Understanding Cultural Diversity: Islam as a Way of Life - Research Paper Example

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Such people point out 9/11 Trade Centre attack and 26/11 Mumbai attack as the examples to substantiate their arguments. Freedom of expression right is limited in Islamic countries. Moreover, Women in Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Afghanistan etc, are facing severe isolation and discrimination in public life. Amidst all the criticisms labeled against Islam, most of the people are ready to accept the fact that Islam is the only religion which is still preserving the traditions and customs while all the other religions diluted their beliefs and customs to make it suitable to the needs of the current civilized world. Islam is not ready to sacrifice its fundamental beliefs for the temporary benefits in this world. Life after death is the most important thing for Islamic believers whereas most of the people in other religions give more importance to life in this world. Because of the above differences in beliefs and customs with other religions, clashes between Islam and other religions are taking place across the world. This paper analyses Islam as a way of life and compares its belief structure with the beliefs and traditions of other religion. Islam as a Way of Life One of the major differences between Islam and other religions is with respect to the role of women in social life. “Islam believes that women are to be admired, not used for cigarette advertisements". At the same time “Koran says girls must stay home and that it is right to beat women if they disobey their husbands” ...
Islam likes to visualize people as humans rather than objects. At the same time, Islam never likes to treat both males and females in the same manner. Male domination is accepted everywhere in Islamic social life. According to the teachings of Koran, women deserve punishment if they disobey their husbands. Recently, the story of a teenage girl called Bibi Ayesha, aged only 18 came out from Afghanistan. “At the age of 18, Aisha had her nose and ears hacked off by her husband as a punishment for trying to flee the arranged marriage, before being dragged to a mountainside to die” (Brave Bibi the Time cover girl whose nose was cut off by the Taliban takes the New York subway, 2011). Ayesha got her nose back after some complex plastic surgery works in America because of the generosity of the Americans. The above incident helped the external world to know more about the depth of problems suffered by the female community in fundamental Islamic communities. On the other hand, such incidents are extremely rare either in Christian or Jew societies. Christian and Jew women are enjoying equality with males in almost the entire areas of their social life. Christian and Jew women can get education as much as they want, work in any professions they like, do any social activity they like, wear any clothes they like and drive vehicles. At the same time such things are restricted for the women in fundamental Islamic societies. Muslim males can keep more than one wife whereas Muslim women are not allowed to do so. In short, the treatments received by Muslim women in fundamental Islamic societies are pathetic compared to the treatment received by Christian or Jewish women in their societies. It is a fact that the objectification and commodification of women ...Download file to see next pagesRead More