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.

Rules of engagement, ethics of war, and codes of chivalry are all phrases which remind one of human attempts to rein in and regulate what is perhaps the most anarchic and illogical of all human activities: organized war. The role of the great religions of the world both in propagating war through crusades and jihads as well as their attempts at transcending its savagery through images of miles Christianus or the pious ghazi has also been much discussed. The aim of this thesis is to study the ethics of war in the context of Islamic societies in the Early Middle Ages from several complementary perspectives. Our sources for the period vary greatly from decade to decade and from region to region. This has often led historians of ideas and mentalities to concentrate on one aspect to the exclusion of others. This is particularly so in the case of ethics of war where most of the argument seems to concentrate on a few passages from the Qur'an, supplemented by some quotations from manuals of ḥadith and commentaries on them in the legal textbooks of the different religious schools. That all these are crucial for an understanding of Muslim attitudes and reactions to war throughout centuries is beyond dispute. But it remains, nevertheless, a lop-sided view: neglecting large areas of debate and speculation in literature, philosophy, and mystical meditations, presented as fully-fledged arguments or as occasional remarks and observations embedded in the extant texts from the period. By evaluating these scattered sources and listening to the different voices heard through them, I hope to show some of the different attitudes and responses to the ethics of war and avoid the monolithic and doggedly timeless approach which, at its worst and most extreme, envisages a non-existing consensus among the Muslims from the rise of Islam to the beginning of this new century and neglects the evidence of regional traditions and innovative thinkers by relying solely on a handful of quotes.

The Islamic dress code has been forcibly imposed on the women in Sudan, since 1983, and many feminists researchers have criticized the practices of the veil as a tool to oppress women. This study aimed to explore a group of Sudanese women, currently living in South Africa, experiences and perceptions of the veil, whether the veil is a religious dress code or a tool that has been used to exercise inequality.

The growing number of terrorist attacks waged by Islamic fundamentalists has led to an increasing desire to understand the nature of jihad. These attacks have led to a renewed sense of urgency to find answers to such questions as why these attacks occur, and who they are waged against. Towards this end I turn to examine the political philosophy of four Muslim theologians. Specifically I look at the political philosophy of Sayyid Qutb, Shah Walai Allah Dihlawai, Ibn Rushd (Averroes), and Muhammad Sa'id al-Ashmawy. I find that the notion of jihad is very inconclusive. Furthermore, the question of jihad revolves largely around the question of whether or not individuals can be reasoned with, and secondly whether religion should be compelled upon individuals.

No description available.

