Research Programmes

Dr Mohamed Ali  Assistant Professor

The research aims to explore the influence of the Islamic doctrine of Al-Wala’ wal Bara’ (WB) within the Muslim community in Singapore. In particular, it aims to discover  ‘extreme’ manifestations. Towards this objective, the study will do a survey of specific WB ideas that might have taken root in the Muslim community. The survey will be conducted through analysing these ideas encapsulated in the teachings of Muslim preachers as well as through interviewing key religious elites and leaders. In the broad sense, this research attempts to study how religious ideas and concepts such as WB are used by Muslims to incite hatred against the non-Muslims, and thus cause disruption to social harmony and cohesion in a multi-religious society.

Dr Rozlan Giri Principal Coordinator

To seek interpretation, understanding and thoughts that legitimises negative relations, hostility towards non-Muslims and disruption of social harmony/cohesion.

Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib Associate Research Fellow
Mr Salim Mohamed Nasir Associate Research Fellow

To identify teachings within major religions in Singapore that enable and promote positive inter-religious relations, through interviews with key religious leaders and documentation of inter-religious activities in each religious community.

Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib Associate Research Fellow
Mr Salim Mohamed Nasir Associate Research Fellow

To identify teachings within major religions in Singapore that enable and promote positive inter-religious relations, through interviews with key religious leaders and documentation of inter-religious activities in each religious community.

Mr Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib Associate Research Fellow
Mr Mohammad Alami Musa Head of SRP Programme

To chart out the evolution of religious harmony in Singapore since independence, highlighting positive developments, episodes that disrupt harmony, role of legislation, policies and community-based activities.

Principal Researcher: Dr Paul Hedges Associate Professor
Research Assistant: Juhi Ahuja

This project will seek to both map the current territory of interreligious encounter within Singapore, as well as to provide a framework, or set of frameworks/ models, to help map out potential future directions for the maintenance of religious cohesion and harmony in Singapore and the region. It will involve a literature review and analysis of current models and theoretical frameworks in areas like interreligious dialogue, the theology of religions, interreligious relations, legal and governmental policy to see how they be applied or modelled within the local context; including, within this, the potential development of new frameworks and models based upon local resources and theory. It will also involve using interview material and meetings and discussions with religious leaders and grassroots movements (drawing from the Research Project ‘Resources within Religious Traditions for Interreligious Dialogue, Discourse, and Relations’). The project intends to develop both academic and theoretical sophistication and publication outcomes as well as grounded policy advice for governmental, interfaith, and religious groups towards the maintenance and securing of social cohesion and religious harmony within the Common Space.

Principal Researcher: Dr Paul Hedges, Associate Professor

The Interreligious Organisation (IRO) of Singapore is one of the world’s oldest and continually active interfaith associations, founded back in 1949. To date, though, it has not been substantively studied or documented besides occasional brief papers and surveys, and its own occasional literature. Drawing from all the major religious groups within Singapore it has held landmark events and had a high-profile presence on the national scene. This project will seek to understand both its history, ideology, and also its impact from the upper echelons of religious organisations to grassroots levels.

Objectives:

• To map out the history, developments, and standpoints of the IRO in historical perspective from foundations until today (1949-2015).
• To understand the impact of the IRO on interreligious relations in Singapore within religious organisations and amongst religious leaders.
• To gauge public perceptions and understanding of the IRO and its grassroots impact.

Tools/ Methods:

• Literature review undertaken by other SRP staff as part of Research Project 3.
• IRO archives/ resources
• Interviews: drawing from the Research Project ‘Resources within Religious Traditions for Interreligious Dialogue, Discourse, and Relations’.

Principal Researcher: Dr Paul Hedges Associate Professor
Research Assistant: Juhi Ahuja

This project will be based upon interviews with religious leaders, devotees, and activists in Singapore. It will seek to explore how religion is understand and used within and between religions as a resource either for harmony or discord. Beginning with apex religious leaders across Singapore’s largest religious traditions it will seek to map how religion is understand from their perspective, including whether and how it includes resources and tools for interreligious understanding and harmony. However, it will also be understood that some may see their religion as dividing them from religious or non-religious Others. As well as considering theological perspectives, the project will seek to find out what practical engagements and activities are also part of the religious and interreligious matrix of religious communities. As the project continues it will also engage those from grassroots levels, looking at questions such as gender, authority, and identity in the way that religious individuals and communities shape and perceive themselves and religious Others. The project may also extend to those who consider themselves non-religious, non-affiliated, and atheist. This project will underpin a number of other research projects as well as leading to its own outcomes in both academic terms, as well as in outreach to non-academic groups (civil society, religious and interfaith organisations, policy makers) to help them better understand the dynamics and lived realities of religion in contemporary Singapore.