Changing Core Islamic Values to Suit the

We have a problem because throughout later (Islamic history) we had many feuds particularly between Abbasids vs Ummayads. In Andalus they went out of their way to distinguish themselves from (the other Caliphate) in dress etc.

Islam permits following the culture (with conditions) and the unique traits of various cultures (India, Afghanistan, Russia etc) have evolved due to this permissability.

I fully understand where you are coming from but it will be intelectually very challenging to stop the wave of following Western Culture (unless it is Haram). From a Fiqh point of view on matters which are Mub'ah how do we discourage this OR should we discourage it?

• Was segegration only eastern culture?
  
• Is there nothing from the sunnah and the 4 madhabs that encourages segegration?
  
• are the reformists correct to have abandoned it in the west as it is not western culture to have segegration?
  
• When there is no segegration what about zina of the eyes and ears?
  
• What are the established opinions of the 4 madhabs?
  
• Why are people picking and choosing opinions if the established opinon of their madhab is that segegration is a must?
  
• How can this be justified in going against the core islamic values and ethos of haya and ghayra?
  

• western style clothing, tight or revealing like when men go into sajda their backsides become bare (this is all to common now)
  
• Western style Gluttony and upper/rich class eating habits and fussiness about cooking and foods. Are there no eating habits and principles in Islam?
  
• Niqab is heavily being touted as nothing more than an eastern cultural thing and not part of Islam.
  
• Is the islamic system of amir and mashwara only an eastern cultural thing and organisations are now adopting the western cultural voting systems, barely considering the capability of the individuals?
  
• colourful hijabs and clothing - sure they may be permissable - but are they appropriate, especailly the way women have turned their clothes styles and hijabs into adorments rather than as a hijab.
  
• constantly trying to be funny and coming out with witty remarks. What is the sunnah with regards to balancing being funny and serious, between laughter and smiling. We see Muslims are always, in imitation of western culture trying to constantly be funny in almost every paragraph they come out with, laughing loud and make others laugh. If someone laughs along with them they feel successfull.
  

Your conversation started with cultural practises but it is quickly going in the direction of impermissable. Christmas stuff (with due respect to Darul-Bury) and Musical instruments are impermissable...Former has nothing to do with culture but associated with a religion and later is explicitly forbidden. Both are not specific to any culture.

Segregation is an interesting topic because many Ulama deem it to be cultural and our Ulama havn't made their case properly to convince anyone. I rely on Jamaat-e-Islami, Tanzeem, Salafi material to convince people that it is from Qur'aan and Sunnah. IERA and other organisations are getting clever at this and they designate Guests to be seated in a certain way without dictating it but increasingly it is on the decline so I share your concern.

[QUOTE=Ryder]Your statement of "unless it is haraam" is very interesting. Does this mean we should be sympathetic towards and accomadating of fringe opinons that allow permissability of certain things.[/quote]

When something is permissable (or Mubah) what is the question of sympathetic versus unsympathetic? It is Mubah and Shariah has given the rights to the person to choose to cary out this action or not (for that matter), its not upto me or you to dictate.