Monday, November 12, 2007

Popular Culture of Islam and Muslims in South Asia


Many Muslims will ask: what is popular Islam? Islam is Islam, why divide it into popular and unpopular? Why confuse people?

Well, this blog tries to look at some popular cultural traditions associated with Islam found mostly in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh...).

Many Muslims will say: all those popular cultural traditions are actually biddats (innovations), and the real Islam has no place for them. Sooner or later, the pure Islam will pervade.

We (the promoter of this site), have no issue with the shariat (the codified Islam), but cannot also ignore the centuries old cultural traditions and colourful rituals found everywhere in Muslim societies. Let us look at some of these...