People From Strongly Islamic Cultures, Religion and Emotional Attraction - Research Proposal Example

Persons from strongly Islamic Cultures place greater importance on their potential mates Religion than on their Emotional Attraction Module Professor Date Abstract This study will investigate the hypothesis that people with strong Islamic backgrounds value the religion of their potential partners over emotional attraction. The study will focus on two groups: American Muslims and Saudi Muslims. The introduction will cover the background of the subject while the literature review will appraise scholarly works by other authors. In the methodology, the study design, sampling methods, ethical considerations, data collection techniques, reliability, and internal and external validity aspects will be discussed. Finally, the paper will be concluded by critiquing the study through highlighting the limitations. Introduction The relationship between religion and emotion has been studied by many scholars. In the contemporary world, the two concepts have become more interconnected than ever. With the emergence of globalisation, numerous changes have been witnessed in the religious and emotional components of humanity1. One religion that is frequently examined with respect to its relationship to emotional attraction is Islam. With its rich history and intricate nature, Islam offers many avenues for the study of the relationship between emotional attraction and faith. Literature Review The Quran stipulates that Muslims prioritize religion over emotions when choosing mates. The First Khutbah of the Quran urges men not to marry women for their beauty because beauty can “destroy” women2. Instead, men are encouraged to marry women for their religion because a religious maid who is “black and unattractive” is better than a rich or beautiful woman. In the modern context, this message applies to both genders3. However, since times have changed, this decree is no longer adhered to as the Quran requires. Geographical and cultural differences have made it increasingly difficult for Muslims to place Islam before emotional attraction. This is why, besides overriding individual dispositions, an American Muslim could “defy” this requirement. Relationships play an important part in Islam; in fact, they are one of the most discussed topics in the Quran. One of the most common aspects of relationships is courtship and the selection of mates. Islam plays a huge role in the choosing of partners because the ultimate goal, marriage, is a sacred concept in Islam4. So far, it has been proven that religious devotion varies depending on different factors, such as the environment and divergent views. All religions have varying degrees of devotion, which is why some adherents are described as moderates while others are described mainstream, fanatical, extremist, or fundamentalist. It is also obvious that Muslims who are living in countries where they form the minority cannot enjoy all the freedoms pertaining to Islam5. This is because the implementation of Sharia law depends on the prevailing factors. This explains why Saudi Muslims may exhibit more commitment to Islamic teachings than American Muslims. While Islam is a minority religion in the United States, it is the official religion in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Muslims practice Islamic teachings by the book (Quran) while American Muslims face more restrictions in terms of the ability to interpret the Quran to the latter. Contrary to popular opinion, Islam does not outlaw emotional attraction; it only regulates it more than other religions. The notion that Islam is against religious attraction is, therefore, misunderstood and misleading. In reality, Islam recognizes that human nature makes emotional attraction inevitable6. However, it teaches that people must learn to control their emotions and express them in ways that fulfill the teachings of the Quran. It is also a fact that the Quran encourages religious purity over emotions; this is a reality that all Muslims (American or Saudi) are aware of. The problem is that the highly secularized American society is not as supportive as it should be of the comprehensive implementation of Sharia law. It is also worth noting that even among the staunchest Muslims, the American way of life hinders the free and open practice of Islam. In religious arguments, it is always important to separate personal and temporary aspects from group and permanent factors. For example, a Muslim who is originally from Saudi Arabia or any other country may decide to tone down or cut out some of his religious practices when he goes to live in the United States for the purposes of blending in and fostering harmony7. The same Muslim may resume his normal religious lifestyle when he goes back to Saudi Arabia because the conditions there allow for unrestricted religious practice without the need to blend in. Such ambivalence could extend to relationships, leading to situations where an American Muslim feels comfortable placing emotional attraction before religion. In secularized societies, it is common for Muslims to encounter and become attracted to people from other religions. Since Islam is loosely embedded in the United States, an American Muslim, who places emotional attraction before religion is likely to face fewer recriminations than a Muslim living in a country where Islam is the official religion8. In countries where Islam is the official religion (in this case Saudi Arabia), the chances that a Muslim might become emotionally involved with a non-Muslim or even entertain the idea of becoming emotionally-oriented are very low. As such, the disparity in conditions must be acknowledged as a genuine source of contrasts in views on the selection of partners. In the First Khutbah of the Quran, it is stated that if a religious woman is beautiful, wealthy, or of noble background, then she should be the most suitable for any man. However, the requirement also comes with a caveat: religion must still be the paramount factor in choosing a wife9. As previously mentioned, these stipulations are gender neutral because they are interpreted as applicable to both men and