Hey guys. I’m putting this up because there’s something that’s been on my mind.

Being Muslim, I was aware a few practices in my religion. However, there are some differences between Muslims within each country. Culture is different yes, and I’ve noticed it has different effects.

For instance, I remember my old Arabic professor, who’s Moroccan, mentioned that a few people in his country go to the graves of sheiks (elders) to ask for something better in their life instead of asking Allah. That kind of thing isn’t allowed, since Islam is mainly worshiping Allah alone (at least in Sunni Islam, which I follow). However, it is part of the culture.

Here’s another thing. A few years ago, I visited a small church (which denomination, I’m not sure) on Sunday for an assignment. I was supposed to note what I saw and how religion is interpreted. While I was there, I found that religion was seen more as patriotism. The priest often cited verses of the Bible and related it to American nationality (e.g. the bald eagle). That could be more of a political influence than cultural, but I’m not completely sure and I wanted to put this up to see what you guys think.

Does anyone know this kind of thing with other religions? I’m not trying to cause any flame wars or arguments. It’s just something I’ve been curious about. Thanks.

-W.S.

4539812 I can think of one example in the Mormon church. We generally strongly advise against tattoos of any sort or size, but there are some cultures where tribal tattoos are applied at certain points in their lives. These people are not so discouraged, as the tattoos themselves are seen as a sort of reverence. Please don't ask for further details; I heard about this secondhand.

There are always cultural differences that affect every aspect of life. Some are positive, like how "Utah Mormons" push themselves to live even higher standards, and some are negative, like how "Utah Mormons" see themselves as superior and view the rest of the world as "the mission field".

4539812 Religion always gets corrupted with time. It's best to just go to the source (the holy book) if you wish to be a true Muslim.