Battling for the Hearts and Minds of Youths: Reclaiming Religious Authority and Identity

Battling for the Hearts and Minds of Youths: Reclaiming Religious Authority and Identity By Mohamed Bin Ali and Kanishk Sudhir Ramchandra SYNOPSIS The recent detention of another young Singaporean under the Internal Security Act (ISA) is a sombre reminder of the continuing battle for the hearts and minds of digitally immersed youths. [...] COMMENTARY The recent detention of a Singaporean youth under the Internal Security Act (ISA) is a clear indication of the persistence of online self-radicalisation. [...] The youth later abandoned his plan and decided to conduct a localised attack, preparing himself with walkthroughs of the planned area of attack on non-Muslims in the residential heartland of Tampines and practising with kitchen knives and scissors to inflict harm. [...] To reach a broader segment of the young in Singapore, existing religious education service providers must align their teaching methodology, and content and engagement strategies to suit contemporary issues and trends, integrating technology to meet the demands of the digital generation. [...] The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS)’s effort to formulate a Singaporean Muslim identity through an interpretation of the practices of Islam that are suitable for the Singaporean context is highly commendable.