Religious Values and Social Cohesion in Muslim Societies: An Empirical Study of Islamic Ethical Teachings and Community Integration

Abstract

Social cohesion, the quality of social relations, trust, solidarity, and shared orientation to the common good, is widely considered a precondition for political stability, economic development, and collective well-being. Religion is often credited with strengthening cohesion in Muslim societies, but the claim is rarely tested with systematic evidence that separates different dimensions of religiosity and different forms of social bonds. This article develops and specifies an empirical study of the relationship between internalized Islamic ethical teachings and community integration. It argues that the relevant variable is not religiosity in general but the degree to which individuals internalize specific prosocial ethical commitments, namely justice (ʿadl), trustworthiness (amāna), mutual solidarity (takāful), consultation (shūrā), and benevolence toward neighbors and strangers (iḥsān). It proposes that these commitments promote cohesion through identifiable mechanisms: generalized and particularized trust, participation in religious and civic networks, and perceived fairness of institutions. It also proposes that the relationship is conditional, because ritual religiosity can strengthen in-group bonding while weakening bridging ties across sectarian, ethnic, and class lines when it is not accompanied by internalized universalist ethics. A mixed-methods design is specified, combining a multilevel household survey nested in neighbourhoods with qualitative interviews and focus groups. The article presents hypotheses, measurement instruments, sampling and power considerations, a multilevel and mediation analytic strategy, and an interpretive guide to the possible findings. It concludes by discussing the contribution of the design to the study of religion and social capital, its limitations, and its policy relevance.