The Five Dimensions of Muslim Religiosity. Results of an Empirical Study

Abstract

In this paper a new instrument measuring Muslim religiosity is presented. Drawing on Glock’s multidimensional concept of religiosity, a quantitative paper-and-pencil study among 228 Muslims living in German cities was carried out. While previous studies have often simply translated indicators measuring Christian religiosity into Islamic terminology, this study applies Glock’s model taking into account the specific characteristics of Islamic piety. In particular, the function of his fifth dimension of secular consequences was modified: Contrary to other denominations, in Islam this dimension is regarded to be as unique and independent as the other four. Empirical findings confirm this assumption. Applying principal component analysis with oblimin rotation yields a five-dimensional structure of Muslim religiosity: 1. Basic religiosity, 2. Central duties, 3. Religious experience, 4. Religious knowledge, and 5. Orthopraxis. Further statistical analysis indicates that the scales are reliable and internally valid.

Keywords

• Muslim religiosity
• measurement
• multidimensionality
• Charles Y. Glock
• Islam
• principal component analysis