Summary and Conclusions

Abstract

This volume is the first comprehensive and systematic examination of health and well-being in Muslim populations. First, we provided a historical background, then reviewed the research on religiosity and health, and finally discussed applications at the bedside for health professionals and the implications more generally for public health. In the section on historical background, we described how Islamic beliefs and practices emerged out of Arabia and rapidly spread across the known world. Centuries before modern medicine appeared in the West, rapid advances were being made in science, medicine, and pharmacology in Muslim territories, ultimately leading to the Islamic Golden Age. This time of extraordinary scientific progress was followed by a period of decline, as war and political conquests began to reverse the gains that had been made. With this historical context, we then reviewed the core beliefs and teachings of Islam and of Christianity, examined their similarities and differences, and explored how religious beliefs influenced healing and health practices in each of these faith traditions. We found that distinct differences in belief exist between these two faith traditions, but that the number of similarities is also staggering and often underestimated, especially the common values and moral practices.