One world, one culture?

"Grandma's stories, eaten up by globalization"

I was reading that article, and the thought of that there is no good place to live in is growing stronger and stronger.

First, in relative to that article, it is true. Cultures have been so vague, lacking uniqueness and flavor! It seems kids around the world are growing up on the same culture, same TV, same school types, even families have been loosing it in the middle of this chaos.

Few days ago, this conversation about the best place to live, islamically speaking, came up. The conclusion was that there is no such a place now, and in a weird way all places fall in the same level of badness with different challenges of living in each place. Even though, I had this conversation with a 'salafy' brother, which in a way or another sees the whole world as a big wrong thing, but I went a long with him, because it is true to some extent; there is no such a place.

That is all said, a real muslim family should not have this problem of lacking culture. Why? Becuase our culture is not defined by a place or time. Our culture is not defined by specific activities. I am not sure what is the definition of a culture, but the way I see it is that our culture is derived from our history and the Islamic civilization, at its best and its worst, since we can learn as much from both states.

The beauty of islam as I see it is that most often Islam outlines the concept behind something, rather an outline of how it will look. Does that make sense? Ok .. for example, in advertising, they decide that we want to deliver this product as being so cool, then the build a campaign around that concept. This campaign can look so many different ways, however, they are not totally free to choose which one. Because there are few restrictions which are regulations and business ethics. I think it is the same with Islam in many things. Islam gives us the outline, and those few restrictions, then it doesn't matter how it looks as long as it's honest to those concepts and restrictions.

Ok back to culture. In this time, where the culture is like a floating ambiguous thing, we can resort to the stories, at least, in our history. I see it as the simplest thing, and the least thing a muslim can do to fight and save his identity. Subahana allah, from the prophet pbuh life only there is enough to carry us through out our whole life all the way to Jannah.

For my kids, I will be telling them bed time stories and stories about the prophet pbuh and companions, all the time. Prolly, I will be cheating and reading the story every day before telling it to them, but oh well : )) As where my kids will grow up, Allahu 2a3lam! My bro thinks I'm never leaving this country. He is wrong; I will be riding the first flight out of this country once I have the right conditions and situation. Where to? I have no clue. May be travel the world, before settling down in some private island that we own (of course, we will be very very rich by then! though I may need to sell coupla planes to buy that island : P)

It is tough nowadays, but hey, when was it not! The right thing is always accompanied with some hardship of some sort. In that we are tested.

Ya, you might think that I don't have a sense of home. True, I dont. I am just in this world on transient ... "Life's Motel"
Also, subhanna allah ... the thought that every Muslim is asked to do Hajj, once he/she can, is amazing. Also, looking at Umra from this perspective, it is amazing. It is like we are all immigrants and foreigners and go home to rejuvenate ourselves! subhana allah

Home is Jannah .. and we will be moving there eventually, isA.