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Health and Healing Practices for the Muslim Community in Omaha, Nebraska
Z. Alsharif, Naser Galt, Kimberly A. A. Kasha, Ted
Z. Alsharif, Naser
Galt, Kimberly A.
A. Kasha, Ted
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n2011-32.pdf
Adobe PDF, 639.27 KB
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Abstract
"Islam is a religion that is practiced by an estimated 1.5 billion persons in many cultures and in almost every country in the world, including 57 countries that are predominantly Muslims (Miller). Persons who practice the religion of Islam are identified as Muslims. The practice of the religion requires a person to uphold what are known as the “five pillars in Islam.” These five pillars are: 1) Declare the shahadda (There is no god but Allah and the Prophet Mohammed is his messenger); 2) Observe the five daily prayers at sunrise, midday, afternoon, sunset, and evening; 3) Fast during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset during which a Muslim abstains from eating, drinking, and other worldly pleasures; 4) Zakat, the giving of Alms to the needy as a percentage of wealth after providing for one’s own family; and 5) Perform Haj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime (Miller; Armstrong). There is no accurate count of the U.S. Muslim population; the U.S. Census Bureau does not collect data on religious affiliation. However, depending on which estimate from the literature that you choose, it ranges from 2.5 to 7 million Muslims, with the proportion of persons growing in the American society (Bagby, Perl, and Froehle). This growing proportion of our society suggests a compelling need for us to understand both the common and the varied health practice beliefs of Muslims. As we work toward mutual understanding within the context of health care provision, we must recognize that both the religious faith practices and the ethnic cultures are to be understood in order to meet the preferences and requirements of Muslim patients. Islam, in general, is discussed as a monolithic religion. In the case of health it has a holistic approach where the physical, emotional, and spiritual health cannot be separated (Nasr; Stacey 2009a). Islam also is a religion that emphasizes the individuality of the relationship with God and how a person is accountable for how he/she practice his/her faith. As with other religions, personal and cultural variations may affect how the faith is practiced and ultimately make it more difficult to hold basic assumptions about how to interact with persons of the Islamic faith. In addition, in Islam, there are two major sects, Sunni (85% of Muslims), which has four major mathaheb (ways or schools of thought) and Shia, which has three major schools of thought (Armstrong). Therefore, it is critical that health professionals consult each patient about religious observances that must be upheld, especially those that influence health and healing practices. Many of these observances pertaining to the Muslim patient will be addressed in this paper."(pg 151)
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2011
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With permission of the license/copyright holder