Health practice in Islam —The cultural dependence of the lifestyle formation—

Abstract

Islam is a religion that was established in the 7th century by the Prophet Muhammad who was commissioned as a Messenger of God. It is also the modern or latest version of the message sent by God through some prophets, e.g. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Not only is it associated with the mental aspect, however, it also impacts every part of life, from eating and sleeping to working and playing. It can be, therefore, considered a way of life.Meanwhile, one's lifestyle has recently come to have great meaning especially in the developed countries. Methods to assess lifestyle are suggested by some authorities such as Breslow and Morimoto. Accordingly, we have tried to investigate whether Muslims, the followers of Islam, have a desirable lifestyle as defined in today's terms, i.e. the cultural dependence of the lifestyle formation.As a result, Muslims seeking to live in accordance with the doctrine of Islam may have a relatively good lifestyle. Islam may also be associated with the relief from the mental stress and give Muslims a guideline to live a happier life.