmony.
In summary, the knowledge of the object and purpose of one’s creation is in fact the beginning of all
gnosis. According to the Holy Qur’an the appearance of human being on the earth is not without a
purpose. And there is also no accidental affair in the natural evolution. Allah Almighty has mentioned
the purpose of creation of Adam in the Holy Qur’an explicitly. The angels on the eternal day were much
wonderstruck and asking why a creation like man who will shed blood on the earth and will create all
sorts of disorder is being created. The Holy Qur’an says:
30. Behold, Thy Lord said to the
angels: "I will create a vicegerent on
earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place
therein one who will make mischief
therein and shed blood?- whilst we
do celebrate Thy praises and glorify
Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know
what ye know not."
[2:30]
Thus the concept of vicegerency is he first highest Islamic value. It is the root of all Islamic values.
Being the vicegerent of the Lord Almighty it is the responsibility of man that he should not show any
slackness in the matter of payment of rights of men. To discharge this responsibility, on the one side
whatever is there in the heavens and the earth has been made subdued before man so that he may
harness, control and use it for the welfare of mankind; and on the other side man has been inspired to
understand fully well as to what is right and what is wrong.
References:
1. "Minds unmade" – via The Economist.
2. Jones, p. ix.
3. Spooner, Brian (1994). "Dari, Farsi, and Tojiki". In Marashi, Mehdi (ed.). Persian Studies in North
America: Studies in Honor of Mohammad Ali Jazayery. Leiden: Brill. pp. 177–178. ISBN
9780936347356.
4. Spooner, Brian (2012). "Dari, Farsi, and Tojiki". In Schiffman, Harold (ed.). Language policy and
language conflict in Afghanistan and its neighbors: the changing politics of language choice. Leiden:
Brill. p. 94. ISBN 978-9004201453.
5.© Ontario International Development Agency. ISSN 1923-6654 (print), ISSN 1923-6662 (online).
Available at http://www.ssrn.com/link/OIDA-Intl-Journal-Sustainable Dev.html