Towards a cosmopolitan Muslim identity : Singaporean Muslims in a globalizing world

Abstract

This research attempts to critically examine the evolving identity of Singaporean Muslim society. Muslims in Singapore constitute a dominant minority group and plays influential role in maintaining the stability of Singapore as a harmonious multicultural and secular state. As Singapore is a highly globalized city state, Singaporean Muslims are thus very much influenced by the forces of globalization. This thesis seeks to understand and unravel how globalization influences and brings new trajectories to the religious identity of the Singaporean Muslims as they live as faithful members of the Islamic faith, while also trying to resonate with their status as a minority group in a largely secular and modernizing Singapore. Cosmopolitan identity is suggested as the way forward in this thesis as it enables Muslims in Singapore to embrace multiple identities. This concept of cosmopolitanism, while popularly attributed to Immanuel Kant, is inherently a concept promoted by Islam. This thesis brings into perspective the socio-historical examples of the Islamic tradition in addressing the issue of cosmopolitan society. It also discusses extensively the context of Singapore political landscape and explains how Muslims, as a minority group co-exist successfully while staying true to their Islamic faith and construct their progressive identity as Muslims as well as contributing citizens of Singapore.