• A German study revealed that Muslims hold the highest belief in oneness, linked to greater life satisfaction.
• This year Finland is ranked as the happiest nation in the UN’s Happiness Report, questions arise about the metrics used.
In 2019, a German study found that Muslims have the highest belief in oneness. The researchers noted that higher levels of belief in oneness correspond to greater life satisfaction.
However, the United Nations’ Happiness Report released on March 20th, 2024, once again crowned Finland as the happiest nation for the seventh consecutive year.
Considering the discrepancy between the studies and Finland having a population of only 2.3% Muslims, it is crucial to explore their respective findings and the criteria for measuring happiness in each.
More than 67,000 people in Germany participated in a study by the University of Mannheim which looked at the correlation between oneness beliefs and life satisfaction. The study, published by the American Psychological Association, proved the hypothesis of the main researcher, Laura Marie Erdinger-Schons, that oneness beliefs might explain people’s life satisfaction.
“The results of this study reveal a significant positive effect of oneness beliefs on life satisfaction, even controlling for religious beliefs,” she said.
Oneness, or tawhid, in Islamic thought refers to the indivisible oneness of God and is a central tent of Islamic religious belief.
Erdingor-Schons recognised oneness – “the feeling of being at one with a divine principle, life, the world, other people or even activities” – as a central idea in various religious and philosophical texts.
The survey looked at a range of religious affiliations and found oneness beliefs were very different across various religious affiliations, with atheists having the lowest levels of oneness beliefs and Muslims the highest.
The large survey followed Erdinger-Schons’s original survey of 7,000 people. It asked participants to respond to statements on oneness as well as life satisfaction indicators.
While this study looks at broader notions of spirituality, a 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that participants who described themselves as “highly religious” were also more likely to say they were “very happy” with life.
The United Nations’ research on global happiness identifies Finland as the preeminent nation in terms of overall happiness. This conclusion is drawn from assessments encompassing factors such as generosity, income, freedom of choice, life expectancy and absence of corruption. These metrics appear superficial at best, as they fail to capture genuine contentment. For instance, they overlook the resilience and fortitude displayed by nations enduring the hardships of war or adversity. Furthermore, numerous case studies have highlighted that wealth does not guarantee happiness. Additionally, while freedom of choice may serve as a fleeting indicator of happiness, its long-term impact remains subject to debate.
