The Islamic Community in Contemporary Vi

Indonesian Journal of Islamic History and Culture
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18

P-ISSN: 2722-8940; E-ISSN: 2722-8934
THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY IN CONTEMPORARY VIETNAM:

MAIN FEATURES AND CURRENT ISSUES
Hoàng Văn Chung

Institute for Religious Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Email: vanchunghoang@yahoo.com
Chu Văn Tuấn

Institute for Religious Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
Abstract
It is believed that Islam was first introduced to the Chăm community around the eleventh century.
Despite vicissitudes of the Champa kingdom’s history, this religion has remained and thrived in
Vietnam until today. Specifically, Islam can only be found in a part of the Chăm – an ethnic of
minority. Currently, the population of the Islamic community has reached about 40,000 and been
distributed unevenly in 12 provinces and cities from the Central region to the Southern region.
Based on the analysis of data gathered from survey and fieldworks conducted during 2019-2020
across the country where the Muslim Chăm community present, this article presents an overview
of the Islamic community in contemporary Vietnam. Main features generalized and analyzed here
includes population, distribution, and relationships of the Muslim community with the broader
society and with international partners. It also identifies emerging problems putting forwards for
this community at the present. We would argue that recent and notable changes of the Muslim
community have revealed its efforts of adaptation toward the current social context characterized
by modernity, secularization, urbanization and world integration.
Keywords: Islam; Vietnamese Muslim community; ethnic Chăm; International relationships
MASYARAKAT ISLAM DI VIETNAM KONTEMPORER:

FITUR UTAMA DAN MASALAH SAAT INI
Abstrak
Islam pertama kali diperkenalkan ke masyarakat Chăm sekitar abad ke sebelas. Terlepas dari
perubahan sejarah kerajaan Champa, agama ini tetap ada dan berkembang di Vietnam hingga hari
ini. Secara khusus, di Vietnam Islam hanya terdapat pada masyarakat Chăm – sebuah etnis
minoritas. Saat ini populasi umat Islam mencapai sekitar 40.000 jiwa dan tersebar di 12 provinsi
dan kota dari wilayah Tengah hingga wilayah Selatan. Berdasarkan analisis data yang
dikumpulkan dari survei dan kunjungan lapangan yang dilakukan selama 2019-2020 di seluruh
wilayah yang terdapat komunitas Muslim Chăm, artikel ini menyajikan gambaran umum
masyarakat Islam di Vietnam kontemporer. Fitur utama yang digeneralisasi dan dianalisis di sini
meliputi populasi, distribusi, dan hubungan komunitas Muslim dengan masyarakat luas serta
dengan mitra internasional mereka. Kajian ini juga mengidentifikasi masalah yang mengemuka
pada komunitas Muslim Chăm saat ini. Kami berpendapat bahwa perubahan-perubahan terkini
dan penting dari komunitas Muslim tersebut adalah adanya upaya adaptasi mereka terhadap
The Islamic Community in Contemporary Vietnam: Main Features and Current Issues |1
Submitted: 26-04-2022 || Accepted: 29-05-2022 || Published: 31-05-2022
Hoàng Văn©Chung,
Copyright Chu Văn Tuấn
2022 Indonesian Journal of Islamic History and Culture
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
P-ISSN: 2722-8940; E-ISSN: 2722-8934
konteks sosial saat ini yang dicirikan oleh modernitas, sekularisasi, urbanisasi, dan integrasi
dunia..
Kata Kunci: Islam; Masyarakat Muslim Vietnam; etnik Chăm; Hubungan internasional
Introduction
Vietnam ese Muslim s living in Muslim com m unity) across the
close-knit com m unities that can be country. The concept of “Muslim
found in different localities in com m unity in Vietnam ” in this
Vietnam . The body of literature on article refers to the all fractions of
Islam ic studies in Vietnam is Muslim s residing in different
growing fast in recent three provinces and cities. In Vietnam , a
decades, recognizing significant local Muslim com m unity is also a
contributions by researchers who local residential com m unity which
are insiders and outsiders to this is bonded by various factors such as
com m unity. Yet such research fam ily, clan, livelihood, m igration,
projects often focus on a specific and religious faith. In fact, when one
them e or location thus lim ited in m entions about the Muslim
provision of the wider and inclusive com m unity in Vietnam , he or she is
awareness of the entire Muslim speaking about the Chăm Muslim
com m unity in Vietnam . This com m unity that follow Islam . The
research seeks to present a general reason is that over 95% of Muslim s
and up-to-dated picture of the in Vietnam are the Chăm people
Muslim com m unity in Vietnam while and the rest 5% includes the
according to the m ost recent and Kinh, the Khm er, the Indian,
extensive survey data and Malaysian, Indonesian, and som e
fieldworks conducted by the foreigners w ho stay tem porarily in
Institute of Religious Studies at Vietnam .
Vietnam Academ y of Social There is not a single
Sciences. This article is based on the organization that represents all
results of field research in 2019 and Muslim s in Vietnam to date. Muslim
2020 conducted am ong Muslim fractions across the country are
com m unities (abbreviated the organized in the form of local
Hoàng Văn Chung, Chu Văn Tuấn
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
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representative boards. Currently, Phụ 2005); innovation in in faiths

