Religious nurture in British Muslim families: Implications for social work

Abstract

Some recent commentary on the relevance of religion and spirituality to social work emphasizes a liberal Western individualized notion of spirituality, rather than the significance of formal religion. Evidence from sociological research on religious nurture in British Muslim families challenges this emphasis. Sixty Muslim families from diverse backgrounds in one UK city took part in a qualitative study, consisting of interviews with adults and children aged 12 and under; observation of formal learning and oral and photographic diaries. The article focuses in particular on the importance of religious nurture in Muslim families and parents’ views about ‘spirituality’.