MODERN ISLAMIC BELIEF AND PRACTICE

Modern Islamic Belief and Practice

Modern Islamic Belief and Practice

Introduction

Islam is the world's second largest religion, with 1·57 billion followers (23% of the global population).50 countries have predominantly Muslim populations, including the 22 nations representing the Middle East. However, 683 million Muslims live in Asia. For example, Indonesia has 15·6% of the world's Muslims, with large populations also present in Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.1 80-90% of Muslims worldwide belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. Here, we focus on two goals. First, we assess how Islam as a religious system shapes medical practice, and how Muslims in general view and experience their medical care. The relation between Islam and medicine has been described as intimate. Islam has generally encouraged the use of science, medicine, and biotechnology as solutions to human suffering.

Modern Islamic Belief and Practice

During the last twenty years, there has been a worldwide awakening to the need for integration of the spiritual dimension into our everyday living. Spirituality has become a very popular topic among scientists and medical practitioners alike. And, despite the rapidly growing body of research, still, the effect of spirituality on health and wellness is highly controversial as physicians and pharmacists see it. The spiritual dimension of human life is widely neglected in conventional medical practice and various medical training programs. Even though many studies show the positive effect of spirituality on the overall health and quality of life, Western scientists are reluctant in accepting it as they still disagree on the interpretation of the word 'spirituality'.

Studies show that adopting spirituality/religiosity as a mere ritual do little if not nothing at all to improve health and healing. Spirituality, for it to be an effective tool in the healing journey, should be well integrated in our lifestyle. It should be, as the word denotes, a function of the soul. Spirituality is an individualistic concept; it is our personal quest for the sacred connection with our Creator, a quest for deeper meanings and purpose in life. Islam advocates a holistic way of living that integrates spirituality in every aspect of life and incorporates the health of the physical body with the well-being of the mind, heart, and soul.

For Muslims, the words spirituality and religion cannot be detached, they are highly intertwined and both are manifested in the daily religious rituals as well as in everyday life experiences. Muslim worshipping acts carry within them a valuable 'food' for the soul. They are constant reminders of the need of this sacred connection with our Creator, a connection that ensures not only our spiritual and psychological well being, but that extend to our physical and mental health and wellness as well by driving away evil thoughts and clearing the mind from stress and worries. The later are seen by modern medicine as the precipitating cause of many serious conditions starting from ulcers and digestive problems, reaching all the way to adrenal fatigue, diabetes, and even cancer.

Muslims perceive their diseases as a challenge, a test ...