Muslim Religiosity Research Articles

Islam and ethnic tolerance: assessing Kyrgyz’ Muslim religiosity and acceptance of Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan

ABSTRACT Using a national opinion survey conducted in 2009 in Kyrgyzstan, we focused on responses from ethnic Kyrgyz respondents in the south where major riots between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks occurred in 1990 and 2010. We performed latent class analyses on these responses to assign Kyrgyz into Muslim religiosity categories and construct a social distance scale to measure Kyrgyz’ levels of acceptance of Uzbeks living in Kyrgyzstan. We discovered that, in spite of ongoing unresolved interethnic grievances in the south, Kyrgyz who were members of the highly active Muslim religiosity category exhibited a significantly higher probability for accepting the closest relations (kin through marriage) with Uzbeks than Kyrgyz who were members of the non-religious category. Because other researchers indicated that religion did not play any role in causing the riots in 2010, we believe that Muslim religiosity could potentially play a role in developing beneficial relations between these ethnic groups.

Everyday Lived Islam among Hazara Migrants in Scotland: Intersectionality, Agency, and Individualisation

The mainstream literature on the religiosity of Muslims in Europe often homogenises this diverse minority. This article diverges by focusing on a less visible ethno-religious minority within the Muslim population, specifically examining how Hazara Shia Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, resettled in the UK, live and organise Islam in everyday contexts. Addressing this gap, the research highlights the intersectionality of religion, ethnicity, and migration in reconfiguring religious practice. Grounded in the intersectional and lived religion approaches, this study contends that the religiosity of this Muslim minority undergoes a dynamic shift entwined with agency and adaptation in the new secular and plural context, becoming more individualised, privatised, and elective. Employing an ethnographic design, data are collected through semi-structured and key informant interviews, as well as participant observation, over 18 months of fieldwork across various council areas in Scotland. The findings illustrate reconfiguration, adaptation, and innovation in everyday Islam among this intersectional Muslim minority, identifying three main themes: the adaptation and reconfiguration of religious practices and rituals, the renegotiation of authoritative sources, and the navigation of intersectional identities and belonging since resettlement in the UK.

Training of Imams, Murshidat and Muslim Religious Leaders: Experiences and Open Questions—An Overview of Italy

Muslims in Italy are an increasingly large and relevant part of the social fabric, although their social condition is still characterized by a “precarious” status. This is explained by a relationship with State institutions that is not yet fully defined in formal terms and by resistance to legitimizing their presence in the public space. In addition, international events have led to the spread of a securitarian political rhetoric and to the intensification of “control” devices on the organized forms and public manifestations of Muslim religiosity. One issue that has concerned political interlocutors has been the training of “imams”. This paper presents the Italian case of training “on” and “of” Islam, analyzing it as a contested field, albeit in a not open and hostile form, between the different social and institutional actors, that is Italian universities, Islamic organizations and transnational Islam and Islam “of the States”. It then analyzes the approach that has been developed and experimented by an Italian State university for the training of imams and murshidat, in collaboration with Italian Islamic organizations and some universities in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries, and it also discusses how it fits in as a possible innovative model among the various “assemblages” that have emerged in Europe in recent years.

Allah’s House to Domes of Secularism: Minoritization of Muslims in India

Disputes around the Babri masjid have been crucial for understanding the Muslim subject position in India, also because mosques are public expressions of Muslimness. I read the legal proceedings of the Babri masjid dispute leading to the Supreme Court’s controversial judgment in 2019, tracing the life of Babri masjid unfolding as a mosque, a disputed site and, finally, a Hindu temple. Focusing on the theological and secular claims of Hindu and Muslim litigants, I look at the differential approach to belief and historical claims within the legal adjudication. I especially analyse two strategies, disruption and description, that significantly led to the changes in the attributes of the mosque. Comparing the Babri dispute with the case of the Malappuram mosque dispute in the eighteenth century, this article analyses theological claims on a mosque, asking the question why the Muslim narrative shifted from one rooted in religious reverence, Allah’s house, to one anchored in secular symbolism, the domes of secularism? It would discreetly give an idea of the practice of secularism in India which, as different scholars contend, systematically erases Muslim religiosity from the public space. I suggest reading the anchoring of Muslim claims in secularism as pointing to the crucial changes in the Muslim subject position that is decisively framed through excessive powers of the modern nation-state.