there are four boards, including the and ritual practices (Chu Văn T uấn
Representative Board of the Muslim 2019, 2020).
Com m unity in An Giang province, In fact, the dispersion of
the Representative Board of the Muslim s as m entioned above and
Muslim Com m unity in Hồ Chí Minh the significant changes am ong this
city; the Representative Board of Muslim com m unity since 1986
the Muslim Com m unity in Tây Ninh (beginning of Renovation in
Province and the Representativ e econom ic m odel) challenges
Board of the Muslim Com m unity in academ ia who seek to depict Islam
Ninh Thuận Province. These boards in Vietnam . Published research
are operating independently from works have often specified on
each other. certain aspects of religious belief,
There is a large literature of practices and culture or a location
Chăm Muslim studies in Vietnam ese where Muslim s reside. Som e
and foreign language. Recent concerning questions have arisen,
studies focus on em erging issues including: what are sharing features
faced by this religious com m unity, of Muslim com m unity in Vietnam ?
such as translocal and transnationa l What is the situation of this
trading activities (Philip Taylor com m unity’s interactions with
(2006, 2007); m igration and labor other com m unities inside and
abroad (Angie Ngọc Trần 2016); outside the country and with
regional integration Huynh Thanh various religious and secular
Tien et.al 2018); opportunities and institutions? And what are issues
challenges in internationa l are putting forwards to this
relations (Hoàng Văn Chung 2021); com m unity as national and
organization of com m unity (Lê international relations have been
Nguyên Châu 2018; Phan Văn D ốp boosted since Renovation? This
and Vương Hoàng Trù 2011); article seeks to set light on these
form ation and developm ent (Phú questions.
Văn Hẳn 2001); changing daily
social life (Lê Nhẩm 2003, Bá Trung Methodology
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
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To provide a com prehensive The Formation and Growth of the

Muslim Community in Vietnam
and up-to-date understandings of
The form ation and expansio n
the Muslim com m unity in Vietnam ,
of the Muslim com m unity in
we conducted sociological surveys
Vietnam is a long process through
using questionnaires and collected
m any different stages, associated
qualitative data from in-depth
with the progress of the Cham pa
interviews with representative s
Kingdom . First, it was the
and m em bers of this com m unity
introduction of Islam into the Chăm
during fieldworks in 2020-2022 .
com m unity in the early tim e. There
Field research was conducted in 12
are currently different opinions
provinces and cities where the
about the tim e when Islam arrived
Muslim perm anently reside
in Vietnam . Som e researcher s
including Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận,
m aintain that Islam was introduced
Hồ Chí Minh City, Đồng Nai, Bình
into the Chăm com m unity since the
Dương, Tây Ninh, Binh Phước, An
11th century while others argue
Giang, Kiên Giang, Long An, Ti ền
that this happened about 1-2
Giang, Trà Vinh to explore their
centuries later (Phan Văn D ốp and
religious and socio-econom ic life.
Vương Hoàng Trù 2011; Nguy ễn
1500 quantitative sam ples for
Bình 2014, 103). This first
Muslim s and about 100 in-depth
introduction and reception of Islam
interviews were conducted for
resulted in the form ation of Bà ni
dignitaries, Muslim s, and state
religion which is in nature the very
officials who are in charge of
strong indigenization of Islam . At
religious m anagem ent in those
the present, the population that
localities. Participants in the
practise this religious tradition is
surveys and interviews were
around 40,000 m em bers. Beside
selected random ly. Respondent s
Allah, they also worship their own
were instructed to fill out the
gods who have natural or hum an
questionnaires them selves while
origins. Thus com m unity is not
assistance was only provided when
recognized by Islam ic nations in the
needed. Pseudo nam es are used in
world.
this study for ethical reasons.
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
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Yet the story of Islam in Muslim com m unity in Hồ Chí Minh

