Another aspect of culture is language since it is a tool for communication and without it, culture cannot be transmitted to the next generation. Since I was raised bilingual – I was taught both Arabic and English throughout my schooling and I was taught Urdu and Hindi from the age of 3. Since I had to learn so many languages from a young age it made it harder for me to differentiate one from another, especially between Urdu, Hindi and Arabic. Moreover, I would end up translating from one language to another in my head which in most cases didn’t make sense. I still have a hard time with languages since I was taught British English throughout my schooling which is quite different from American English in terms of phrases, spellings, humor, etc.
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I was raised a Muslim, but by the age of 18 I had the right to choose my own religion or follow the one I was raised in. I think I believe in the functionalist perspective of religion since I think religion answers several questions, helps people become more patient and tolerant, for instance, faith in an afterlife or being reincarnated and God providing justice by punishing the wrongdoers etc. helps people become better human beings. The functionalist theory states that, “religion serves several functions in society. Religion, in fact, depends on society for its existence, value, and significance, and vice versa. From this perspective, religion serves several purposes, like providing answers to spiritual mysteries, offering emotional comfort, and creating a place for social interaction and social control” (Introduction 345). Moreover, I chose to be a Muslim not because my family is one, but because I truly had faith in it. In terms of religious beliefs, Islam is a monotheistic religion, i.e. Muslims believe that there is only one God. I think being religious and following any other mainstream religion sincerely can make a positive impact on a person, since most religions try to bring out the good in people, make them more patient, honest, kind and optimistic. My first religious experience was when I was 8 and I traveled to Mecca, a city where Muslims perform their pilgrimage. Experiencing a gathering of thousands of people, all in one place, truly praying, asking for forgiveness, trying to become a better person by having a connection with God, brought me closer to my religion and strengthened my faith. Furthermore, one of the most important religious rituals that Muslims are required to perform includes, praying 5 times a day in a set pattern and time of day. According to Islam, we are required to give charity to those who are in need and since
I was raised a Muslim, but by the age of 18 I had the right to choose my own religion or follow the one I was raised in. I think I believe in the functionalist perspective of religion since I think religion answers several questions, helps people become more patient and tolerant, for instance, faith in an afterlife or being reincarnated and God providing justice by punishing the wrongdoers etc. helps people become better human beings. The functionalist theory states that, “religion serves several functions in society. Religion, in fact, depends on society for its existence, value, and significance, and vice versa. From this perspective, religion serves several purposes, like providing answers to spiritual mysteries, offering emotional comfort, and creating a place for social interaction and social control” (Introduction 345). Moreover, I chose to be a Muslim not because my family is one, but because I truly had faith in it. In terms of religious beliefs, Islam is a monotheistic religion, i.e. Muslims believe that there is only one God. I think being religious and following any other mainstream religion sincerely can make a positive impact on a person, since most religions try to bring out the good in people, make them more patient, honest, kind and optimistic. My first religious experience was when I was 8 and I traveled to Mecca, a city where Muslims perform their pilgrimage. Experiencing a gathering of thousands of people, all in one place, truly praying, asking for forgiveness, trying to become a better person by having a connection with God, brought me closer to my religion and strengthened my faith. Furthermore, one of the most important religious rituals that Muslims are required to perform includes, praying 5 times a day in a set pattern and time of day. According to Islam, we are required to give charity to those who are in need and since