ABSTRACT
The nosology of mental health from an Islamic perspective is different from the Judeo-Christian’s biomedical psychiatric system. Mental health is perceived not as the absence of psychological abnormalities, but the successful blending of the issues of everyday life with the requirements of Islam. The Islamic model of mental illness leads to the identification of culture-bound symptoms not found in Western diagnostic schemes. Research has identified that religion and religious belief are absolutely central to the way Muslims interpret the cause and development of their mental health problem. Muslim clerics also endorsed the religious causes for mental illness, such as spiritual poverty, as being more important more so than did Christian clerics. It is common for Muslims to believe that mental illness is caused by Allah, either as a punishment for sins, deviation from the religion, as trials and tribulations or as a purification process. In addition, evil eye, black magic and Jinn possession are also the perceived source of mental health issues in the Islamic health paradigm. Mental health problem is one method of connection with God and should not be considered as alien, but rather as a form of self-purification, or purification of the soul. The relationship with God helps to provide meaning to life in during good times and trials and tribulations. However, not all mental health problems are associated with supernatural causes. Given the rapidly growing population of Muslims in Western societies, it is imperative to develop a better understanding of the nature of mental health problems from an Islamic perspective. In summary, the notions of mental health problems being predestination, Allah’s will, trials and tribulations, punishment and the relationship with God are mentioned frequently by Muslims. This chapter will examine mental health from an Islamic perspective based on the evidence of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the contributions of early Islamic scholars in the understanding of mental health.
