Contextualising Culture: A Crucial Responsibility for Muslim Leadership

Author: Muhammad Ziyad Batha

A Changing Landscape

In today’s Britain, Muslim communities are more diverse than ever – ethnically, generationally, and culturally. A single mosque may serve people from over a dozen nationalities, spanning various educational backgrounds, schools of Islamic thought, and degrees of religious literacy. Among them are new Muslims, lifelong British-born Muslims, and immigrants bringing deeply rooted traditions.

In such a context, religious leadership cannot afford to be static. It is no longer sufficient for imams to be classically trained alone – they must also be relevant, culturally fluent, and deeply attuned to the lived experiences of their congregations. Effective leadership requires more than transmission of knowledge; it demands empathy, insight, and contextual understanding.

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. (Qur’an 16:125)

When Context is Ignored

Too often, well-intentioned imams relay reminders, rulings, and practices inherited from respected institutions abroad – whether from Saudi Arabia, the Indian Subcontinent, or parts of Africa – without recognising that these rulings were shaped by specific cultural, legal, and social realities that may not apply here in the UK. While such fatwas may be valid in their original context, applying them without adaptation can overlook local realities, social dynamics, and the unique challenges British Muslims face.

Yes, culture must never override Shariah, and where cultural practices clearly contradict Islamic principles, they must be addressed. But not all cultural variation is un-Islamic. In fact, our tradition is rich with examples of how Islam flourished in different cultural environments all within the framework of Shariah. And when cultural reform is genuinely needed, it cannot be achieved overnight with a single fatwa. Cultural change is a process, and it requires trust, consistency, and an approach grounded in empathy and long-term vision.

Consider:

Women and the Mosque: A fatwa restricting women’s attendance at mosques may reflect a specific cultural context abroad. It may be argued that this is based upon a valid jurisprudential opinion, but the application of Islam, even within the traditional schools (madhāhib), ought to be (and has always been) shaped by the context of application. In the UK, where women are fully engaged in public life, denying them access to the mosque fosters disconnection and damages long-term spiritual development for them and their offspring.
Youth and Belonging: Activities like sports, discussion circles, and volunteering are essential means of engaging young people with the faith. Discouraging these in mosques due to interpretations of what a mosque should be risks losing the very generation we are trying to reach.
Overwhelming New Muslims: Reverts often find the mosque more confusing than welcoming, particularly when religious rulings are delivered with unfamiliar cultural assumptions or in rigid, absolute terms.

The Prophetic Model: Relevance with Integrity

The Quran states:
We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people, to make things clear to them… (Qur’an 14:4)

That “language” includes more than words. It speaks to shared cultural references, lived experiences, and a connection to people’s daily realities. If our da’wah and rulings do not reflect this, we risk pushing people away – especially women, youth, reverts, and second or third generation Muslims seeking guidance that resonates with their context.

Ibn Masʿūd reported:
The Prophet ﷺ used to take care to choose appropriate times to advise us, fearing that we might become bored. (Ṣaḥīh al-Bukhārī, 68)

Furthermore, in today’s Britain, the average Muslim does not navigate Islamic law by weighing the positions of various schools (madhāhib). Instead, they turn to the local imam they trust. This gives local scholars immense influence – not just as teachers, but as gatekeepers to the religion itself. If that “gate” feels rigid, dismissive, or culturally alienating, many will walk away.

This makes it critical for scholars and leaders to:

Be inclusive in tone and manner
Explain differences of opinion with contextual awareness
Apply principles of ease, flexibility, and unity – especially when dealing with cultural practices, personal challenges, or evolving social norms

The Prophet ﷺ said:
Indeed, this religion is ease, and no one makes it hard upon himself except that it overwhelms him. (Ṣaḥīh al-Bukhārī, 39)

The Cost of Failing to Contextualise

We are already seeing the consequences of neglecting cultural relevance:

Women feel unwelcome when mosques lack clean, accessible, and dignified spaces for them – even as they flourish in universities, workplaces, and public life.
Young people, raised in an open, inquiry-based education system, often find the mosque judgmental when their questions or doubts are met with shame rather than support.
Reverts feel isolated and confused in spaces that function like cultural enclaves, lacking mentorship, follow-up, or community integration.
Ethnic minorities within the Muslim community may feel marginalised when the mosque operates in only one language or cultural tradition. The implicit message becomes: “This isn’t your space.”

O mankind! Indeed, We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. (Qur’an 49:13)

The painful irony is this: Muslims in Britain often find welcome in gyms, universities, workplaces, and even interfaith centres — while feeling disconnected from their own mosques.

What Practical Contextualisation Looks Like

Welcoming Women: Create clean, safe, and dignified spaces for women to pray, learn, and contribute. Offer education, social events, mother’s circles, parenting workshops, and include women in decision-making about mosque programming for sisters.
Engaging Youth: Invest in youth programming that includes sports, discussion forums, mental health support, and community service. Assign mentors who understand youth culture and can communicate Islamic values in relatable ways.
Supporting Reverts: Develop reverts’ circles, buddy systems, and social events that ease the transition into Muslim life. Avoid overwhelming them with cultural baggage disguised as religious obligation.
Respecting Diversity: Provide translations or summaries in multiple languages. Appoint diverse leadership and ensure the mosque feels like a shared spiritual home for all backgrounds.
Using Fatwas Wisely: Consult local scholarly councils who understand the UK context. When quoting international rulings, explain their original context and clarify how (or whether) they apply in the local setting.

Conclusion: Raising the Standard

Contextualisation is not compromise — it is responsibility. It is not about diluting our faith, but delivering it with wisdom, clarity, and compassion just as the Prophet ﷺ did.

In today’s Britain, the imam is more than a prayer lead. He is a bridge between Islam and society – a shepherd who must guide his community through complexity without alienating them. That role demands emotional intelligence, cultural awareness, and a deep knowledge of the people being served.

Let us raise the standard – for our leaders, our institutions, and for the generations to come.

Sheikh Muhammad Ziyad Batha is a graduate of Darul Uloom Leicster, Qualified in the Sciences of Quran, with licenses in the 10 modes of recitation, ʿĀlimiyyah (Islamic scholarship), and other related fields. He also attained an MA in Islamic Studies from SOAS University, London and is currently completing his Phd with the Islamic University of Minnesota.