Conference paper
ISLAM, MENTAL HEALTH AND BEING A MUSLIM IN THE WEST
Ahmed Hankir
; Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health Research in Association with Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
Frederick R. Carrick
; Carrick Institute, Department of Neurology, Cape Canaveral, FL, USA ; Harvard Medical School, GCSRT, Boston, MA, USA
Rashid Zaman
; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ; East London Partnership Foundation Trust, Bedfordshire Centre for Mental Health, Bedford, UK
Abstract
The allegation that, ‘Being Muslim means that you cannot be British’ is often made. In view of this, we conducted a small survey
(n=75) utilising purposive sampling on Muslims residing in the United Kingdom. Participants were recruited in a King’s College
London Islamic Society event in November 2014 in Guy’s Hospital, London. 75/75 (100%) of the participants recruited responded.
69/75 (94%) of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that, ‘Being Muslim means that you cannot be British’ (75/75
(100%) Muslim participants, 43/75 (57.3%) female participants, 32/75 (42.7%) male participants, mean Age 20.5 years, (Std.
Dev. ±2.5)).
This paper broadly seeks to answer two related questions. Firstly, ‘What is the relationship between Islam and the West?’ and
secondly, ‘What is the relationship between Islam and mental health?’ In relation to the former, the rise of radicalization over recent
years and the Islamophobia that has ensued have brought Islam and Muslims under intense scrutiny. Hence we feel it is both timely
and important to offer a brief background of Islam and its relevance to the Western world. In relation to the latter, for many people
religion and mental health are deeply and intimately intertwined. For example, religion can enable a person to develop mental
health resilience and Islam has been reported to be a protective factor against suicidal behaviour. We conclude our paper by
illustrating how the two questions are interrelated. We do so by offering an autobiographical narrative from a Muslim healthcare
professional residing in the UK who developed a mental health problem precipitated by war in the country of his origin. His
narrative includes descriptions of the role Islam that played in his recovery as well as his attempts to reconcile seemingly disparate
aspects of his identity.
Keywords
Islam; soul; religious experience; autobiographical narrative; West; mental health
Hrčak ID:
264455
URI
Publication date:
8.9.2015.
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