Understanding faith considerations when caring for bereaved Muslims

Maria Kristiansen*, Aziz Sheikh

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Ethnic and religious pluralism are now key features of most Western societies, with Muslims representing the largest religious minority group. Although Muslims are ethnically, culturally and linguistically heterogeneous, they share common core beliefs these centring on the unity of Allah (God) and the message sent to mankind in The Holy Qur’an. A key theme running through The Qur’an is the contrast between the transitory nature of this world and the permanent abode of the Akhirah (Hereafter). Bereavement represents a significant life event, often resulting in major social, psychological and spiritual transitions.1 In this paper, we consider core Muslim beliefs in relation to death and bereavement, and draw on these beliefs and teachings, the limited available empirical data on the subject and our personal experiences to reflect on possible implications for care, particularly in relation to patients being managed in Western secular care contexts (see Box 1 for further details).
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)513-517
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of the Royal Society of Medicine
Volume105
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2012

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • MEDICINE
  • ART
  • DEATH

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