This study identifies the most popular alternative health therapies among Muslims who live in Kwa-Zulu Natal. It then examines the philosophies underlying these therapies with a view to establish whether there is conflict between these therapies and the fundamental teachings of Islam. Finally, it determines the responses of Muslim therapists and patients respectively to potential areas of conflict. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

In this research I analyse how mental health problems are perceived in two primary Islamic texts: the Qur?an (the holy book for Muslims and the Hadith (the sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad). I then integrate this analysis with the perceptions of a cohort of Jordanian Muslims about their mental health problems and treatment. Two important theoretical frameworks underpin this research, namely the post-colonial theorizing of scholars such as Edward Said, Franz Fanon, and Homi Bhabha, and the Explanatory Model of Arthur Kleinman. Research on the assessment and treatment of mental illness in Islamic and Arabic culture is limited. What literature does exist, suggests that in spite of the increase in research on cultural issues related to mental health, there is a strong need for further research to explore the nexus between culture, religion and mental health diagnosis and treatment in non-western cultures, in order to advance cultural sensitivity amongst mental health professions. This research fills this lacuna in mental health scholarship about the mental health awareness and experiences of Muslims. All of the interviews were conducted at the Mental Health Centre in Jordan, where twenty male and female participants were selected and then interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The textual analysis commenced while I was in Jordan but was completed on my return to Australia. The data were analysed using both NVivo software and manual coding. The results of this analysis are organized around the two main themes that emerged those of `Causation ’ and `Help-seeking ’. Sub-themes to each of these primary themes provide a comprehensive picture of the understanding and behavior of Muslim people accessing assistance from a mental health clinic, and contribute to understanding of mental health issues related to Islam and to Muslims living in Jordan. The research identifies that religion and religious belief are absolutely central to the way that this cohort of Muslim participants interpret the cause and development of their mental health problems and, further, it posits that this is due in part to the explanations of causation and coping contained in primary Muslim texts.