Reducing meat consumption has the potential to improve both population and planetary health, however approaches to this have not been fully explored, particularly in the British Muslim community. British Muslims consume more meat than the average British person and face disproportionate diet related health risks. Although reducing meat consumption and eating more plant-based is known to reduce such health risks, there is limited understanding of British Muslim perceptions of this dietary transition. This study explored the barriers and facilitators towards British Muslims reducing meat consumption by increasing consumption of plant-based foods. The qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 15 British Muslims from Greater Manchester. Interviews were inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and then deductively mapped to Michie et al.'s (2014) COM-B model. Two themes were identified. "Islamic Teachings and Food Choices" highlighted how Islamic teachings and practices gave religious significance to meat and taught foundational ethics that could encourage plant-based diets identified as reflective motivation influences. "The Value of Meat" explored perceptions of the elevated status of meat, influenced by beliefs about health, socio-economic status, and sociocultural norms. Social opportunity and reflective motivation were key influences identified in this theme. This study emphasised the importance of culturally relevant dietary interventions considering religious beliefs and community norms.

Nepal has experienced a substantial decline in fertility over the past three decades; however, notable heterogeneity persists across sociocultural groups. This study examines how constitutionally defined caste, ethnicity, and religion shape fertility behaviour after accounting for education, wealth, and structural determinants. By applying a repeated cross-sectional framework, the study provides new evidence on long-term patterns and shifting trajectories across population subgroups. The study analysed data from six rounds of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (1996-2022), comprising currently married women aged 15-49. Separate analyses (individual period and pooled) were done for lifetime (15-49 years) and completed (40-49) fertility. A survey-adjusted Poisson regression model was used to estimate associations with the number of children ever born (CEB). Duration since marriage was included as the exposure variable to account for variation in reproductive risk time. A pooled interaction model (caste/ethnicity x survey year) assessed temporal changes in sociocultural fertility differentials. Women's educational attainment was the strongest and most consistent predictor of lower fertility, with women aged 40-49 with post-secondary education having substantially lower expected CEB than those with no schooling. Among women aged 15-49, wealth, met need for contraception, and urban residence were also associated with reduced fertility. Sociocultural differentials persisted after adjustment: Muslim women had higher expected CEB than Arya women across most survey years; Madheshi women exhibited rising fertility relative to Arya women in interaction models; Janjati women showed accelerated fertility decline; and the pooled effect for Dalit women was not statistically significant. Fertility heterogeneity in Nepal reflects the combined influence of sociocultural identity and structural conditions. While education is the key driver of fertility reduction, persistent differences among Muslim and Madheshi communities indicate the need for culturally tailored reproductive health strategies. Policies should prioritise universal completion of secondary education for girls, as well as equity-focused empowerment and family planning initiatives to address remaining disparities.

Dementia poses a threat to public health, especially among ethnically diverse Muslim communities in the UK, with quite some peculiar nuances. Within these communities, Black Muslims in the UK face unique risks shaped by complex ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic factors. However, there is a dearth of research that specifically explores perspectives on dementia in this population. The aim of this study was to explore and understand the perspectives of Black Muslims in the UK regarding the causes and prevention of dementia using a qualitative narrative inquiry approach guided by Intersectionality Theory and the Sociocultural Health Belief Model. The study involved 15 Black Muslims (8 women, 7 men), aged between 30 and 69 years, residing across the UK, with diverse roles including actively engaged community members (n = 6), religious figures (n = 3), and caregivers (n = 2). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. Thematic analysis was performed using an iterative approach with NVivo 14 software. The analysis yielded five major themes: (1) low awareness, misconceptions and stigma surrounding dementia; (2) faith-based health beliefs as protective factors; (3) stress, loneliness, and socioeconomic pressures as risk factors; (4) religious ideals, healthy lifestyles, and everyday realities; and (5) need for culturally tailored dementia education and engagement. Participants highlighted gaps between Islamic health principles, such as the encouragement of physical activity and their everyday practices, influenced by structural barriers. Black Muslims hold nuanced beliefs about dementia, shaped by cultural, religious, and socio-environmental factors such as stigma, limited awareness and socioeconomic pressures. These dynamics influence how dementia is understood and the extent to which preventive behaviours are adopted. Promoting dementia prevention in these communities requires culturally sensitive interventions that align with religious teachings, supported by policy changes that invest in community education and embed culturally and faith-informed approaches within public health strategies.

BACKGROUNDEid al-Adha is an important religious holidays celebrated annually in Muslim communities, during which the ritual of animal sacrifice is performed. The demand for butchery services rises significantly during this period; however, due to the limited availability of professional butchers, many individuals undertake the slaughter themselves. This practice is associated with an increased incidence of traumatic injuries, particularly involving the hands and upper extremities. This study aims to characterize the pattern of hand and upper limb injuries associated with non-professional animal slaughter during Eid al-Adha and to raise awareness of these preventable traumas.METHODSIn this retrospective study, we evaluated patients who presented to our clinic with hand injuries requiring surgical intervention during multiple Eid al-Adha periods. The study population primarily consisted of individuals injured during animal slaughter who were admitted to the hospital for hand or upper extremity trauma. Demographic data and injury types were evaluated.RESULTSOver an eight-year period, a total of 259 extensor tendon injuries, 76 flexor tendon injuries, and 275 superficial soft tissue injuries related to Eid al-Adha were surgically treated at our clinic.CONCLUSIONThis study provides a retrospective analysis of hand tendon and superficial tissue injuries observed over eight Eid al-Adha periods. The findings indicate that non-professional slaughter of sacrificial animals poses a significant risk, particularly for hand and tendon injuries. Ensuring that slaughter procedures are performed by trained individuals, along with the use of protective measures, may play an important role in reducing these preventable injuries.

