Skip to content

Keramat, Sacred Relics and Forbidden Idols in Singapore

Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Author
William L. Gibson
Keramat, holy graves and shrines, represent physical markers of Singapore's history as a multi-ethnic maritime trading center. They offered sanctified spaces not only for Muslims but the entire community in which they were found. Maintained by self-appointed caretakers, the stories keramat often interweave fact with folklore that mirror the history and sensibilities of the community. While once an abundant part of the social landscape of Singapore, many keramat were destroyed during the post-independence rush to develop. These keramat now face a second vanishing with memories of them fading as caretakers and community members age and pass away. In parallel, many modern Muslims consider keramat a form of syirk, or polytheism, and tacitly consent to their destruction. This book concludes by critically examining the often-tense relationship between keramat and authority, both secular and religious, from colonial to modern times. The dilemmas of grappling with puritanical norms and grassroots elaborations in varying modes of preservation are investigated using case studies from Singapore and the wider region. A vital resource for scholars, this work contributes to a people's history of Singapore, one that both deepens and problematizes official historical accounts.

    Share

    Specification

    SKU
    9781032785882
    Published At
    29.08.2024
    Pages
    218
    EAN
    9781032785882
    Format
    Created At (custom)
    10.06.2024
    ISBN
    9781032785882

    Top Products

    Muud sama seeria tooted