He wore robes because he lived in a desert
He rode camels because they were available
He ate dates because they grew around him
He used Arabic because it was his mother tongue
He covered his head because the sun demanded it.
He used miswak because toothbrushes hadn’t been invented.
He used kohl (surma) because it was a protection against desert sun and sand.
The desert terrain was hot, rough, and full of dust, dirt, and animal waste. He wore his lower garments above the ankles for hygiene, mobility, and durability, not as a divine dress code.
These were tools of his time, not eternal truths
But somehow today, we turn them into markers of piety as if Islam is a costume, not a conscience. Following the Prophet’s Arabian culture is NOT Sunnah.
No my dear Muslim friends. No.
A Muslim in a white thawb is seen as more religious than one in dhoti or any traditional dress
A woman in black abaya is called modest, but one in a saree or jeans with dignity is questioned
A child who learns Arabic alphabets is praised — even if he doesn’t understand them, but a child who reads Quran in Hindi is advised to learn how to read in Arabic.
What are we preserving – faith or performance?
We live in India. Not in tribal Quraysh.Not in the sands of Najd.
But in a country of poetry, diversity, art, and ancient spirituality. We live among Sikhs who believe in service, Hindus who light lamps for love, Jains who preach nonviolence, and Buddhists who renounce hatred.
And instead of growing with that beauty – we fear becoming “less Muslim” or if we smile during Holi, or greet a neighbour on Diwali, or say – merry Christmas, or light a diya in remembrance, or visit a Gurdwara to pay respect.
Why is your Islam so weak it breaks with kindness?
The Prophet taught mercy, truth, and wisdom.Not brand loyalty to the Arabian Peninsula.
If Islam was meant to be Arab-only, it would’ve stayed there. But it travelled. It adapted.
It bloomed in Persia, Africa, Indonesia, and yes even India.
So why are we now trying to reverse it into cultural regression, when the message was meant to transcend culture?
You can be deeply Muslim and proudly Indian.
You can pray in Arabic and speak in Tamil, Hindi, English, Sanskrit. You can use Chandan, Jasmine, not Oudh necessarily
You can fast in Ramadan and share sweets on Diwali.
You can follow the Sunnah and wear a saree.
You can love the Quran and still find peace in Kabir’s dohas, in Rahim’s couplets, in Amir Khusrau’s verses
You follow Muhammad and still love Guru Nanak. You can listen to Hadith and still listen to Ramayana or read Guru Granth Sahib.
This isn’t syncretism. This is the soul of Indian Islam – a soul that once healed, harmonized, and humbled. Islam doesn’t demand imitation. It demands intention.
You have made culture your qibla, not truth. The Prophet didn’t teach us to erase our identity
He taught us to elevate it with integrity, not imitation.
So yes – you can be deeply Muslim and unapologetically Indian. You are still stronger because you allow your faith to coexist with diversity – the beauty of our country!!
Posted by Munaz Anjum on his Facebook