The connection between religiosity and psychological stability among Muslims in Russian megacities

The article presents the results of an analysis of the relationship between external and internal religiosity, religious practice and psychological stability among Muslims living in Russian megacities. The study involved 87 respondents: 12 men and 75 women aged from 16 to 70 years. To determine the level of external and internal religiosity, the Mussarat Jaben Khan scale of Muslim religiosity was used (Khan, 2014). To measure psychological stability, the method of diagnosing “The dominant state” of L.V. Kulikov was used. Kulikov in a shortened version (DS-6) (Kulikov, 2003), the respondents’ attitude towards religious practice was assessed by the author’s questionnaire. Analysis of the study results confirmed our hypothesis that the level of religiosity, both external and internal, is associated with various aspects of psychological stability. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between internal religiosity and such scales of the dominant psychological state as “stability of emotional tone”, “calmness”, “high tone”, and a negative relationship with the scale “active attitude to life situation”. And also the results of the study showed that the connection between external religiosity and the scales of the dominant psychological state is not significant in any of the cases, except for the negative connection with the “stability of emotional tone” scale. This generally indicates that for Muslims living in Russian megacities and who took part in the study, internal religiosity is a significant factor in increasing psychological stability.

Religiosity-based behavioral study, Islamic finance users’ approach and selection standard: empirical evidence from Pakistan

Purpose Considering the speedy growth of Islamic finance and limited research work on Muslim behavior regarding Islamic Banking, this study aims to investigate to comprehend the stimulus of religiosity on customer’s behavior. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model is developed on existing literature. The key dimensions of religiosity in the model include practice, knowledge, experience and consequences to capture the whole religiosity of customers. Model of the study investigates the impact of customer’s religiosity on their behavior in decision-making about selection of Islamic bank. Analysis of the study is based on the sample of 370 customers of Islamic banks from District Nowshera Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The data for the study collected through random sampling by a comprehensive survey questionnaire. Binary logistic model is used to test the data for statistical analysis. Findings The key findings of the study suggest that religiosity influence customer behavior positively in decision-making regarding Islamic finance. Service standards of Islamic banking has also significant impact on customer perception, while the financial education of the customers has insignificant impact on customer behavior. Research limitations/implications This study mainly focused on the curiosity of the customer religious commitment, so religiosity is a vast phenomenon; there are deep sections in each dimension of religiosity, so further study is suggested for the comprehensive capture of each dimension of religiosity. Practical implications The results of the study have a great importance for the managers of Islamic finance industry to identify and detect the potential customers and divide the target market of banking industry on the base of religiosity. Furthermore, the study may bring significant managerial suggestions for marketing planners and can help them in market segmentation strategies. Originality/value The study examined the association between Muslim religiosity and Islamic banking customer’s selection behavior. This study spread the understanding of religiosity and its impact on Islamic banking customer’s behavior. Furthermore, the study is valuable to discover the level to which religiosity determines the inclinations of customers. This study helps marketing practitioners and researchers to grow their knowledge about customer’s motives in terms of religious commitment.

Is the degree of religiosity related to community belonging and trust in society? A cross-sectional study among Muslims in Norway

IntroductionIt is unclear if the degree of religiosity within Muslim minority groups causes health inequality because of poor community belonging and lack of trust in society. We aimed to investigate the association of the degree of Muslim religiosity with community belonging and trust in society, including general trust and trust in political authorities, political power, media and monarchy. MethodsThis study had a cross-sectional design, including a random sample of 1129 men and women aged 18–85 years, originating from Muslim countries and currently living in Norway. Data were retrieved from the Norwegian Central Population Register. ResultsIn logistic regression analyses, adjusted for confounders, the degree of Muslim religiosity was not associated with general trust (crude odds ratio [OR] = 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91–1.10; p = 0.90) or trust in political authorities (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.87–1.06; p = 0.40) and monarchy (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84–1.00; p = 0.08). However, the degree of Muslim religiosity showed a negative association with trust in political power (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.83–1.00; p = 0.04) and media (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73–0.87; p < 0.01), whereas there was a positive association with community belonging (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.21; p = 0.03). ConclusionA higher degree of Muslim religiosity, compared with lower, was not a barrier to trust in society or community belonging among Muslims in Norway. Hence, these findings support the use of culturally sensitive health interventions involving Muslim religiosity in reaching out to Muslim communities. Considering the negative association of the degree of Muslim religiosity with trust in political power and media, the involvement of politicians and political symbols or the use of traditional media in public health communication with this minority group should be pursued with caution.

