DOES THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS RITES AND RITUALS DIMINISH ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR MUSLIM FAMILIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA?

Abstract

According to the percentage of Muslims in the total
population of the country, North Macedonia is on the third place in
Europe. With about one third of the entire population being Muslim,
our country is right after Albania and Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic universal religion and the second
largest religion in the world. The followers of this religion are called
Muslims. Muslims believe that God gave his divine word in the form
of revelations through various prophets and that Muhammad was
the last of God’s Messengers. Every religion has its own religious
traditions and customs that have existed for centuries.
Certain sacred practices and rituals are very important to Muslims.
They are a significant way that enables followers of Islam to
remember history, express conviction, and grow in devotion.
Some rituals are practiced daily, like prayer; others are practiced
annually, like those aligned with specific Islamic holidays. The Five
Pillars of Islam are five practices regarded by all sects of the Islamic
religion as essential to the Muslim faith.
Although there are important differences between Christianity and
Islam regarding traditions, customs and cultural heritage. However,
in both religions, due to the secularism in our country, the impression
is that religion diminishes its meaning in everyday life. Young people
adapt to the contemporary way of life that brings great changes in
the practice of religious rituals and practices. This paper is about
religious rituals and customs as religious elements and their meaning
for Muslim families in Macedonia. The paper aims to determine
whether and how often Islamic rituals and practices are practiced.
Specifically, does their practicing reduce the importance for Muslim
families? For the purposes of this paper, a quantitative survey of
60 Muslim religious subjects’ wаs conducted to answer questions
related to their views on religion and its practice.