Vietnam was continued. Because of City was established in the early
political changes and the Cham pa years of the twentieth century.
kingdom ceased to exist, since the Currently, this com m unity has
eighteenth century, a part of the about 10,000 m em bers and is
Chăm fled to Cam bodia and som e scattered in a num ber of districts
other Southeast Asian countries such as districts No.1, No.3, No.4,
such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and No.5, No.6, No.8, No.10, No.11, Phú
Thailand. Many Chăm im m igrants Nhuận, and Thủ Đức (Trương Quang
adopted Islam during this tim e. In Đạt, Nguy ễn Ngọc Trường Xuân
the m iddle of the eighteent h 2017, 108). The Muslim com m unity
century, these m igrants followed of Bình Phước was established after
Nguy ễn Lords to com e back to 1975 by m igrated Muslim s from Tây
Vietnam and settled in Châu Đ ốc (An Ninh, An Giang, and Đ ồng Nai (Chu
Giang province) and Tây Ninh Văn Tuấn 2020, 44). The Chăm
province. By the end of the Muslim com m unity of Ninh Thuận
twentieth century, som e Chăm was form ed in the 1960s of the
Muslim fam ilies m oved from An twentieth century . These were
Giang to Saigon (now Hồ Chí Minh converts from the followers of Bà ni
city). The Muslim com m unities in religion (Chu Văn Tuấn 2019, 71).
the South were gradually form ed Muslim com m unities in other
and they exist until today (Phan Văn localities such as Bình Dương, Long
Dốp and Vương Hoàng Trù 2011, An, Tiền Giang, Trà Vinh, Kiên
226-227). Thus, the new Muslim Giang, etc., were m ostly establishe d
com m unity in Vietnam was form ed in the early and m id-twentieth
from the Chăm Islam com m unity in century.
An Giang, Tây Ninh, and Hồ Chí Minh The form ation of these
City then spread to other provinces com m unities was based on different
and cities including Đ ồng Nai, Bình political and social-econom ic
Dương, Bình Phước, Long An, Tiền conditions and circum stances. Most
Giang, Kiên Giang, Trà Vinh, Ninh im portant driving factors were
Thuận, Bình Thuận. The Chăm livelihood and religion as a rational
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
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choice. However, the form ation of m osque in Hồ Chí Minh City; 2,695
Muslim com m unities did not happen m em bers, 2 m osques, 2 sm all-sized
sm oothly. Som e Muslim fractions m osques in Đồng Nai; 700 m em bers
encountered reactions thus having and 1 m osque in Bình Dương; 2,800
conflicts with surroundin g m em bers and 4 m osques in Ninh
com m unities. For exam ple, the Thuận; 80 m em bers and 1 m osque
Muslim com m unity in Ninh Thuận in Long An; 300 m em bers in Trà
had conflicts with the Chăm Bà ni Vinh (m ost of them are and som e
com m unity, also called as Chăm are Khm er, Kinh, Indian, and
Awal when Islam was first Chinese) 1 m osque and 1 sm all -
introduced into this province in the sized m osque; 10 m em bers and 1
later part of the 20th century (Chu m osque in Tiền Giang; 500 m em bers
Văn Tuấn 2019, 71). in Kiên Giang and no m osque. There
However, the m ajority of are about 40.000 Muslim s across
Muslim s in Vietnam are Chăm the nation. There is a very sm all
people who share historical and Muslim com m unity in Hanoi which
cultural origin. This com m unity is has a m osque at Hàng Lược street.
quite unified, stable, and cohesive. According to these data, the largest
Currently, the Muslim com m unity in com m unity is located in An Giang
Vietnam has m ore than 30,000 and the sm allest one can be found in
m em bers, 46 m osques (m asjid), and Tiền Giang. In som e localities, the
20 sm all-sized m osques. They are Muslim com m unity has both large
scattered unevenly through the and sm all m osques while m any
central and southern regions. In other only has the large one.
details, there are 4,219 m em bers, 6
m osques, 1 sm all-sized m osque Main features of the Muslim
(called surau) in Tây Ninh; 665 community in Vietnam today
m em bers and 2 m osques in Binh Ethnicity