Religiosity of Rular Muslim Communities (Study of The Role Darul Qudwah Fondation in Penusupan, Tegal)

The study was intended to analyze the role of the Darul Qudwah Foundation in updating rural Muslim religiosity, especially in the village of Penusupan. The issue regarding religious edification is interesting to consider because changing people's behavior is a condition that is expected of most people, especially rural Muslims. Nevertheless, the reality is that not all villagers will readily accept the cultivation that will lead to good, especially in communities that still have a disease of the heart and trust in the occult. This type of research is a descriptive qualitative with a phenomenon approach. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews and documentation. Research shows the role of the Darul Qudwah Foundation as an enabler, which is the creation of Taklim's council and Islamic faith facilities. The broker is the broker of civil conflict between religious and otherwise. The expert on relationships and making a point of gratitude. The agent of development is a change in people's behavior through the gift of granaries, a tolerance program.

Religious migrant women as builders of the new ummah in the Netherlands: A belonging path for Muslims?

This article examines the relationship between Islam and migrant Turkish and Syrian women living in the Netherlands and their patterns of belonging, while also questioning the dynamics of identity. It reveals that religious Muslim migrants tend to exhibit their Islamic identity as a salient identity with self-representation of being Muslims. This is seen through the new ummah concept and their demands for a Sharia Council. This new definition of the ummah is discussed in terms of the sense of belonging it brings, asserting that religion cannot always function as a means of resistance, in that the religiosity of Muslims in the Netherlands is not an attempt to exclude themselves from the system, but rather a means by which they can be part of it. The article reveals that the new definition of the ummah is highly driven by migrant religious women in the Netherlands, who resist both the traditionalist and institutional understanding of Islam, while also rejecting their national ties. They aspire to create an Islamic space ( dar’al Islam) for themselves within the ummah and seek to achieve this legally through a Sharia Council.

Afterlife beliefs and obligation to obey the law in high adherence contexts: exploring connections among Malaysian youth

ABSTRACT Previous studies have linked religiosity to a variety of positive outcomes for young people. However, further investigation into the underlying mechanisms that drive this connection is necessary to facilitate these positive outcomes. Some studies have suggested that afterlife reward and punishment beliefs play a role in this connection, as they promote future-oriented thinking. Drawing on Deterrence Theory, this study proposes that afterlife reward and punishment beliefs may also strengthen the obligation to obey the law in youth, thereby avoiding deviant behaviours. As Islamic societies are among the most ardent in believing in the afterlife, this mechanism may be particularly relevant for Muslim youth. To test this hypothesis, data were collected from 303 university students in Malaysia. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the structural validity of the Malaysian version of the afterlife reward and punishment beliefs scale. Hierarchical regression analysis further revealed a positive correlation between afterlife reward and punishment beliefs and obligation to obey the law, with afterlife reward and punishment beliefs significantly explaining variance in obligation to obey the law even after accounting for Muslim religiosity. The study highlights limitations and provides suggestions for future research in this area.

TAXPAYER COMPLIANCE BEHAVIOR ON MUSLIM MICRO, SMALL, AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE ACTORS IN PASURUAN CITY INDONESIA

The rapid growth of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector in Pasuruan City does not align with the anticipated level of taxpayer compliance behavior. This discrepancy creates a conflicting situation where the potential revenue generated by the sector clashes with the issue of tax non-compliance, posing a threat to Regional Revenue and the Islamic economy. Therefore, this study examined the understanding, behavior, and Maqasid Al-Shari'ah review of taxpayer compliance behavior of Muslim MSME actors in Pasuruan using a phenomenological qualitative approach. Data were collected through open observation techniques, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results showed that applicable tax policy was understood through socialization organized by the Cooperative and MSME Office continuously with a humanist approach. Meanwhile, the relationship between Maqāṣid al-Sharī`ah values and tax policy was to provide education by conducting socialization to the community regarding its content and benefits. In the concept of Maqāṣid al-Sharī`ah adh-ḍarūriyāt, the tax policy carried out by the government was included in Hifdzul Maal. This was the top Maqāṣid al-Sharī`ah benefit as a reinforcement of religiosity theory by adding the factors of blessing and economic justice. In contrast, the tax function, policy, registration, payment, rates, and reporting were reinforced by Muslim religiosity.

Ispanijos moriskų ir Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės totorių koranai: palyginimas ir bendrų bruožų suradimas