women. In summary, Islam expects Muslims to overlook emotional attraction in favor of righteousness. The differences in how individual Muslims interpret the Quran result from cultural, lifestyle, or personal disparities. Methodology This study is based on a qualitative research design. This type of research method is selected because it is ideal for the examination of relationships between variables and phenomena being investigated10. In this paper, differences in how American and Saudi Muslims choose partners will be probed. The study also aims to understand the relationship between environment (i.e., Saudi Arabia and the United States) and approaches to choosing partners. The methodology will be implemented by comparing and investigating how American Muslims and Saudi Muslims choose mates, including asking them to rate the significance of specific aspects of a potential life partner. Interviews and questionnaires will be the primary data collection instruments in this study. The questionnaires and interviews shall be administered to responds on face-to-face manner as well as via channels like mail, email, text message (mobile phone) and various social media sites. The questions will be formulated in an open-ended and closed-ended manner. Open-ended questions will allow respondents to feel unrestricted when they provide feedback11. On the other hand, closed-ended questions will support the aims of the study by compelling respondents to provide feedback in a direct and precise manner. Stratified random sampling will be used to determine the sample size. In this study, the required sample size (N) is 200. Data will be collected from the 200 respondents over a significant period. Of the 200 respondents, 100 will be American Muslims while the other 100 will be Saudi Muslims. Respondents will be drawn from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to students, practitioners in various fields, as well as religious and political leaders. To ensure reliability, respondents will be required to provide feedback on as many questions as possible. In fact, the researcher will try to ensure that respondents provide feedback on all questions posed. Reliability will also be guaranteed by minimising sources of estimation errors (e.g., data collector partiality). Data collector bias will be eliminated by dispensing questionnaires and interviews on a first-hand basis as much as possible12. The study will also standardize aspects like equal treatment of all respondents to ensure that they feel comfortable and secure. In cases where respondents are asked questions in a first-hand basis, the settings will be private, comfortable, and safe. Respondents will be required not to include their names on questionnaires to ensure confidentiality and security. In terms of internal and external validity, numerous questions will be formulated to cover all aspects of the research. The research questions will act as a guide to the formulation of interview and questionnaire inquiries since the research questions are the foundation of the study. Content validity will be guaranteed by ensuring consistency in interviews and question-asking13. Simple language will be used to allow respondents to understand the questions and provide good feedback. Respondents will be given clear cues and assistance will be provided to any participant who encounters difficulties when answering questions. To prevent participants from giving other people questionnaires to complete on their behalf or allowing people who were not selected for the study to be interviewed, most of the interviews and questionnaires will be administered in a face-to-face manner. This will uphold the external validity of the study. The study will respect respondents’ rights to informed consent, confidentiality, and determination. Official permits will also be obtained from relevant authorities. These permits will allow the investigation to be conducted in areas where legal, political, or bureaucratic obstacles are likely to be encountered in regards to the legality of the study14. All respondents will be briefed on their right to voluntary participation and the right to terminate cooperation without any conditions. Also, all respondents will be informed about important details such as the objectives of the study, possible risks or costs, and data collection methods. Questionnaires will be numbered when data has been collected, and participants will be allowed to seek clarification in any areas they deem ambiguous. The researcher will adhere to the ethical standard of self-determination by treating participants with respect, honesty, and dignity. For example, elderly respondents will be accorded due respect and assisted wherever necessary. Participants will be provided with vital data like the contact information of the researcher just in case they have concerns that can be addressed via communication media15. Finally, this study will uphold scientific honesty by avoiding the manipulation of the study design and data as well as well as the withholding of collected data. The investigation will capture all comments provided by respondents, whether they are positive or negative. This will provide a solid foundation for the conduct of future studies. Conclusion This study aimed at examining differences in how American Muslims and Saudi Muslims choose partners with respect to religion and emotional attraction. Finding people who were open to participating in the study was relatively difficult. Religion is always a sensitive subject for a majority of people, especially when it concerns personal preferences and attributes. Some people were hesitant while other others declined to be interviewed because they were wary of violating their religious expectations. Another challenge involved mobility and access. In some areas, weather conditions and terrain made it difficult to reach respondents and collect data. This adversely affected the efficiency and effectiveness of certain processes of the investigation. Finally, language and culture created numerous obstacles to data collection, interviews, sampling, and the administration of questionnaires. 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