The Muslim culture, identity and sense of belonging are founded on Islamic teachings. In the context of Muslim’s, centrality of Islamic faith is the foundation of all cultural diversities. The Islamic culture is a set of beliefs, traditions and customs, which guide Muslim’s in their daily lives as they conform to Quran teachings. Regardless of their originality or language, Muslim share a foundational bonding of religion and religious traditions, where there are founded on the Quran and the five pillars of Islam. Mosques are integral institutions; further, they are not only centers of worship but also places of education, cultural and social activities. In addition, some of the religious fiestas such as the Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-ul-adha are celebrated globally. Family is the integral unit of the Muslim community, believed to be the foundation of a healthy and peaceful society (Rassol, 2014). Likewise, after the family unit, follows the community, which is grounded, on a culture of collectivism that puts major emphasis on loyalty and unity as a means, through which the society thrives. Another important aspect of Islam culture is modesty where Muslims are obliged to conduct themselves in a worthwhile manner where both men and women should cover their bodies fully as a sign of respect. In terms of diet, there exist rules about various types of foods that are prohibited or permissible (Phillips, 2007). For instance, Pork, animal fats, alcohol or other types of meat that are not slaughtered according to the Islamic standards are prohibited. The most prevalent risky behavior in Islam is the practice of the rites of passage amongst the marginalized sub-groups which exposes them to the spread of infectious diseases hence increasing rates of morbidity and mortality.
The Islamic point of view perceives health as a state of somatic, communal, mental and spiritual stability; it is considered as a blessing from God. Most Muslims therefore embrace adversity in terms of sickness and death with persistence, moments of rumination and devotions. Illness is perceived as a test from Allah through which one’s sins are removed or the ability to gain spiritual rewards. Death is a transition to see God. Thus, life after death is perceived as an eternity with the father (Amnesty International, 2012). In regards to the End of life practices, in accordance to the Quran, God is the author of life, the one who predestines the time of death, making death as an inevitable factor of transition. No one has can hasten or delay or delay his or her own death or that of other people because it is going against the ultimate will of God. The most common health practice across the Islamic culture is use of traditional therapeutic procedures and folk therapies, derived scripturally from the Quran (Hassanien, 2010). Such practices involve integration of olive oil, honey or sativa seeds to treat specific diseases. Despite this dependence on traditional herbs, they are incomparable to modern hospital care and may often increase rates of morbidity, mortality or events of inaccurate diagnosis.
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Another challenge in terms of health entails season of fasting often referred to as Ramadan. Hassanein (2010) explained that different people with diverse health conditions often participate in this holy festival. However, it may increase chances of mortality and morbidity owing to adversity of health conditions. For instance, Muslims with diabetes may face adversity following low levels of insulin during fasting or failure to take required precautionary pre-dawn or post evening meals. In terms of medication, Islam prohibits medication that contains alcohol, gelatin or pork products. Despite the fact that alternative medicines exists, there may be situations of emergency where only these products are available. At that point of time, conflict exists on whether to save life or dwell on supremacy of their culture.
The evidence based plan suggests adoption of modern hospital care, which supersedes traditional settings. Embracing technology would enhance access to healthcare leading to improved outcomes. Different multidisciplinary members can come on board and create an educative platform to widely share healthcare knowledge online. The ideal approach should ensure that health campaigns do not prohibit Islam culture but acts as a practical advancement of the traditions to increase longevity as well as reduce mortality and morbidity.
References
Amnesty International. (2012). Choice and prejudice against muslims in Europe. London : Amnesty International .
Hassanein, M. (2010). Diabetes and Ramadan: How to achieve a safer fast for muslims with Diabetes. British journal of Diabetes and Vascular diseases , 246-250.
Hassanien , M. (2010). Effect of cupping therapy in treating chronic headache and chronic back pain at "Al Heijamah" clinic HMC. World Family Medicine , 30-36.
Phillips , A. (2007). The clash of civilizations: An islamic view. Islamic online university.
Rassol , G. H. (2014). Muslim and their Islamic faith: An introduction . Basingtoke : Palgrave Macmillan .