This paper is aimed at presenting a preliminary comparative study of the Qur’anic translations produced by two autochthonous European Muslim communities: Spanish Mudéjars (Muslims who remained in the Iberian Pen- insula after the Christian reconquest) and Moriscos (former Muslims forced to convert to Christianity) and, on the other side of Europe, the Tatars of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL). The framework for this comparison is provided by some basic facts: over the span of two centuries, in the case of the Morisco pop- ulation (starting with the conquest of Granada in 1492, until the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609)1, and three centuries in that of the Tatars of the GDL (17th to 19th centuries), their literary production was exclusively hand-written. Both groups preserved their Muslim religiosity but, with some erudite exceptions, had only scarce knowledge of Arabic, the holy language of Qur’anic revelation. Moreover, without having access to one another’s culture, both Moriscos and the Tatars of the GDL adapted the Arabic alphabet to their vehicular languag- es, Romance and Slavic respectively2. Thanks to this adaptation strategy, they maintained the sacred aspect of their writings and were able to translate the Qur’an into a language they fully understood. However, in spite of these strik- ing similarities between the two groups, there were also notable differences. While the Tatars of the GDL were granted full religious freedom, the Moriscos were heavily persecuted for any signs of adherence to Islam. In order to shed more light on the phenomenon of European Muslim cultures, in this paper I will present various manuscript examples of these groups’ Qur’anic translations, and draw some preliminary conclusions regarding the information that can be retrieved from this kind of sources.

«Суфизм» и «народный ислам»: дискурс и восприятие в конце XIX – начале XX вв.

The article is devoted to an important aspect of the study of everyday Muslim religiosity in retrospect – the perception of Sufism (tasawwuf) by Muslims in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Based on eyewitness reports published in the Shura magazine, the authors describe the reception of some manifestations of Sufism in everyday life. The discovered typical patterns of representation of saints and the most common practices allow us to conclude that the phenomenon is normalized in society, primarily as a medical practice. An important aspect of the tradition is the self-reflection of those who are involved. Commentators observe how “tradition is being invented,” deconstructing it in a rational way, and fix the continuation of the established urfs and adats (goref-gadätlar). The article discusses R. Fahreddin's opinion on certain subjects and his understanding of the phenomenon, which is an important aspect illustrating the difference in the levels of comprehension of the problem.

Religious Diversity, Islam, and Integration in Western Europe—Dissecting Symbolic, Social, and Institutional Boundary Dynamics

Religious diversity and, in particular, the presence of Islam is often perceived as a threat to national solidarity and social cohesion across Western Europe. Reviewing and synthesizing compartmentalized research literature on religion and immigrant integration, this article scrutinizes symbolic, social, and institutional boundary processes and their underlying micro-level mechanisms. First, it showcases the relative brightness of religiously coded symbolic boundaries that is sustained by anti-Muslim prejudices among the majority as well as by the intergenerational transmission of Muslim religiosity. Second, it discusses whether and how religious differences translate into social boundaries, through both discrimination and religiously based (self-)segregation on the labor market, in education, and in social networks. Third, it traces how interactive sequences of Muslims’ claims for recognition and public policy responses have led to institutional boundary shifts under the influence of constitutional law and European human rights and anti-discrimination directives. The article concludes by discussing scenarios of how macro-level processes of symbolic, social, and institutional boundary transformation interrelate, thus raising broader questions on religious diversity and integration in Western European nation-states.

Religious Learning Environments of Austrian Muslim Youth: An Empirical Analysis of Religious Educational Processes

In recent decades, Islamic education and the religiosity of young Muslims have received considerable attention in academic research in German-speaking countries. However, an analysis of the different learning environments of religious education and their respective significance has yet to be carried out so far. Using Austria as an example, this paper explores these different processes of religious education among Muslim adolescents. Based on qualitative guided interviews, the experiences and learning processes in the family, in the mosque, in the school, and online are depicted from the learners’ perspective. In this way, this paper assigns Muslim adolescents a constitutive role in the analysis. In this context, we discuss how the understanding of education, pedagogical approaches, and person-centredness differs in the learning environments of Muslim religious education.

Investigating Institutional Investors' Behaviours toward Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS) using DTPB

Cash Waqf Linked Sukuk (CWLS) is a newly developed social investment instrument to stimulate Indonesia's productive waqf movement. CWLS has numerous commercial and social benefits and worship values. However, despite these advantages, it takes a long time for CWLS to collect funds due to various challenges and inadequate investors' response rate, which is still far from expectation. Thus, this study looks into the contributing factors and antecedence that entail and determine the decision of an institutional investor to invest. The theoretical framework applied the decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB). Additionally, it highlights a new perspective by delivering the specific determinants that impact investors' attitudes, moral norms, and perceived behavior control. These factors offer a deep understanding of the association and determine their definite effects on intentions. Based on a survey of 250 respondents, analyzed using partial least squares – structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), it was found that the proposed hypotheses were accepted. Above all, the important finding is the contribution of attitude as the dominant determinant impacting the investor's intention. It was mainly driven by perceived Ihsan as part of the Muslim religiosity dimension reflecting the spirit to do good. This study's findings provide deeper insight into untested behavior literature. This study will also benefit policymakers, academicians, and future researchers.

