Factors affecting the effectiveness of ‘ruqyah’ treatment among Muslim community in Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the factors affecting the effectiveness of Ruqyah (Islamic healing) treatments in Malaysia’s Darussyifa’ Islamic Treatment Center, focusing on the roles of Symptoms of Illness, Patient Management, Daily Patient Follow-up Practice, and Illness Disorder Assessment. The research aims to understand how these factors contribute to the effectiveness of treatments provided by Ruqyah practitioners. A conceptual model was developed to outline the expected relationships between these predictors and treatment outcomes. Utilizing a cross-sectional, quantitative approach to examine cause-and-effect relationships, data from 272 respondents were collected through surveys and analyzed using the PLS-SEM method. The findings reveal that, except for the Illness Disorder Assessment’s role as a moderating factor, which showed no significant impact, all other relationships in the model were significant. Daily Patient Follow-up Practice emerged as the most critical factor for improving treatment effectiveness, followed by Patient Management. Additionally, the identification of symptoms plays a crucial role in enhancing patient management practices at the Darussyifa’ Malaysia center. This research highlights the importance of continuous patient engagement and effective management in optimizing Ruqyah treatment outcomes, while suggesting areas for further investigation regarding the unanticipated insignificance of Illness Disorder Assessment.