This paper offers valuable insights to complement efforts to improve youth engagement in mosque in the post-pandemic period. Given the paucity of research on recent changes in mosque activities, this paper sought to examine youths' understanding of mosque function and their engagement in mosque after the mosque reopened during the Movement Control Order (MCO). This study also aims to identify the factors that hinder youth engagement in the mosque and possible initiatives that could attract them to the mosque. A self-administered online survey was distributed exclusively through a nationwide online platform and targeted young respondents between the ages of 15 and 30 in Malaysia. A total of 594 usable responses were received and analysed using descriptive analysis and a chi-square test for independence. Both male and female youth showed a strong understanding of the role of the mosque, but results showed a significant decrease in youth engagement when the mosque reopened during the MCO. In addition to the perception that the mosque only needs to be attended during Friday prayers and Muslim festival days, lack of activities to suit youth tastes was cited as one of the main reasons for low youth participation in the mosque. Basic religious classes, outdoor and community activities were cited as favorable initiatives that could attract young people to the mosque. This is the first large-scale study of Muslim youth engagement in mosque after the global collapse of Covid-19, and and further research could focus on developing an effective online communication model that could enhance the influence and role of the mosque in a community.
Abdul Karim, N. R., & Salleh, S. S. (2016). Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Kecenderungan Masyarakat Dalam Mengimarahkan Masjid. International Conference on Islamic Education and Research, 524–534.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327417986
Ajmain, T. (2019). Masjid Medium Pendidikan Membina Masyarakat Berakhlak. Seminar Kebangsaan Keluarga Sejahtera Negeri Johor, 0–14.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341252344
Ajmain, T., & Mohamad, A. M. (2019). Masjid Medium Pendidikan Melahirkan Masyarakat Modal Insan Bertaqwa. Seminar Serantau Pendidikan Islam, 12–27.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341233142
Ali, I. (2022). Pelbagai program mesra orang muda diadakan masjid setempat. Berita Harian Singapura. https://www.beritaharian.sg
Ashaari, M. F., & Firdaus, M. (2018). Pandangan Imam dan Pentadbir Masjid tentang Kehadiran Masyarakat ke Masjid. Jurnal Hadhari, 10(2), 205–224.
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/12489/1/28944-88398-2-PB.pdf
Ashley, F. (2021). What Makes a Youth Friendly Mosque? AboutIslam.Net. https://aboutislam.net/family-life/youth-4-the-future/what-makes-a-youth-friendly-mosque
Bris, A., & Cabolis, C. (2021). IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021. https://www.imd.org/centers/world-competitiveness-center/rankings/world-digital-competitiveness/
Darus, F., Shukri, A. N. H., Yusoff, H., Ramli, A., Zain, M., & Abu Bakar, N. A. (2017). Empowering Social Responsibility of Islamic Organizations through Waqf. Research in International Business and Finance, 42, 959–965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2017.07.030
Faiz, Z. (2020). Mosque’s All Races Aid Effort Attracts More Donors, Including Non-Muslims. Free Malaysia Today.
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/04/15/mosques-all-races-aid-effort-attracts-more-donors-including-non-muslims
Fazaqa, Y. (2009). What is Keeping the Youth Away from the Masjid. https://www.amjaonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2009-7-addressing.pdf
Gall, C. (2020). Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Reopens as a Mosque. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/24/world/europe/turkey-hagia-sophia-mosque-prayers.html
Hamid, S. A., Nizho, M., & Rahman, A. (2019). Transformasi Pengurusan Pembangunan Masjid Sebagai Institusi Islam?: Pengalaman Masjid-Masjid Terbaik. 6th International Conference on Mosque, Zakat and Waqf Management (IMAF-2019), 183–196. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340678323
Haron, Z., Ripin, M. N., & Yusof, M. F. (2008). Masjid Sebagai Institusi Pendidikan: Sorotan Abad ke-3H-5H. In M. I. Mustari & K. A. Jasmi (Eds.), Fungsi dan Peranan Masjid dalam Masyarakat Hadhari (1st ed., pp. 1–20). Penerbit, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Ibrahim, M. I., Sahad, M. N., & Abdullah, S. (2020). Pembangunan Remaja Masjid Masa Kini: Satu Tinjauan di Masjid Daerah Kinta, Perak [Current Development of Mosque Youth: A Study at Daerah Kinta, Perak]. BITARA International Journal of Civilizational Studies and Human Sciences (e-ISSN: 2600-9080), 3(3), 168–183.
