What are the guidelines for Muslim youth when they are faced with

situations where shariah law is not in sync with their cultural

practice?

Before answering this question I would like to enlighten you with a brief
explanation of shariah law which has been discussed in detail before. Shariah law
in the simplest words is the collection of Islamic laws and practices supported
mainly by Quran and Hadis. It is often strongly criticized by western nations for
being a violation of human rights. An example of successful implementation of
shariah law is the reign of Hazrat Umar (R.A). Hazrat Umar’s reign can
undoubtedly be called the most advanced and civilized settlement of his time. He
was the one to start the police system and he provided financial support to the
weak so they do not sleep hungry and to keep the crime rate low. He also provided
funds to his people to support them to build a house for their shelter. Everyone
Muslims and non-muslims were happy with his tenure. The punishment for theft
was chopping the hands off which set an example for others. Only one was
punished but thousands got the message which significantly contributed in low
crime rates. But even shariah law has a few exceptions. For example during the
time of Hazrat Umar a drought came and people suffered from hunger and poverty
and as it is the human nature to do anything for survival, poor people may have
opted for theft. Therefore the punishment of theft was relaxed during the period of
drought. Thus it is proved that shariah law is not inhumane in fact one of the basic
reasons of the development of shariah law was to protect human dignity. How can
a law a made for such noble purposes can be called inhumane and a violation to
human rights when the law itself protects it?

Now moving on to the question, Muslim youth should be aware of the laws of
shariah even if it is not the law of their state. For example it is legal in Europe to
drink alcohol but a Muslim should keep the shariah in mind and live his life
according to that. Other than this everything which is prohibited in shariah but
permitted in the constitution of the state should be avoided. They must keep in
mind that the shariah laws are only compulsory for Muslims and should not be
forcefully or violently enforced on the non-Muslims. A Muslim’s habits should be
such that non-muslims get influenced by it with their heart and not with the fear of
violence. Islam is more of a way of life than it is a religion. Therefore it should be
followed regardless of the culture you follow. As a Muslim your religion is more
important to you than your culture.