Multicultural Quality of Life: experiences of a South Australian Muslim community amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Muslims have a strong sense of obligation in which Islam informs their ways of life. As a religious minority within Australia, these obligatory practices may not be well understood by mainstream policy, health, and welfare services. This mixed-method, cross-sectional study assessed the self-reported quality of life (QoL), worldviews, and subjective experiences of religiosity and/or cultural identity of adults from a Muslim community affiliated with the Adelaide Mosque, metropolitan South Australia. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic using the Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI) and focus group discussions. Survey results (n = 98) showed women had lower MQLI scores than men did, and married participants had better MQLI scores than not-married did. Focus group participants (n = 18) reported feeling overwhelmed and isolated due to social distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by a lack of available ‘Muslim-friendly’ social support services. While results do not represent all Muslim perspectives in Australia, they reveal a dialogic interchange between gender and matrimonial differences, and cultural variances that may exist in the concept of wellbeing. Greater opportunities for social support integrating Muslim religiosity and culture in multicultural practice, in discrete and mainstream services, would benefit this South Australian community.

The Kāffah of Islamic Scale: Development and Validation

Prudent study and analysis of the religiosity instruments that have been circulating it are found that there are many variations of instruments measuring the religiosity of Muslims. This is due to differences in the conceptual constructs used by the researchers as the basis for developing such instruments. The use of concepts and instruments that are not based on Islamic religiosity has the potential to distance the measuring instrument from what psychological behavior to be measured, while the measuring instrument based on Islamic religiosity is also not yet fully solid, in line, and be close to each other with Islam. Dissatisfaction with the instruments based on the constructs and instruments of Islamic religiosity that have been compiled has encouraged researchers to develop religious instruments based on Islamic teachings in a precise and solid manner. This instrument is called the Kāffah of Islamic Scale (KIS). The results of the psychometric test and empirical data show that the Kāffah of Islamic Scale (KIS) has a good factor structure through the testing phase of the unidimensional fit model. The Kāffah of Islamic Scale (KIS) measuring instrument consists of five dimensions, namely belief, formal ritual, interpersonal, personal, and morality. There are 33 valid items to measure the Islamic construct of the kāffah composed of five items representing the belief dimension, six items representing the formal dimension of ritual, thirteen items representing interpersonal relationships, twelve items representing the personal dimension, and three items representing the morality dimension. Overall, the results of this research provide preliminary evidence to support the use of the Kāffah of Islamic of Scale (KIS) as a measurement tool that has conceptual and psychometric strengths.

The rise of the mosque as a reflection of the religious metamorphosis of residential residents

A mosque is an efficient tool for inhabitants to engage in diverse religious activities, contributing to its prosperity, filling it with diverse religious activities, and fostering Islamic brotherhood ties between locals. This study explores the religious transformation of urban populations in the East Pamulang neighborhood of South Tangerang. The purpose of this study is to determine the tendency of solid religiosity of residents in four mosques in housing complexes, including Bukit Pamulang Indah complex (Al-Muhajirin mosque), Pamulang Indah complex (Darussalam mosque), Pamulang Estate complex (AtTaqwa mosque), and Vila Inti Persada complex (Inti Iman mosque). This research uses a qualitative method with a phenomenological perspective, showing an exciting interaction between the Mosque Prosperity Council and the community, which have diverse understandings of religion, ethnicity, culture, and regional origin. The excellent relationship between the Mosque Prosperity Council and the locals has increased the religiosity of Muslims in East Pamulang. For locals, a mosque is a place of worship and a space to create unity and improve family ties, encouraging East Pamulang residents to become dependent on the mosque, emotionally attached to it, and devoted to its growth

The Prosaic Stateness of Secularism: Diversity, Incoherence and Divergence in the Application of laïcité

ABSTRACT France’s idiosyncratic form of secularism, laïcité, is a highly contested principle bound up in centuries of conflict over the state’s relationship to religious practice. Of late, commentators have interpreted it as taking somewhat of an authoritarian turn as it is used to disproportionately identify and suppress signs of overt Muslim religiosity, including notably within the public school system. I apply Painter’s ‘prosaic stateness’ framework to understand how educators interpret and rework laïcité within the French public school to produce ‘actually-existing’ laïcité. In particular, I show that educators are situated within three ‘spatialities’ through which laïcité inhabits French schooling: the idealised space of the French republic set against religious obscurantism, schools as spaces of inviolable neutrality, and risky bodies who refuse to conform to norms of republican citizenship. Within these spatialities, educators enact a prosaic stateness of laïcité through their experiences of diversity of the student populations they serve, the incoherence of the institution they work for, and the divergence of the policies they end up applying.