Johari, F., Aziz, M. R. A., Kefeli@Zulkefli, Z., Misbah, H., Alias, M. H., Hamid, S. A., Laili, N. H., Ramli, N. M., Ibrahim, N., Khairi, K. F., Wahab, K. A., & Nasir, R. M. (2021). Pembangunan Model Jawatankuasa Kerja Penubuhan Mini Baitulmal di Masjid. The International Islamic Economic System Conference, 406–417.
https://oarep.usim.edu.my/jspui/handle/123456789/13616
Johnson, J. (2020). Muslim Youth Group Offers Grocery Delivery to the Area’s Elderly during Coronavirus Pandemic. Chicago Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/morton-grove/ct-mgc-mosque-volunteers-tl-0326-20200320-qmasztqpfjgipk75cnfqv5o7rm-story.html
Kapinga, L., & Van Hoven, B. (2021). ‘You Can’t Just be a Muslim in Outer Space’: Young People Making Sense of Religion at Local Places in the City. Journal of Youth Studies, 24(5), 670–688. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2020.1757632
Karimshah, A., Chiment, M., & Skrbis, Z. (2014). The Mosque and Social Networks: The Case of Muslim Youth in Brisbane. Social Inclusion, 2(2), 38–46.
https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v2i2.165
Kettani, H. (2019). The World Muslim Population; Spatial and Temporal Analyses. Jenny Stanford Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780429422539
Khalid, N. K., Yaacob, M., Hassan, A. R., & Nadzif, W. K. (2020). The Factors of Attendance to “Gempur Subuh Programme” An-Nur Mosque among The Navy People Rmn Lumut Base. Jurnal Islam Dan Masyarakat Kontemporari, 21(2), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.37231/jimk.2020.21.2.481
Afridi, K. M. A. (2011). Contributions of Mosques towards Building Malay Society. International Conference on Islamic Civilization and Malay Identity 2011 (ICICMI2011), 1–24. http://irep.iium.edu.my/8419/1/Masjid_Wilayah_Artical.pdf
Liu, Y., Gayle, A. A., Wilder-Smith, A., & Rocklov, J. (2020). The Reproductive Number of COVID-19 is Higher Compared to SARS Coronavirus. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa021
Mansor, N. H., Mudeen, N., Abu Bakar, S. A., Mohamad, S. N. S., Abdul Kadir, F. A., & Mohamad, M. A. (2011). Pembangunan Potensi Remaja Melalui Institusi Masjid: Satu Tinjauan di Lima Buah Masjid di Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur. Seminar Pembangunan Masjid, 1–20. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307570333
Ahmad, M. R. (2022). Solat Subuh Berjemaah, Dapat Hadiah Basikal. Harian Metro. https://www.hmetro.com.my/mutakhir/2022/02/811143/solat-subuh-berjemaah-dapat-hadiah-basikal-metrotv
Mohamed, R. (2022). Orang Muda Patut Penuhi Masjid. Utusan Malaysia. https://www.utusan.com.my/gaya/agama/2022/05/orang-muda-patut-penuhi-masjid/
Salleh, M. N. H. (2022). Enforcement Might Return, Khairy Says as Health Ministry Warns of New Covid Wave. MalaysiaNow.
https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2022/07/08/enforcement-might-return-khairy-says-as-health-ministry-warns-of-new-covid-wave
Sabri, M. F., & Tonot, H. (2017). Perbandingan Pengurusan Kualiti Masjid Terhadap Masjid Yang Diberi Pengiktirafan Bintang. Journal of Business Innovation, 2(1), 25–41. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352157047
Mustari, M. I., Basiron, B., Jasmi, K. A., Safar, A., & Muhammad, A. (2017). Membangun Potensi Masjid Sebagai Sebuah Institusi Pendidikan Islam & Masyarakat. Tinta Artikulasi Membina Ummah, 3(2), 46–58. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325440036
Peeri, N. C., Shrestha, N., Rahman, M. S., Zaki, R., Tan, Z., Bibi, S., Baghbanzadeh, M., Aghamohammadi, N., Zhang, W., & Haque, U. (2020). The SARS, MERS and novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemics, the newest and biggest global health threats: what lessons have we learned? International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(3), 717–726. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa033
Portal Masjid v1.0. (2022). JAKIM.
http://masjid.islam.gov.my/index.php?data=c3RhdGlzdGlrLnBocA
Putung@Abd.Mutalib, S. H. B., & Ag.Basir, D. H. B. (2012). Masjid Negeri Sabah?: Peranan dan Sumbangan Dalam Pembangunan Masyarakat di Sabah. In Z. Norarfan, A. K. Abdul Razak, J. Kharhan, & A. L. Mohd Syahiran (Eds.), Membongkar Rahsia Pendidikan Islam (Issue June 2012, pp. 443–454). Pusat Penerbitan, Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306357962
Qari, M. A. (2011). Mosque & Youth Engagement: Guidelines & Toolkit. The Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB).