When referring to the Muslim
Phuoc; 15,000 m em bers and 12
com m unity in Vietnam , people
m osques, 16 sm all-sized m osques in
im m ediately think of the Chăm
An Giang; about 10,000 m em bers,
Muslim com m unity because this
16 m osques, and 1 sm all-sized
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religious com m unity is m ainly Muslim s, m ost of them are m en or

constituted by the Chăm ethnic wom en who m arried to Chăm
group. There are Muslim s from Muslim s.
other ethnic groups such as the
Educational level
Indian, the Javanese (also known as The results of sociological
“Chà và” in Vietnam ese, including studiess showed that out of 1500
the Indonesian and the Malaysian) respondents, 800 people have
and the Kinh (Phú Văn Hẳn 2001, prim ary education, accounted for
46). The Muslim com m unity in 53,3%; 718 people have secondary
Hanoi consists of the Kinh, the Chăm education, accounted for 41,2%;
and the foreign Muslim s who only 5.5% (82 people) have
tem porarily reside in this city. vocational or higher education (see
Currently, there are 2 table below). The data is quite
m osques serving 600 Indian and sim ilar in com parison to the survey
Malaysian originated Muslim s in Hồ results of the Faculty of
Chí Minh city. In Trà Vinh, there are Anthropology, University of Social
300 Muslim s am ong them 20 are the Sciences and Hum anities of Hồ Chí
Kinh, 20 are the Khm er people, 04 Minh City in 2014. It can be said that
are the Indian, and som e Chinese. In m ost Muslim s in Vietnam have
Long An, there are 80 Muslim s with prim ary and secondary education
nearly 60 Kinh people. The rest is while those who have tertiary or
consisted of Indian and Malaysian post-graduate degrees take a
Muslim s. 1 They are descendants of relatively sm all percentage.
Indians and Malaysians who were
originally Muslim s, had been living Table 1: Educational level of
in Vietnam for a long tim e. These Muslim s
Educational Frequency Percentage
groups hadă contributed
level (people) (%)
significantly for the building of Primary 800 53,3
school
m osques in Vietnam . For the Kinh,
secondary 718 41,2
the Khm er, and the Chines e school
1
Currently, these people have Vietnamese
nationality.
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Vocational 82 5,5 and m ountainous areas, they often

education,
work on farm s or fishery. For
tertiary
degrees exam ple, the m ajority of Muslim s in
(Source: Survey conducted by the
Tây Ninh province live by farm ing,
Institute for Religious Studies, Vietnam
Academy of Social Sciences in 2019, anim al husbandry (cow, goat),
2020) fishing, rubber scraping, doing a
sm all business, etc . (Chu Văn Tuấn
According to our research,
2020, 42). The Muslim com m unity
the cause of this situation is that
in Ninh Thuận is m ainly cultivate on
Muslim s in Vietnam pay m ore
agricultural land and m ake
attention to learning the religious
traditional m edicines. Few young
doctrines. Many parents only want
people work in industrial zones
their children finish prim ary school
(Chu Văn Tuấn 2019, 76). The Chăm
or high school. Once the children
Muslim s in Hồ Chí Minh City m ainly
have learned how to read and write
do sm all business like running sm all
they are free to look for job or get
groceries stores. Previously they
m arried. Many Muslim fam ilies
traded rice, wood, cloth by boats
prefer sending their children to
along the rivers. Today, they m ainly
advanced schools in Islam ic
trade cloth and clothes in cities. In
teachings.
addition, m any Chăm people
Livelihoods participate in street vendors. They
Wars, frequent m igrations,
do free-lanced jobs such as tricycle
religious beliefs, and custom s have
drivers, m otorbike drivers,
been the m ost im portant factors
shippers (Phan Văn D ốp and Vương
that characterize the livelihoods of
Hoàng Trù 2011,121-122).
Muslim s. The m ajority of Muslim s in
According to our survey
Vietnam , regardless of location,
results, the m ain types of jobs for
m ainly m ake a living by farm ing,
Muslim s today are doing busines s
fishing, trading, or working as
and trading (20,4%), farm ing
freelancers. Muslim s usually do
(17,2%), free-lance workers
sm all businesses or provide free-
(16,2%) and working as a housewife
lanced labor in the city. For rural
(14,9%). Other types of jobs such as
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workers, craftsm en, state officials the religious activities of Islam is

