Reclaiming compassionate mental health care: Lessons from Bīmāristāns for Malaysian Muslims
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33102/abqari.vol32no2.695Keywords:
religiosity, spirituality, mentalhealth, Malaysian Muslims, Bīmāristān, Stigma, Islamic EthicsAbstract
Mental health among Malaysian Muslims is formed by the intersection of cultural, religious, and social factors. Despite increasing awareness, stigma and misconceptions persist. Historically, the Islamic Golden Age established bīmāristāns early hospitals providing ethical, holistic psychiatric care. This paper reconstructs the Islamic tradition of mental health care, compares it with contemporary Malaysian Muslim attitudes, and identifies lessons for culturally and religiously sensitive interventions. Using qualitative comparative analysis and thematic review of secondary sources (2020–2025), the study finds that contemporary stigma is largely culturally constructed, whereas Islamic tradition emphasizes compassion, ethical responsibility, and accessibility. The findings suggest that integrating bīmāristān principles can reduce stigma, improve help-seeking behavior, and enhance mental health outcomes for Malaysian Muslims.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sharifah Nadirah Syed Zainal Ariff
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