Remly, M. R., Sabaruddin, S. N. A., Kamaruddin, N. K., Alim, N. N. A. A., Kadir, M. N. A., Othman, F., & Ishak, H. (2022). Peranan Pengurusan Masjid dan Ahli Jemaah dalam Mengimarahkan Institusi Masjid Pasca Wabak Covid-19: Satu Sorotan. Al-Turath Journal of Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah, 7(1), 6.
https://spaj.ukm.my/jalturath/index.php/jalturath/article/view/219
Roslan, S. (2020). Covid-19: Semua Aktiviti di Masjid, Surau Ditangguhkan. Harian Metro. https://www.hmetro.com.my/utama/2020/03/555161/covid-19-semua-aktiviti-di-masjid-surau-ditangguhkan
Rozaini, M., Rahim, M. R. M., Mutalib, M. A., Haji, A., Ghani, A. H. A., Hashim, M., Fazrul, W. M., Razali, A. W., Zakaria, M. Z., Rahmad, N. M., & Rahman, A. A. (2014). Kepimpinan, Prestasi Masjid, Dan Pembangunan Komuniti Menurut Al-Quran Dan Hadis. Proceeding of the International Conference on Masjid, Zakat and Waqf (IMAF 2014), December, 16–31. http://conference.kuis.edu.my/i-maf/eproceedings/masjid/M18 Rozaini Rahim Masjid 16-31.pdf
Salamun, H., & Rashid, D. A. N. R. (2016). Tahap Amalan Kepemimpinan Pengerusi Masjid di Terengganu. Journal of Business and Social Development, 4(1), 65–77. https://jbsd.umt.edu.my/wp-content/uploads/sites/53/2016/02/7.-Tahap-Amalan-web.pdf
Salleh, S. binti M., & Ismail, A. M. Bin. (2018). Tahap Keaktifan Aktiviti Dakwah Remaja Di Masjid-Masjid Negeri Selangor?: Satu Tinjauan. Jurnal Hal Ehwal Islam Dan Warisan Selangor, Bil 2(No.1), 1–12. https://myjurnal.mohe.gov.my/public/article-view.php?id=136867
Samana, S. (2022). 10 Ways To Make Your Masjid Youth-Friendly. Sound Vision. https://www.soundvision.com/article/10-ways-to-make-your-masjid-youth-friendly
Suhardi, M., Jusoh, M., Jamaludin, A. K., & Samah, M. N. (2022). Elements Concerning The Effectiveness Of The Immarah Program In Mosques In The Contemporary Era?: A Need Analysis Study. 7(1), 76–82. https://journal.ump.edu.my/ijhtc/article/view/7498
Tee, K. (2020). Malaysia’s Biggest Covid-19 Cluster Linked to Sri Petaling Tabligh Event Ends Today after Four Months. Malay Mail.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/07/08/malaysias-biggest-covid-19-cluster-linked-to-sri-petaling-tabligh-event-end/1882691
Timeline of WHO’s response to COVID-19. (2020). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/interactive-timeline#!
Wan, C., Bahri, S., Ahmad, C. W., Rahman, K. A., Samsudin, S., Nor, M., Mohd, H., Nasrun, A., Muizz, N., & Salleh, M. (2021). Transformasi Digital Dalam Aktiviti Pengimarahan Masjid Al-Azhar, Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (KUIS). Al-Mimbar: International Journal of Mosque, Zakat And Waqaf Management, 1(2), 7–26. http://almimbar.kuis.edu.my/index.php/almimbar/article/view/22
Yaacob, H. F. (2008). Masjid dan Fungsi Komunikasi. In M. I. Mustari & K. A. Jasmi (Eds.), Fungsi dan Peranan Masjid dalam Masyarakat Hadhari (1st ed., pp. 47–60). Penerbit, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Yunus, A., & Landau, E. (n.d.). “Youth” Now Defined As Those Between 15 and 30. New Straits Times. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/501288/youth-now-defined-those-between-15-and-30
Yussoff, M., & Shaharuddin, S. A. (2020). Kajian Terhadap Aktiviti-Aktiviti Di Masjid Al-Hasanah Bandar Baru Bangi Ke Arah" Masjid Mesra Remaja". Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 7, 161–175. http://jsass.kuis.edu.my/index.php/jsass/article/view/147.
In-Text Citation: (Mahat et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Mahat, M. A., Kedin, N. A., Hamdan, N., & Salleh, J. M. (2022). The Fate of Mosque in Post-pandemic Period: Youth’s Perspective. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(10), 1997– 2012.
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