account for less than 10%. The that a believer m ust pray 5 tim es a
selection of these jobs is related to day and on the Friday noon, and a
the religious, cultural whole m onth when the fasting
characteristics of this com m unity. Ram adan on due every year. They
See the table below: also have to follow strict rules in
eating Halal foods only. Because of
Table 2: Occupation of Muslims in those religious reasons, Muslim s in
Vietnam today Vietnam often choose free-lanced
Perce
Frequency jobs, sm all businesses, jobs near
Occupations ntage
(people)
(%) their hom e, near m osques that are
Doing business 305 20,4 convenient for religious practices.
Farmer/fisherman 258 17,2 Religious practices of Islam are the

Free-lance worker 242 16,2 highest priority that deeply affect
Housewife 223 14,9 all Muslim s’ daily activities.
68 4,5 Therefore, the incom e level of

Worker
Muslim s is m ostly average. There is
Craftsman 51 3,4
a low percentage of fam ilies with
State officials 36 2,4
high incom e. According to the
Religious teacher
31 2,1 survey results, fam ilies with high
(Islam)
Retired person 91 6,1 incom e accounted for 10,7%, with
Student 85 5,7 average incom e accounted for

73,8%, and with low incom e
Unemployed 70 4,7
accounted for 15,5%. It should be
Other 38 2,5
noted that the m ajority of surveyed
(Source: Suvey conducted by the Institute
for Religious Studies, Vietnam Academy fam ilies tended to be m odest in
of Social Sciences in 2019, 2020) their assessm ent of incom e,
therefore the actual proportion of
As can be seen religious fam ilies with high level of incom e
factor play an im portant role in m ay be higher than the data.
orientation of job of Muslim s in
Vietnam today. The peculiarity of
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Table 3: Muslims self-assessment of their international Muslim com m unities.

family’s level of income
Regarding language, a researcher
No. of Percentage
Self-assessment has indicated that “Muslim s in
respondents (%)
Vietnam have close relations with
Wealthy 160 10,7
Melayu language speakers in
Average 1107 73,8
Southeast Asia since m any Muslim
Poor 232 15,5
intellectuals have learned Melayu
Institute for Religious Studies, Vietnam language and used Jawi scripts. This
Academy of Social Sciences in 2019, is Arabic scripts used by the Melayu
2020)
people in Malaysia and Indonesia to
In recent years, along with
create their own scripts. Based on
the econom ic and social
this, Chăm Muslim s built Chăm
developm ent of the country, the
Melayu scripts which was popular
living conditions of the Chăm
am ong the Cham Muslim s in the
com m unity in general and the Chăm
South. Thus, m any Chăm Muslim s in
Muslim com m unity in particular
Vietnam can read the Qur’an and the
have been im proved. In som e
Jawi of Malaysia and Indonesia”
localities such as An Giang, Hồ Chí
(Phú Văn Hẳn 2001, 47).
Minh City, Ninh Thuận, etc., Muslim
Regarding religion, all
household average incom e has
Muslim com m unities across the
increased (Lê Nguyên Châu 2018,
country have relationships with
135). There have been alm ost no
Islam ic world. The Tây Ninh Muslim
poor fam ily according to national
com m unity has a quite close
criteria.
relationship with the Muslim
com m unity in Cam bodia. Besides,
Relationships of the Muslim
community in Vietnam today m any international Muslim
Factors such as history, delegations from Malaysia, Arabia,
language, culture, religion, busines s India, etc. com e to visit the
ties, geographical location have com m unity every year (Chu Văn
enabled Muslim s in Vietnam to Tuấn 2020, 43). The Chăm Islam
build and m aintain a close com m unity of Binh Phuoc also has a
relationship with the regional and good relationship with the Chăm
The Islamic Community in Contemporary Vietnam: Main Features and Current Issues | 10
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Islam ic com m unity in Cam bodia. In addition to Dawah

