Faith-Based Mental Health Promotion in Muslim Communities: The Role of Islamic Education and Spiritual Practices

Authors

  • Hagar Yehia Abd Elfattah Al-Azhar University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61194/ijis.v3i1.709

Keywords:

Islamic Education, Mental Health, Spiritual Intervention, Character Education, Pesantren, Religious Coping, Dhikr Therapy

Abstract

Islamic education has emerged as a critical avenue for supporting mental health through its integration of spiritual values and character formation. This study employed a narrative review method to synthesize findings from scholarly literature on the effectiveness of Islamic educational curricula and spiritual interventions in enhancing students' psychological resilience. Data sources included peer-reviewed articles exploring the impact of spiritual practices, such as dhikr and expressive writing, within formal Islamic schooling and pesantren contexts. Findings reveal that Islamic education frameworks—when designed holistically—contribute significantly to reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among students. Interventions rooted in Islamic spirituality not only foster emotional well-being but also build internal coping mechanisms, especially when supported by community and family involvement. However, systemic limitations—such as a lack of teacher training, rigid curricula, and policy fragmentation—diminish the scalability of such programs. This review advocates for the integration of faith-based mental health interventions into national education and health policies. It recommends increased investment in teacher training, the development of interdisciplinary teams, and the use of digital platforms for broader outreach. Future research should investigate long-term outcomes and adapt models for minority and urban settings. The synthesis confirms that Islamic education provides a culturally embedded and sustainable model for mental health promotion in Muslim-majority contexts

References

Abubakar-Abdullateef, A., Adedokun, B., & Omigbodun, O. (2017). A comparative study of the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric disorders in almajiris and public primary school pupils in zaria, northwest nigeria. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-017-0166-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-017-0166-3

Alimohammadzadeh, K., Akhlaghdoust, M., Bahrainian, S., & Mirzaei, A. (2017). Survey on mental health of iranian medical students: a cross- sectional study in islamic azad university. Shiraz E-Medical Journal, 18(7). https://doi.org/10.5812/semj.14929 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5812/semj.14929

Allafi, M. and S’aadh, A. (2022). Intentional measures to achieve a child's mental health. Dirasat Human and Social Sciences, 49(6:), 578-589. https://doi.org/10.35516/hum.v49i6:.4055 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35516/hum.v49i6:.4055

Altinyelken, H. (2022). Muslim youth negotiating boundary maintenance between the sexes: a qualitative exploration. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.534 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.534

Asri, Y., Priasmoro, D., Muhtar, M., & Manga, Y. (2024). Depression among islamic boarding schools students during the covid-19 pandemic in east java, indonesia. Kesmas National Public Health Journal, 19(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.21109/kesmas.v19i1.7437 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21109/kesmas.v19i1.7437

Bulbulia, T. and Laher, S. (2013). Exploring the role of islam in perceptions of mental illness in a sample of muslim psychiatrists based in johannesburg. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 19(2), 52. https://doi.org/10.7196/sajp.396 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7196/sajp.396

Faidah, M., Rahmawati, D., Nuryono, W., Sifaq, A., & Muntazeri, S. (2024). Spiritual leadership training for improved wellbeing students of islamic boarding school. E3s Web of Conferences, 568, 04021. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202456804021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202456804021

Gunawan, T., Kartiwi, M., Lubis, A., & Arifin, M. (2024). Collaborative online international learning to address mental health across cultures with an islamic perspective. Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (Ijeei), 12(4). https://doi.org/10.52549/ijeei.v12i4.6041 DOI: https://doi.org/10.52549/ijeei.v12i4.6041

Hamidi, F., Bagherzadeh, Z., & Gafarzadeh, S. (2010). The role of islamic education in mental health. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 1991-1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.402 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.402

Hidayati, R., Rahman, A., Nuryana, Z., & Yusutria, Y. (2022). Character education and the rise of mental health in muhammadiyah boarding school. International Journal of Public Health Science (Ijphs), 11(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v11i1.20889 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11591/ijphs.v11i1.20889

Ifdil, I., Zatrahadi, M., Hasibuan, M., Abdullah, N., Bah, Y., Bakar, A., … & Nurkholidah, E. (2023). The evolution of islamic counseling: a bibliometric analysis of trends in publications from 1981-2023. Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.25217/0020236410700 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25217/0020236410700

Ijaz, S., Khalily, M., & Ahmad, I. (2017). Mindfulness in salah prayer and its association with mental health. Journal of Religion and Health, 56(6), 2297-2307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0413-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0413-1

Khaki, A. and Habibabad, A. (2020). Investigating the effect of religious and islamic teachings on the calmness and mental health in educational spaces. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(4), 2632-2645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01022-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01022-7

Lubis, R., Suryani, I., Syahputra, A., & Sahila, W. (2023). The importance of islamic education for the mental health of youth in using social media. Nazhruna Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 6(1), 88-103. https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v6i1.2703 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v6i1.2703

Mukhlis, H., Kristianingsih, A., Fitrianti, F., Pribadi, T., Kumalasari, D., Febriyanti, H., … & Maseleno, A. (2020). The effect of expressive writing technique to stress level decrease of new student at al-falah putri islamic boarding school, margodadi, tanggamus. ATMPH, 23(06), 192-200. https://doi.org/10.36295/asro.2020.23624 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36295/ASRO.2020.23624

Munawar, K., Ravi, T., Jones, D., & Choudhry, F. (2023). Islamically modified cognitive behavioral therapy for muslims with mental illness: a systematic review.. Spirituality in Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000338 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000338

Noorbala, A., Maleki, A., Yazdi, S., Faghihzadeh, E., Hoseinzadeh, Z., Hajibabaei, M., … & Kamali, K. (2022). Survey on mental health status in iranian population aged 15 and above one year after the outbreak of covid-19 disease: a population-based study. Archives of Iranian Medicine, 25(4), 201-208. https://doi.org/10.34172/aim.2022.35 DOI: https://doi.org/10.34172/aim.2022.35

Nurbaeti, I., Lestari, K., & Syafii, M. (2023). Association between islamic religiosity, social support, marriage satisfaction, and postpartum depression in teenage mothers in west java, indonesia: a cross-sectional study. Belitung Nursing Journal, 9(4), 313-321. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.2661 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.2661

Rubino, R., Muda, I., Almedee, A., Alam, S., Ali, A., Sadikov, R., … & Панова, Е. (2023). Communication skills according to islamic teachings and students’ life skills. HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 79(2). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v79i2.8623 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v79i2.8623

Saleem, T., Saleem, S., Mushtaq, R., & Gul, S. (2020). Belief salience, religious activities, frequency of prayer offering, religious offering preference and mental health: a study of religiosity among muslim students. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(2), 726-735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01046-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01046-z

Sawafi, A., Fotouhi, A., Al‐Adawi, S., Jaju, S., Qadire, M., & Azri, Z. (2024). Adverse childhood experiences (ace) and its association with mental health outcomes: cross sectional study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241300950 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241300950

Tannerah, A., Hazel, O., Desson, S., Farah, R., Kamil-Thomas, Z., Iqbal, H., … & Bífárìn, O. (2024). Consultations with muslims from minoritised ethnic communities living in deprived areas: identifying inequities in mental health care and support. Health Expectations, 27(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.14132 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.14132

Uyun, Q., Kurniawan, I., & Jaufalaily, N. (2019). Repentance and seeking forgiveness: the effects of spiritual therapy based on islamic tenets to improve mental health. Mental Health Religion & Culture, 22(2), 185-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2018.1514593 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2018.1514593

Downloads

Published

2025-02-28