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the lived experiences of critical care nurses with Muslim traditional practices. Methodology: A phenomenological approach was used in the study to gain the critical care nurses' perspectives of Muslim traditional illness practices. The realised sample was six participants, from intensive care units within one provincial and one private hospital. The researcher applied the principle of theoretical saturation, which was achieved at the verifying interviews of the participants. Two semi- structured interviews were conducted with each participant an initial and a verifying interview, each of which lasted 20 - 30 minutes. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Manual data analysis was used to identify categories and themes. Findings: The participants were open-minded to the Muslim clients' belief system on healing and agreed that the clients' cultural beliefs took precedence over their own beliefs. The participants believed that Muslims relied on traditional illness practices as these provided them with hope and faith in times of despair as well as provided them with emotional and spiritual contentment. A number of methods were used by the participants to acquire knowledge about Muslim traditional illness practices. There was great support for the delivery of culturally sensitive care amongst the critical care nurses. Recommendations were suggested for nursing education, nursing practice and further research to facilitate the creation of a culturally sensitive climate in health care delivery. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Although religion is an important cultural force that shapes consumers' values and norms, the taboo stigma attached to the investigation of religion's influences in marketing areas has limited the knowledge about how religion influences consumers' decision-making. This study explored the affect of Muslim motivation in following Islam in their decision-making process to perform behaviors that are subject to Islamic rulings known as fatwa. Three behaviors that are subject to fatwa declarations; smoking, listening to popular music and buying a Coca Cola soft drink, were chosen. Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behaviors, this study examined: 1) If a Muslim's motivation in following Islam is an effect in their cognitive and behavioral responses regarding the fatwa prohibited behaviors. 2) If Muslim motivation in following Islam is an effect in their decision-making in deciding to whether to perform fatwa prohibited behaviors. Based on a Malaysian university student sample, multiple analyses of variance with covariate's (MANCOVA) results show that a Muslim's motivation in following Islam, his or her gender and their interaction have significant effects in their responses in regards to the behaviors. Muslim males, who are extrinsically motivated towards Islam tended to report a greater intention to smoke, buy a Coca Cola soft drink and tended to report they experienced more social pressure to smoke as compared to others. Nonetheless, SEM analysis found that the sample's responses on items related to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) about buying a Coca Cola soft drink brand did not fit the model. Other unaccounted for factors that may be related to the Muslims' decision-making about the product, such as possible consumer animosity, was not captured in the survey. The sample’s responses on smoking and listening to popular music provided a good fit to the model proposed. ii This study found that the Muslim respondents' motivation in following Islam had an effect on the role of perceived social pressure in their planning to smoke, and on the role of perceived social pressure in their planning to listen to popular music. Respondents' motivation in following Islam also had an effect on the role of perception of control in their reported smoking and listening to popular music. The intrinsically motivated Muslim consumers tended to be more concerned about others approval in their deciding to smoke and to listen to popular music, than the average extrinsic respondents. The intrinsic Muslim respondents also tended to perceive having incomplete control over smoking and listening to popular music, compared to their extrinsic counterparts. Respondents' attitudes towards smoking and listening to popular music were found to be not relevant in respondents' decision-making to perform the behaviors. This study also found evidence for the effect of type of fatwa prohibition ruling in Muslim respondents' responses and decision-making to perform behaviors in this study. Findings from this study suggest a significant effect of fatwa rulings on products or behaviors, among the sample of young Malaysian Muslim respondents. The findings highlight the needs for marketers to understand nature of fatwa rulings on products, in order to win over Muslim consumers in the marketplace.

no abstract available / Class, Near & far East & Rel / MA - SP ANC LANG AND CULT

The ratiep is a peculiarly South African trance-linked art form characterised by stabbings with sharp objects to the arms and other bodily parts, the piercing of the ear-lobes, the cheeks and the tongue by alwaan (skewers), the performance of certain standard dhikr to the accompaniment of the rebanna and dhol, and a highly stylized movement. The ratiep art form is rooted in Sufi Muslim traditions. Similar trance-linked art forms, called the dabos and Sufi ceremonies, exist in Sumatra and Syria respectively. These are all linked to Abdul Kader al-Jilani, founder of the Qadiriyyah Sufi fraternity. The South African variant of the art form also characterised by unusual self-mutilating acts, has been practised for more than 200 years, and started amongst the Cape Muslims. The literature provides historical evidence of the controversy regarding its "Islamic" nature, which has existed since the latter half of the previous century amongst South African Muslims. It has become dissociated from Islamic practices generally, and is regarded as bidat (innovatory). The South African Indian ratiep performance relates to its Cape Muslim counterpart. Both subgenres show a special relationship to the different genres and styles of music constituting South African Islamic and 'Cape Malay' music which are unique outflows of the cultural heritage, the social milieu and the enslaved, deprived and indentured work circumstances of early South African Muslims. In its vocal style the khalifa performance relates to qiraat and the secular nederlandslied; the latter is a transitional form between the sacred orthodox qiraat and the secular homophonic oulied. A voorwerk and giyerwee sharif precede respectively the Cape Muslim performance and its Indian counterpart. Like the ratiep, they have well-defined textual and musical forms. Ratiep musical instruments. the characteristic movement, the praboes (sharp instruments) and the bank with its decorations of flags add to the totality of the ratiep performance. Metaphysical and medical considerations are important in understanding the nature and purpose of the ratiep performance and the absence of bleeding; the results achieved thus far are still inconclusive. Ratiep acts are often seen as skilful swordplay and exhibitionism, rather than a physical testimony of faith. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, 1993.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2004.