The Chăm Muslim com m unity of activities, international Muslim
Ninh Thuận has international ties com m unities often com e to provide
with a num ber of countries such as support and help for national
Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Muslim com m unities in form s of
Saudi Arabia, etc. charity, tourism , funding for the
One of the doctrinal construction of m osques and
exchanges am ong Muslim establishm ents, sponsorin g
com m unities is “Dawah”. Dawah pilgrim age to Mecca or scholarships
m eans “to rem ind” in Arabic. Its aim for studying abroad, Islam ic studies
is “to rem ind fellow believers to courses, etc. Many Muslim
fulf ill their Islam ic obligations and delegations have com e to Vietnam
faith”. Dawah activities have only to provide financial aids for
been possible in Vietnam since 1990 construction of clean water
when Vietnam opened up for system s, houses for the poor,
international integration. In recent auxiliary structures for m osques,
years, m ore and m ore internationa l and key collective cerem onies
delegations from Malaysia, around the year such circum cision
Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, and for children, Ram adan, etc. More
Saudi Arabia have com e to Vietnam Vietnam ese Muslim s are able to do
to do Dawah duties (Phan Văn D ốp pilgrim age to Mecca thanks for full
and Vương Hoàng Trù 2011, 362). In or partial sponsorship by
addition, Vietnam ese delegate s international Islam ic organizations
have been actively in participating or individuals.
Qur’an recitation contests held in In other aspects, the
som e neighboring countries such as relationship between the Muslim
Malaysia and Indonesia. Besides, com m unity in Vietnam and the
Vietnam ese Muslim s intensify their Muslim com m unities in the world is
participation in internationa l also reflected in fam ily relations.
conferences, sem inars, doctrinal For exam ple, there is a Chăm
exchanges, and teachings. Muslim com m unity who resided in
Cam bodia and a part of it m oved to
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Vietnam during the Southwest with non-

Muslim Chăm 472 31,5
border war. Therefore, these in other
com m unities still m aintain close countries
with Muslims of
relationships. They regularly visit other 741 49,4
ethnicities
their relatives via attend weddings,
with non-
funerals, and doing business or Muslim of other 1077 71,8
ethnicities
trading. The Muslim com m unity in
with foreign
Vietnam also has a relationship with 247 16,5
Muslims
Chăm relatives, friends, spouse who with non-
81 5,4
m igrated to other countries before Muslim people
1975 such as the United States of No relationship

with the
269 17,9
Am erica and France. aforementioned
people
According to the survey
results by the Institute for Religious
Institute for Religious Studies, Vietnam
Studies, out of 1500 Muslim Academy of Social Sciences in 2019,
2020)
respondents, 716 people
(accounting for 47,8%) answered
There is always a reciprocal
that they have relationships with
relationship am ong the Muslim
the oversea Chăm Muslim s and
com m unities across the country in
Muslim foreigners, 269 respondent s
m any aspects such as relatives,
(accounting for 17,9%) while a
m arriage, business, and religious
sm all num ber said that they have no
ties. According to the survey data,
relationship with foreigners (see
1324 Muslim s (accounting for
Table 4).
88,3%) answered that they have a
m arriage relationship with their
Table 4: Vietnamese Muslim’s peers; 1337 Muslim s (accounting
Relationships
for 89,1%) said that they have
Types of No. of Percentage
Respondents (%) business relationships with other
relationships
with Muslim Muslim com m unities (see Table 5).
Chăm in other 469 31,3
Indeed, m ost Chăm Muslim s m arry
countries
people of the sam e religion or
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ethnicity. The percentage of Ch ăm strictly observe the Muslim

