“A Critical Research Analysis of the Importance of Customs and Traditions in a Religious Society in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah”

The central argument of this paper is that customs and social practices are indispensable to Islamic society because they enable religion to assume a living social and cultural form. Over the past two centuries, certain reformist circles have regarded the elimination of customary practices as an objective of religious reform. This approach has weakened particular customs and the social structures through which faith was transmitted across generations, collective memory was preserved, and religious life was sustained. The Islamic legal concept of *ʿurf* recognizes that revealed guidance is manifested within social contexts. Customs associated with family, neighborhood, communal gatherings, festivals, and different stages of life enable religion to become a lived way of life. Sociology and anthropology likewise regard customs as means of expressing values, preserving collective memory, strengthening relationships.
This paper challenges the assumption that inherited customs are inherently irrational or worthy of elimination. Although customs may contain ignorance, excess, coercion, or other undesirable practices, genuine reform requires addressing these deficiencies rather than abolishing the practices themselves. Modern education, publications, conferences, and digital media facilitate knowledge transmission, but they cannot replace the lived experience of family and communal participation. Therefore, inherited customs should not be considered inherently suspect. Those seeking to prohibit a particular custom should demonstrate its conflict with a clear Islamic principle. The mere absence of a practice during the formative period of Islam is insufficient to establish its illegitimacy. Preserving sound customs is essential for restoring religious vitality, collective consciousness, and intergenerational continuity in Muslim societies.