Systematizing the Islamic Elements in the Chams Bàni Religious Community in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan Provinces in Vietnam

Abstract

lthough most of the religious studies of the Chams  Bàni religious community in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces have shown that their religious practices express beliefs associated with Islam, they also agreed that the worship of this community is variants of Islam. The reason is due to nonIslam rituals still exist in this community. In order to be aware of the conformity with the religious phenomenon of Bàni, it is necessary to systematize the typical characteristics that show the Chams Bàni community as an Islamic community at least in the form. This article  ystematizes the Islamic characteristics of the Chams Bàni community in accordance with three main dimensions of a religion: religious beliefs, religious practices (rituals and taboo express beliefs), and religious community (the main rituals of community cohesion).