Muslim s who m arry non-Muslim s or lifestyle. Mosques are a place for
people of other ethnicities is very gatherings. They are actually the
low. center of religious life of
Religious relationship plays a com m unity. Muslim com m unities
crucial role in life of the Muslim hav e m any things to share,
com m unities. This is the factor that including history, cultural and
governs other relationships. As religious practices and ethnicity.
m entioned above, there is Dawah The Muslim com m unity in
activity in Muslim life. This activity Vietnam has enjoyed a close and
is not conducted by foreign Muslim harm onious relationship with other
delegations but also by Muslim ethnic, and religious com m unities,
com m unities them selves in various as well as m aintaining a good
provinces and cities. During the relationship with the governm ent.
field research in T ây Ninh at the end The data of Table 4 showed that
of 2019, we m et a Muslim group 1077 Muslim respondent s
from Long Khánh, Đồng Nai who (accounting for 71,8%) said that
cam e to Tây Ninh for exchangin g they have relationships with non-
religious activities, including Muslim s in the form s of m arriage or
Dawah. In other provinces and doing business. 1122 Muslim
cities, there are often groups of respondents (accounting for 74,8%)
Muslim s from other provinces and reported that they enjoy a
cities com e to visit and do harm onious relationship with other
pilgrim ages at m osques. Besides, non-Islam ic com m unities. The
the celebration of Islam ic holidays following table provides further
is also an opportunity for Muslim s inform ation:
throughout the country to exchange
and collaborate. Table 5: Relationships of the Chăm
Religious faith strengthen s Muslim community with other
communities
Chăm Muslim com m unities’
Types of No. of Percentage
cohesion. Islam requires believers Relationship and Respondents (%)
self-assessment
to regularly practice their faith and
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
P-ISSN: 2722-8940; E-ISSN: 2722-8934
Marital 1324 88,3

Doing business and 1337 89,1 Emerging Issues among the Muslim
trading
Enjoying solidarity
community in Vietnam today
and living in 1122 74,8
In the new context, the
harmony with other
Muslim com m unity are facing issues
communities
Having religious that represent their difficulties in
conflicts with other 53 3,5
communities balancing preservation of ethnic
Having conflicts in and religious identities and
cultural activities,
79 5,3 developm ent. One of the burning
lifestyles with other
communities
issues is that less Chăm Muslim s are
Having no relations
with other 16 1,1 interested in learning their
communities
traditional scripts and languag e
Not given 36 2,4
(see Trương Quang Đạt and Nguyễn
Other 2 0,1
Ngọc Trường Xuân 2017, 119). In
(Source: Survey by the Institute for Religious
Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences fact, the m ajority of Chăm Muslim s
in 2019, 2020) can still speak Chăm language but
the usage of Chăm scripts am ong the
The Chăm Muslim s are Muslim com m unity decreasing .
expanding and diversifying their Many of them now cannot read and
relationships nationally and write the Chăm scripts. The younger
internationally. Two m ain generation prefers speaking official
directions are recognized, including language (Vietnam ese) even at
their quest for im provem ent in hom e. Another issue is that
econom ic life and the dem and to be m em bers of Muslim com m unity in
m ore connected with the Islam ic Vietnam still have a low educational
world. While new opportunities are level in com parison to that of the
being opened up for the Muslim , m ajority of the national population.
challenges are also present such as This situation causes hinderance for
internal conflicts that m ay threat their ability in com petition at the
com m unity’s cohesion and cultural national and international job
and ethnic identities m ay be m arket, the im provem ent of
underm ined if conflicts occur. household incom e, living
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
P-ISSN: 2722-8940; E-ISSN: 2722-8934
conditions, and social status. There international exchanges also

is an issue with Muslim s’ need to propose challenges for the
perform rituals daily once they have preservation and representation of
to be som ewhere far away f rom cultural, ethnic and religious
their hom e villages or wards. identities. They m ay realize that
Indeed, Muslim s in Vietnam are not they them selves are holding m any
treated fairly at working place or different identities including ethnic,
public spaces. Muslim em ployees language, religious and nationality
are not given space and tim e to at the sam e tim e (see Taylor 2007,
perform rituals daily at schools, 63). As they have to negotiate these
universities, factories, offices, etc. identities at different and specific
To fit in a non-Islam ic working socio-cultural contexts, som e m ay
environm ent, Muslim s often have to be successful while other m ay
obey secular working rules. They experience how their identities are
have no choice but perform their underm ined ( Hoàng Văn Chung
rituals at off -working tim e. Thus, a 2021).
part of Muslim population chooses
to do low -paid job such as farm ing Conclusion
and raising cattle. In return, they In Vietnam , the m ajority of
can live closely to m osques and Muslim s are the Chăm and this
easily fulfill their religious duty of situation will not easily change in
the day. But working on farm will near future. Ethnicity and religion
not help them to quickly im prove are two m ain factors that build up
their econom ic situation. Finally, and m aintain cohesion and unity for
regional and internationa l this Muslim com m unity despite of
integration are giving very good political and social c hanges through
opportunities for the developm ent tim es. At the present, the im pacts of
m arket-driven socio-economic
of the Muslim com m unity . They are
able to m obilize and articulate developm ent and internationa l
resources necessary for doing integration have caused profound
business, im proving education, and changes for Muslim com m unity in
building social capital. However, Vietnam , as can be seen in
Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18
P-ISSN: 2722-8940; E-ISSN: 2722-8934
significant im provem ent of Director of the Institute for

