What is the definition of culture, and what is the difference between it and civilization?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Civilization (al-hadarah) is derived from "al-hadir" (present, settled), as opposed to "al-badi" (nomadic, rural). It refers to cities, villages, and rural areas. Malik Bennabi defines it as everything a society provides for its members in terms of educational means, security guarantees, and essential rights, representing various forms of assistance that a civilized society offers to the individual. Thus, culture is a part of civilization, and civilization is more comprehensive than culture.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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