A National Day for Singaporean Muslims : a social history of the Maulid celebrations in Singapore pre-1964

Abstract

This thesis argues that the localization of the Maulid procession in Singapore enabled the Muslim community to forge a unified identity and build a new tradition that re-established ties that were severed from a “suitable historic past,” following the fall of the Ottoman Caliphate. The Ottoman Caliphate was the central authority of the umma and a symbol of freedom for colonised Muslims in the Nusantara region. Following the eradication of the Ottoman Caliphate, the dominance of western ideologies and the rise of divisions amongst Muslims, a new unifying force was needed. According to Eric Hobsbawm, a tradition is invented so as to connect to a “suitable historic past” and for Muslims, all paths should converge towards the main Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Using oral interviews, this thesis traces how the localised Maulid was celebrated. Through this, it would reflect on the functions of the localised Maulid procession and how, following its suppression post-1964, the Maulid had a less unifying function in Singapore Muslim society.