Mother of All Evils: Addictive Behaviours from an Islamic Perspective (Islamic Psychology & Psychotherapy)

Addiction is a universal phenomenon that is now regarded as a major public health problem. The term addictive behaviours are used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive physical dependence or psychological dependence, such as: alcohol addiction, drug addiction, and tobacco and shisha addiction, gambling disorder and cyber addiction.

During the past few decades, Muslims have not been immune in the use of alcohol, drug, tobacco, and shisha smoking. In addition, Muslims have been involved in gambling and cybersex addiction. Islam views the use of intoxicants and gambling as the ‘Mother of all evils’ and, hence, categorically prohibits their use and their involvement in addictive behaviours. Islamic countries including Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan have a high prevalence of opiate use and injection drug use with an increasing prevalence of HIV infection. Many Muslim addicts have been left to suffer in silence because addictive behaviours are taboo and the stigma attached to those diseases.

There are major challenges facing the Muslim world in relation to pharmacological or non-pharmacological addictions. Muslims are a heterogeneous group with varying values, attitudes and customs that influence the nature and patterns of addictive behaviours. The Qur’an, Sunnah (words, actions and practices of the Prophet Mohammed () and Islamic jurisprudence provide clear and unwavering values in the importance of keeping our minds and bodies from being befogged by the harms caused by psychoactive substances. The challenges are to take steps towards reversing the addiction trends we are now witnessing in our communities. However, Islam can also play a pivotal role in addiction prevention, treatment, rehabilitation therapy and recovery of Muslim addicts.

The book is about a basic understanding of addictive behaviours from an Islamic perspective. The primary aim of the book is to synthesise the body of knowledge of the psychology of addiction and Islamic perspective. It also aims to foster awareness of knowledge and understanding of addictive behaviours required to respond effectively to Muslim clients that Islamic psychotherapists and counsellors encounter in their clinical practice.