DRASTIC EFFECTS OF WESTERN FAMILY LIFE ON PAKISTANI FAMILY SYSTEM AND ITS SOLUTION IN QUR’ANIC PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Dr. Bibi Alia  , Dr. Shams Ul Hussain Zaheer  , Dr. Zuha Qaisar  
Published: January 2023

Human beings are naturally social specie. They depend on each other, in day to day life. Such may be material necessities or simple moral support. Nevertheless, there is nothing stronger than family bound. Islam signifies the importance of family. Family is the foundation of human society. Islam believes families, to be at the heart of Muslim community. Allah created family life to keep society together. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married and remained in family system. Islam believes in collective life, which is not possible without family system. No one can deny that western world is strongly in clutches of premarital sex at is the early age of puberty, cohabitation in name of relationship, illegitimacy on kids, divorce is no more considered as bad, same sex marriage, encouraging old age homes and parent’s loss control of kids once get major. Kids are no more under the supervision of fatherhood. Families give stability, security, cooperation, love and support for each member of family, however, west has lost such values. Islam promotes to follow the commands of Almighty Allah, within the limits so prescribed. In contrary, no such limits for non-Muslims, hence, in the west, the citizen has the choice to lead life as per his/her ambition. It is not a secret that the British remained in subcontinent for a substantial period of time. They also introduced their cultural values including family life. It should not be out of sight that the cultural values and other traditions in respect of family life, has not vanished after their departure from the subcontinent. Another aspect in the issue is that due to the phenomena of globalization, the cultural amalgamation of the western life in our society has been very easy. We are living in the modern era, where the world has become global village. The distance of the world is no more than a click. Excess to modern technology has made the contact so easy that one can access any one in other corner of the world in seconds. Such contacts have made the amalgamation of the world culture. Joint family system has been the trademark of our society, however due to the introduction of Western family life through various moods, has changed that to individuality. It is also noticed that the drastic impacts of Western family life, also resulted in the increase of rate divorce in our society. Even, the homemade food has now been converted into the hoteling. It has not been a very far story, that when guest used to visit families in our society, there used to be proper arrangements before their arrivals, however these days due to the western Civilization introduction, converted on to home delivery services. The important question in the context is how to cope with the situation, to avoid negative impacts of Western family life and Civilization in our society. We being Muslims are governed by the Holy Quran and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Every aspect of life including family life is being prescribed, guided with details by Holy Quran and the Holy prophet (PBUH). We have no other alternative to avoid the negative impacts of the Western family life, but to adopt the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). We have to adopt the values that govern the life of a Muslim that being as husband, wife, father, son, daughter or any other member of the family. We have to make the youth to understand that the glory of this world and hereafter, go to follow the teachings of Islam. The social media, electronic and print media have to be scrutinized in such a way, so that to avoid its negative impacts on the youth. Serious measures are to be adopted to protect family values from the negative impacts of western culture.