Are Culture and Religion Mutually Exclusive? Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (3-part series)

What is the connection between religion and culture? What does Islam say about the place of culture in our lives? Do cultural norms conflict with religion, or do they have some sort of authority? And what do art, science, and history have to do with it all?

In this illuminating three-part series, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah debunks some of the most commonly perpetuated myths on the supposed clash of culture vs. religion.

We are experiencing a crisis of knowledge, he says. The Muslims historically all sought knowledge with vigour, and that was what solidified their identities. This led to the wealth of culture and civilization that they became famous for.

But how do we translate that identity into modern life? Watch now and find out!

Interested in learning more about Islamic thought and civilization? Sign up for Ustadh Ali Ataie’s course The Bible Through a Muslim Lens, offered completely free as per our commitment to Knowledge Without Barriers.

Resources for seekers on culture verses religion

• “The Revival of Faith Against Intolerance”, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah
• The Four Friends and Islamic History
• Be Aware of your Breaths – Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah
• Living the Arts – Sehar Shahzad by Seema Khan
• Shaykh Muhammad Emin Er – The Last Ottoman Scholar by Imam Khalil Abdur Rashid
• Qur’an Illumination: artist Unaiza Karim in conversation

Photo by Daniel Mennerich