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INTERMINGLING OF CONTINUITY AND DISCONTINUITY93example, there are many power holders credited withthe titles of sultan and datu (Gowing 1979).Probable effects of urban and city life on Islamicfundamentalism in QuiapoThe effects of urban life can be summarized as follows:it is observable from conversations with traders thatliving as a Muslim in the thriving Quiapo market hasled to an interpretation of Islam that combines theiracceptance of the spirit of capitalism, individual piety,and external manifestations. Some of the traders haveconstructed their lives in such a way that personalpiety and religiosity expressed by the attendance inthe mosque are considered vital to the success of theirbusinesses.It is, however, also observable that the market hasmuddied the religiosity of some of the Muslimsinterviewed. Seven out of ten key informants rarelygo to the Mosque during weekdays although mostof them, if not all, are present on weekends. Theirinformal conversations with the researcher also centeredon market activities with very little reference to God.Their lives seem more secularized; that is, their businessactivities were obviously separate from their religiosity.Economic interests seem to speak more loudly thanreligious laws and morals. However, even if marketlife and the pragmatic attitude that accompanies itseems to undermine the religiosity of some of the keyinformants, the fundamentalist rhetoric (e.g., theocracy,anti-democracy, literalism) seems to maintain a stronghold among them.Toennies (1963) and Simmel (1951) emphasize theindividualist character of urbanites. Louis Wirth (n.d.)further added that urbanites are impersonal and donot have deep emotional ties because of the process ofsocial isolation. These ideas are observable in Quiapobut the individuating effects of city life seem to beinsignificant. Gans (1970) and Fisher (1984) seem tobe correct in the view that the process of social isolationis not experienced by ethnic villagers like the Muslimcommunity in Quiapo because they are able to live inself-contained ethnic communities with deep communaland emotional ties. The mosques have become socialcenters and serve as a mechanism for ummah integration.Furthermore, the creation of a comprehensive structurelike the Jama’ah and its growing influence continuesthe historically rooted tradition of a religious-civilsociety (dar al-Islam). The Jama’ah is a defense againstthe secular and materialist lifestyle of Metro Manilathat could pull apart the very fabric of the religiousand social institutions of the migrant population. TheJama’ah provides the members with communal andreligious solidarity. The Jama’ah, as well as other Islamicschools of thought, reinforce the role of religion as anintegrative force uniting the Quiapo community. Forindividuals, religion provides a reinforcement againstthe anomic quality of urban life. Culturally, it providesa link between rural-traditional-agrarian values andurban-modern-industrial worldviews. Socially, it givesback a sense of belonging to an otherwise diasporiccommunity.ImplicationsThis study was limited to the Quiapo area. It will,therefore, be useful to explore other Muslim areas suchas Taguig, Tandang Sora, or Baclaran where the marketis not as central as in Quiapo. Such studies can shedmore light on the worldview of urban-based FilipinoMuslims in their everyday surroundings.As a final word, this study has shown that eventhough Islamic fundamentalism has appeared on therhetorical level, in practice selected Muslims in theQuiapo area are politically moderate. Muslims are justas peace-loving, moderate, and tolerant of pluralismas most Filipinos. My interviews show that most, ifnot all, of my key informants accept the sovereigntyof the Philippine Republic despite their hope for anindependent Bangsamoro Republic in a distant future.Although they express their hopes for an Islamic state,some of them pragmatically speak of the impossibilityof achieving it in the Philippines and are slowly leavingthe idea behind. Given this, it is imperative for thePhilippine government and society to treat Muslimsfairly and with respect.NOTES1 The term “Moro” is identified with Muslims in thePhilippines. It is more than just a signifier of religion orethnicity. The term represents the fight against colonizationby forces outside the Philippines and from within thecountry. In contrast, the term “Filipino” was a labelapplied to Spaniards born in the Philippines indicatingtheir allegiance or subservience to Spain. For this reason,Saleh Jubair (1997) made a fine distinction between thetwo terms when he wrote that while “Filipino” was thechild of colonialism, “Moro” was the offspring of anticolonialism.2The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) is a politicalorganization in the southern part of the Philippines,organized in the early 1970s by Nur Misuari with theAsian Transformations in ActionThe Work of the 2006/2007 API Fellows