Ramadan: the month of fasting for muslim and social cohesion—mapping the unexplored effect

Abstract

For Muslims, Ramadan is a month in which the fasting ritual is observed and interpreted as an event for fostering social cohesion. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between mechanical solidarity and social cohesion mediated by generosity during Ramadan. The relationships between variables were tested through PLS-SEM using data collected from 600 respondents located separately in Yogyakarta and West Sumatra. The finding showed that mechanical solidarity and social cohesion are more significant when mediated by generosity. In practice, the dimensions of charity (alms and infaq) strengthen mechanical solidarity, i.e., collective consciousness and cooperation spirit, to influence social cohesion. Furthermore, generosity activities supported mechanical solidarity in strengthening the social cohesion among Muslims in Yogyakarta and West Sumatra, Indonesia. The elaboration on the factors accelerating social cohesion is an important issue for social and religious studies. It is useful for transforming the dimensions of Islamic rituals into social impacts and determining harmony between religious communities in the future.

Keywords

• Mechanical solidarity
• Generosity
• Social cohesion
• Ramadan
• Path analysis
• Collective consciousness