Religious Studies under Vietnam
household incom e, education,
Academ y of Social Sciences. His
ethnic progress, and cultural and m ain research interests are
religious philosophy, Buddhism
social capital. However, as national
and Islam in Vietnam . He has
and international integrations are published a num ber articles such
as “A philosophical assessm ent of
enhanced, the Chăm are facing real
the changing trends of Buddhism
challenges in preservation of their in contem porary Vietnam ”,
European Scientific Laguage
cultural and religious identities.
Journal (2020); Reality of the
Further, Muslim s are leaving Cham Muslim in Tay Ninh and
Binh Phuoc at the present,
hom eland to find better education,
Religious Studies, No.9, (2019);
then jobs in dom estic cities and and a num ber of books in
Vietnam ese.
industrial zones, and in other
2. Hoàng Văn Chung, PhD., is a
countries as well. Joining the researcher in Sociology,
currently working at the Institute
workforce at regional and global
for Religious Studies under
scale will equip them with valuable Vietnam Academ y of Social
Sciences. Chung has focused his
knowledge, skills, social capital plus
investigation on religious
political views. The com m unit y is diversity, folk religion’s sacred
spaces, and state-religion
thus being at im portant process of
relationship in Vietnam . His
reconfiguration whereby secular m ajor publications include New
Religions and State's Response to
and religious elem ents are
Religious Diversification in
negotiating and finding ways to co- Contem porary Vietnam (Springer
2017), a book chapter entitled
exist and thrive. In that context, the
"The double-layered religious
state should tim ely build and fine diversification in post-
Renovation Vietnam " in Religious
tune policies to better assist this
Diversity in Asia (Brill 2019) , and
com m unity in the quest for wealth, a num ber of articles and edited
books in Vietnam ese.
existential security, and
transm ission of religious and ethnic
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The Islamic Community in Contemporary Vi

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Indonesian Journal of Islamic History and Culture

Vol. 3, No. 1 (2022). 1-18

THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY IN CONTEMPORARY VIETNAM:

Hoàng Văn Chung

Chu Văn Tuấn

MASYARAKAT ISLAM DI VIETNAM KONTEMPORER:

representative boards. Currently, Phụ 2005); innovation in in faiths

To provide a com prehensive The Formation and Growth of the

Yet the story of Islam in Muslim com m unity in Hồ Chí Minh

m em bers and 2 m osques in Binh Ethnicity

religious com m unity is m ainly Muslim s, m ost of them are m en or

Vocational 82 5,5 and m ountainous areas, they often

workers, craftsm en, state officials the religious activities of Islam is

Farmer/fisherman 258 17,2 Religious practices of Islam are the

Housewife 223 14,9 all Muslim s’ daily activities.

68 4,5 Therefore, the incom e level of

Student 85 5,7 average incom e accounted for

Table 3: Muslims self-assessment of their international Muslim com m unities.

Islam ic com m unity in Cam bodia. In addition to Dawah

Vietnam during the Southwest with non-

1975 such as the United States of No relationship

ethnicity. The percentage of Ch ăm strictly observe the Muslim

Marital 1324 88,3

conditions, and social status. There international exchanges also

regional and internationa l this Muslim com m unity despite of

resources necessary for doing integration have caused profound

business, im proving education, and changes for Muslim com m unity in

building social capital. However, Vietnam , as can be seen in

significant im provem ent of Director of the Institute for

Science+ Business Media international conference: A

Tạ Long (2008). “Tương đồng và biệt lập

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