Respecting cultural differences between Muslims

Khutbah: Respecting Cultural Differences Between Muslims

By Arshad Gamiet

 

 “A-ūthubillāhi minash shayṭānir rajīm. Bismillāhir Rahmānir Rahīm

 

Alhamdu lil Lāhi nahmaduhū wanasta’īnahū, wanastagh;-firuhū, wanatūbu ilayhi, wana’ūthu Billāhi min shurūri an-fusinā, wamin sayyi āti a’mālinā. May- Yahdil-lahū fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falantajidā lahū walīyan murshidā. Wa ash-hadu an Lā-ilāha ill-Allāh, wahdahū lā sharīkalah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhū warasūluh”

 

All Praise is due to Allāh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds. Anyone who is guided by Allāh is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him. I bear witness that there is no All but Allāh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad ﷺ, peace and blessings on him, is His servant, and His messenger.

 

Bismillāhir Raḥmānir Raḥīm! Yā Ay-yuhal-lathīna ‘āmanut taqul-lāha, ḥaqqa tuqātihī walātamū tun-na, il-lā wa-antum Muslimūn.”

 

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allāh, with correct awareness, an awe-inspired awareness, and die not except as Muslims.

 

“Yā Ay-yuhal-lathīna āmanut taqul-lāha, waqūlū qawlan sadīdā. Yuslih-lakum a’mālakum wayaghfir lakum thunūbakum, wamay yu’-til-lāha waRasūlahū, faqad fāza fawzan athīmā.”

 

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allāh, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allāh and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

 

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allāh says:

 

“O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Be conscious of Allāh, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allāh always watches over you.”

My dear respected  brothers and sisters,

 

All around the world, from the vast, snowy steppes of Central Asia to the tropical islands of the Pacific, from the bustling cities of Africa to the quiet villages of Scandinavia, you will find Muslims bowing their heads in prayer, reciting the same Qur’an, facing the same Qiblah, and worshipping the same Lord — Allah, the One, Unique,  Merciful Lord and Sustainer of all creation.

 

And yet, we come in so many colours, languages, foods, dress, and traditions. Some eat with their hands, others eat with spoons. Some wear kufis, others wear turbans, some wear none at all. Some raise their hands before ruku‘, others do not. Some follow one madhhab, others another. And sadly, some argue about these differences as if they are divisions.

But these differences are not a problem. They are a gift from Allah.

Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Yā ayyuhā an-nāsu innā khalaqnākum min dhakarin wa unthā, wa ja‘alnākum shu‘ūban wa qabā’ila li-ta‘ārafū. Inna akramakum ‘inda Allāhi atqākum…”

“O mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may come to know one another. Verily, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.”

[Surah al-Hujurat 49:13]

 

This verse is not just about race. It is about culture, it’s about language, tradition, and identity. Allah did not say “so that you may despise one another” or “argue with one another.” He said “li-ta‘ārafū” – so that you may come to know one another.

 

It is ta‘āruf, not tanāzur (which means conflict). Coming to know, respect, appreciate and love one another: that is the divine purpose of our diversity.

Our beloved  Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself celebrated this diversity. He never forced his culture on others. When people embraced Islam, he welcomed them as they were — so long as their culture did not contradict the principles of Islam.

 

He did not ask Bilal to become Arab. He did not ask Salman al-Farsi to abandon his Persian roots. Nor did he ask Suhayb the Roman to change his Roman ways. He welcomed them, honoured them, and learned from them.

 

Let us reflect on this: If the Messenger of Allah ﷺ embraced people from Africa, Persia, Rome, and Yemen, why then do we sometimes frown when a fellow Muslim prays slightly differently from us?

 

Brothers and sisters, Islam is not owned by any one culture. It is not Arab, or Asian, or African, or European — it is universal.

 

Islam is like a river that flows across the world, and in every land that it touches, it reflects the colour of that soil, the language of those hearts, and the flavour of that community — while its essence, its water, remains pure.

“Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalamīn. Was-salātu was-salāmu alaa Khairil mursalīn. Muhammadin-nabīy-yil Ummiy-yī, wa-‘alā ālihī, wasah-bihī, aj-ma’īn.

 

Ammā ba’ad:

 

“Innalláha wa malāikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal lathīna ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas līma. Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa alā áli Muhammad, kamā salayta alā Ibrahim, wa alā ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik alā Muhammad, kamā barakta alā Ibrahim, wa alā āli ibrahim. Fil ála mīn, innaka hamīdun majīd.”

 

(Second Khutbah):

 

“Soob’ hānallahi wal hamdu lillāh, walā hawla walā quwwata illāh billāh yu althi yual thīm”

Glory to Allah!  Praise to Allah! There is no power and no strength except from Allah

 

Alhamdulillah, all praise is due to Allah, who hears the whispers of our hearts and responds to the cries of those who are broken.

Dear brothers and sisters, in our communities today, especially in the West, our mosques are filled with people from every corner of the world. This is a blessing, not a burden.

But sadly, we still hear whispers of cultural superiority, of ethnic division, even within the House of Allah.

We must return to the prophetic character — one of humility, respect, and openness.

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said:

“He is not of us who calls to tribalism (ʿaṣabiyyah), or fights for tribalism, or dies for tribalism.”

[Abu Dawood]

 

This ʿaṣabiyyah — this idea of my people are better than yours — is not just about tribes. Today, it’s also about culture, language, customs. But this is not of the true believing Muslims. This is not the way of Islam.

The Prophet ﷺ once said in his final sermon:

“All mankind is from Adam, and Adam was created from dust. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab… except by taqwa.”

What counts in the sight of Allah is not your language, your dress, or your food — but your taqwā: your careful, awe-inspired awareness of Allah.

 

So let us be gentle with one another. Let us educate, not criticise. Let us unite, not divide.

 

If someone prays differently, do not scold them — ask, learn, understand. If someone’s food or dress is unfamiliar, be curious, not judgmental. Celebrate our diversity — it is like the fingerprint of Allah on this Ummah.

 

And let us teach our children not just to tolerate, but to love the diversity of our Ummah. For in that love lies the secret to unity.

 

“Wa‘taṣimū bi-ḥablillāhi jamī‘an wa lā tafarraqū…”

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah, all together, and do not become divided.”

[Surah Al Imran 3:103]

Let us hold fast to this rope — together.

May Allah cleanse our hearts of arrogance and prejudice.

May He increase our understanding and compassion.

And may He unite our hearts as one Ummah, rich in its diversity, strong in its faith, and shining with mercy.

 

Āmeen.

Closing Du‘a

 

اللَّهُمَّ أَلِّفْ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِنَا، وَأَصْلِحْ ذَاتَ بَيْنِنَا، وَاهْدِنَا سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ، وَنَجِّنَا مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ، وَجَنِّبْنَا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ

 

O Allah, unite our hearts, mend our divisions, guide us to the paths of peace, take us out of darkness into light, and protect us from all forms of indecency — both outward and hidden.

 

Ameen Aqeemus Salaah