Religion and mental health: The case of American Muslims

Muslims have lived in America for centuries and their numbers are increasing like those of any other ethnic or religious group living in America. There is a growing awareness among mental health professionals of how to deal with mental health issues of the American minorities but little, if any, research is available on American Muslims. American living presents unique challenges to the Muslims who stick to their Islamic faith. The nature of Islamic faith and the concept of mental health in Islam are presented in this paper as well as the stressors that lead to mental health problems among the Muslims. The article also covers the response of Muslim communities to such challenges and the prescriptions given in Islam for positive mental health. Recommendations are outlined in the hope of initiating relevant research that would address the psychological needs of this largely neglected minority.