Health And Well Being In Islamic Societies

From the first hospitals to pioneering pharmacy techniques, the early history of medicine reflects the groundbreaking contributions of Islamic physicians and scientists. Less recognized, however, is the impact of Islam on the health and daily health practices of modern day Muslims. Meticulously documented with current research sources and relevant religious texts, Health and Well-Being in Islamic Societies sheds light on the relationships between Muslim beliefs and physical, psychological, and social health. Background chapters trace Muslim thought on health and healing as it has evolved over the centuries to the present. The authors provide even-handed comparisons with Christianity as the two traditions approach medical and ethical questions, and with Christian populations in terms of health outcomes, assuring coverage that is not only objective but also empirically sound and clinically useful. And as the concluding chapters show, understanding of these similarities and differences can lead to better care for clients, cost-effective services for communities, and healthier Muslim populations in general. Included among the book's topics: Muslim beliefs about health, healing, and healthcare Similarities and differences between Muslim and Christian health beliefs Impact of religion on physical, mental, and community health in Muslims Understanding how Islam influences health Applications for clinical practice Implications for public health Cultural awareness is critical to improving both individual client health and public health on a global scale. Health and Well-Being in Islamic Societies is essential reading for clinical and health psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and nurses, and will be informative for the general reader as well.

Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Orientalism / Sinology - Islamic Studies, grade: 1,3, University of Göttingen (Centre for Modern Indian Studies), course: Religion, health and medicine in India, language: English, abstract: For the past decade, the Islamic faith, especially when represented by minority communities living in Western countries, has repeatedly been the subject of heated debate in the political and the public sphere. Its followers are consequently confronted with the predicament of living in accordance to the prescriptions of their faith and being compelled to justify it. In this regard, Islamic adherence could very well be assessed as quite a burden. However, religion and spirituality have long since been recognised as beneficial to the coping process in times of emotional and psychological distress, albeit predominantly in the Christian context. Acknowledging the special situation of Muslims in Western countries , this paper aims to provide an analysis of the situation of Muslims with mental health issues living in a non-Islamic society, namely the multicultural, secular societies of the UK and the USA. It furthermore seeks to establish in what ways the Islamic religion influences the patients‘ outlook on themselves and their choices of treatment. It presumes that anti-Muslim bias, unfortunately widespread in the West, has its impact on its victims‘ psychological well-being. Not merely belonging to a minority group, but one that is continuously hated against, might prove to be a factor that negatively affects the psychological health of Muslims. Numerous questions are inherently connected with this approach: How does affiliation to Islam influence adherence to treatment regimes? Do Muslims in the West generally oppose biomedicine? Or are biomedical and traditional treatment complementary in the minds of the sick? Does Islam promote behaviour beneficial to mental health or does it rather constitute a risk factor? Does the simple fact of following Islam present Muslims living in the West with conditions harmful to their mental health?

An authoritative discussion and explanation of practical Islamic rulings pertaining to health and illustrating the principles of health promotion and protection. The booklet draws together and interprets teachings, sayings, and laws previously scattered in numerous religious texts. The opening section reviews the Islamic concept of health and presents general guidelines for preserving good health and seeking medical treatment. Section two describes specific principles pertaining to cleanliness and personal hygiene, marriage and family life, care of children, immunization, proper nutrition, consumption of safe food and water, and protection of the environment. Teachings and rulings that encourage health promotion and protection are discussed in section three. The final section shows how the Islamic concepts of solidarity, cooperation, self-sufficiency, and perfection in "civilized behaviour" support the concept of community participation as an essential component of primary health care.

This book aims to explore and analyse Islamic Moral Economy (IME) as an alternative economic and social system to capitalism and socialism. It proposes a new model of Islamic development, integrating global development within an Islamic framework of spiritual development. It is argued that the failure of Muslim countries to provide basic necessities and an environment free of oppression and injustice can be overcome with this authentic Islamic development framework. In addition, this book can be an important study to identify the theological, political, social and economic boundaries for changing the society to produce IME oriented developmentalism.

Where will Muslim societies be tomorrow? The world is increasingly and constantly changing, making it hard to keep up. This makes the state much more dire and troublesome for those already marginalised – particularly Muslim societies. Normal is no longer capable of upholding the promise of tomorrow’s certainty. These are postnormal times. In this storm of ignorance and uncertainty, Muslim societies stand to lose the most. But this is not destiny. In the cultivation of a new type of literacy – futures literacy – there resides a hope. Muslim Societies in Postnormal Times offers an alternative where we can ‘rescue’ and decolonise our futures. Sardar, Serra, and Jordan take an open and plural approach to the future revealing the true potentials that lie before us. Through detailed analysis of contemporary trends, the road to destruction is revealed. Through identifying and exploring emerging issues, agency through options can allow for positive change. And in the extrapolation of these ideas into scenarios, the authors pave the way for us to navigate our own preferred futures. Their study challenges the reader to think about the future in a new way, redefining the monolithic future as three tomorrows (Extended Present, Familiar Futures, and Unthought Futures), along the way ever watchful for Black Swans, Black Elephants, and the illustrious Black Jellyfish that could disrupt the path ahead. The authors pull no punches in critically evaluating the possibilities and nightmares that could potentially befall Muslim societies. Through a display of creativity and imagination, this book looks beyond the conventional to illuminate impacts in the context of the complex, interconnected world we find ourselves in. This informative and enlightening text will push readers to see beyond popular, yet native notions of present and future. In the exposition of the reader’s ignorance and uncertainty, they will begin to look for the unthought and take agency in recolonising and navigating their preferred tomorrow.

The book begins by covering the general and clinical challenges that are unique to Muslims, drawing from an internationally, ethnically, and intergenerationally diverse pool of experts. The text covers not only how psychiatrists and other clinicians can intervene successfully with patients, but how we as clinicians can have a role in addressing other societally connected mental health challenges arising from Islamophobia. The text addresses three related but distinct areas of interest: Islamophobia as a destructive force, Islam as a religion that is threatened by stigma and misinformation, and the novel intersection of these forces with the field of psychiatry. Islamophobia and Psychiatry is a vital resource for all clinicians and clinicians in training who may encounter patients struggling with these issues, including adult and child psychiatrists, psychologists, primary care physicians, counselors, social workers, and others.

In Faith-Based Health Justice, a stellar assembly of scholars mines critical insights into the promotion of health justice across Christian and Islamic faith traditions and beyond. Contributors to the volume consider what health justice might mean today, if developed in accordance with faith traditions whose commandment to care for the poor, ill, and marginalized lies at the core of their theology. And what kind of transformation of both faith traditions and public policies would be needed in the face of the health justice challenges in our turbulent time? Contributors to the volume come from a wide range of backgrounds, and the result will be of interest to scholars and students in social ethics, development studies, global theology, interreligious studies, and global health as well as experts, practitioners, and policy-makers in health and development work.