Islamic precepts for marital happiness in indonesia: The role of religiousity and spouse’s characteristics

Numerous studies have confirmed the positive effect of religion or religious belief on happiness. Nevertheless, most if not all of these studies use a conventional economic or social approach. We examine the effect of following Islamic guidelines in life and in selecting a spouse on the happiness of married individuals in Indonesia. Results from ordered logistic regression suggest that—while it is consistent with the importance of material determinants of happiness—religion has a notable effect on individual happiness. Also, while happiness is correlated with one’s spouse's religiosity, the magnitude of the effect is somewhat weaker than that of one's own religiosity. Finally, a commensurate spouse is imperative for female happiness, more so than for male happiness.