Muslim Religiosity in a Challenging Secular State of Singapore
Abstract
This article aims to examine the religiosity of Muslim minority living in a Singapore secular state. This survey research draws on Stark and Glock‘s model of multidimensional religiosity while accommodating specific characteristics of Islamic piety in framing the religiosity. From 482 Singaporean Muslims participated in this survey, this study found that the majority of Singaporean Muslims are quite religious. The finding indicates that religion is a core of their identity and a significant component of their life in spite of living in a secular state. This study argues that Muslim’s religious commitment can coexist within a secular framework due to Singapore secularism’s unique nature. Similarly, it also asserts that Singaporean Muslims negotiate a prudent balance between their civil responsibilities as Singaporeans and their religious obligations as Muslims. This study implies that secularism is multifaceted in relation to different cultural, political milieus, and different religions. Thus, secularism should not always be crudely viewed as categorical resistance against religion.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v9i2.8026
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