This study aims to analyze the conformity of zakat implementation with the principles of Maqasid Syariah in promoting the welfare of the Muslim community in Palembang. Zakat is positioned as an instrument for wealth distribution and social empowerment within the Islamic economic system. This research employs a qualitative approach using a descriptive–analytical method based on library research and secondary data analysis, including classical and contemporary literature on Maqasid Syariah as well as official reports from zakat management institutions. The results indicate that the implementation of zakat in Palembang generally aligns with the primary objectives of Maqasid Syariah, particularly in the aspect of protection of life (ḥifẓ al-nafs) through humanitarian programs and health services, as well as protection of religion (ḥifẓ al-dīn) through support for religious education and spiritual development. Meanwhile, the aspects of protection of intellect (ḥifẓ al-ʿaql) and protection of wealth (ḥifẓ al-māl) have been implemented through educational assistance and economic empowerment programs, although they still face sustainability challenges. The protection of lineage (ḥifẓ al-nasl) is reflected implicitly through health initiatives and family assistance programs. This study concludes that optimizing zakat requires more integrated management that is oriented toward fulfilling all dimensions of Maqasid Syariah.

Muslim patients may participate in religious and cultural practices that can affect their dermatologic health and influence their preferences regarding care and treatment. In this narrative review, we explore these topics and present culturally sensitive strategies for improving patient care for Muslim communities. We performed a literature review and identified articles published between 2005 and 2025 pertaining to the dermatological health and care of Muslim patients. We first discuss several key religious and cultural topics that can influence Muslim patients' perspectives on and participation with dermatological care, including views on contraception, modesty, divine will, and use of traditional medicines. Next, we summarize some specific religious and cultural prohibitions and observances than can affect dermatologic care, including tenets surrounding medications that contain animal products and the practice of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Lastly, we outline some key dermatoses associated with specific religious practices dermatologists should be aware of to enhance diagnostic accuracy and ensure timely, appropriate care. Importantly, we outline some key recommended clinical practices for providing evidence-based, culturally responsive dermatological care that respects patients' privacy, dignity, and spiritual values. Culturally competent dermatologic practice requires that clinicians understand health conditions and behaviors associated with religious and cultural practices and can employ clinical communication strategies that respect and incorporate patients' personal preferences. Enhanced awareness of the unique cultural and religious factors affecting dermatologic health in Muslim communities can help dermatologists foster trust and provide more effective, patient-centered care.

The loss of vital family documents during disasters poses significant risks to civil rights, administrative continuity, and community resilience. This study aims to strengthen the social resilience of disaster-affected Muslim communities by digitizing family archives. Conducted in Bumiaji Subdistrict, Batu City, Indonesia, following the 2021 flash flood, this research employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach involving 40 participants. The study collected data through interviews, observations, and document analysis, and analyzed them using descriptive quantitative and thematic qualitative methods. The findings reveal a substantial improvement in participants' archival literacy and digital competencies. Knowledge of family archives increased from 69% to 94.7%, while understanding of digital archiving improved from 42.9% to 78.9%. Participants successfully digitized, organized, and stored essential documents independently, demonstrating enhanced preparedness for disaster risks. The study highlights that digital archiving serves as an effective strategy for preserving civil identity, protecting cultural memory, and ensuring administrative continuity. It further contributes to the discourse on archival studies and disaster management by positioning family-level digital archiving as a practical instrument for strengthening social resilience. This research proposes a replicable community-based model integrating digital literacy, archival preservation, and disaster preparedness, offering policymakers, archival institutions, and disaster-prone communities worldwide valuable insights

The distribution of takjil in Pucang Village, Buduran, Sidoarjo a tradition of sharing food to break the fast is not only viewed as a form of individual worship but also plays a vital role in strengthening social bonds among residents. In addition to fostering brotherhood, the practice of sharing takjil also serves as a means of instilling social values such as empathy, mutual cooperation, and a sense of responsibility toward the surrounding community. In the context of the takjil-sharing activity, social solidarity is key to strengthening bonds of brotherhood. In the social life of Muslim communities in Indonesia, the tradition of sharing takjil during Ramadan is not merely a routine distribution of food for breaking the fast, but a social practice that can strengthen the sense of brotherhood among residents. This study employs the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method, an approach that positions the community as both the subject and an active partner throughout the entire research and community service process. The primary purpose of the iftar-sharing activities during Ramadan is not merely to meet the practical needs of breaking the fast, but also to strengthen social bonds and brotherhood among community members through shared experiences and direct interaction.

Baitulmal is a crucial institution with a significant role in preserving and managing the wealth of the Muslim community. During the early Islamic era, among the sources of baitulmal were inherited properties that were not exhausted by the heirs from among the ashāb furūd and inheritance that had no eligible heirs. According to Imam Shāfi‘ī and Imam Mālik, such inheritance must be entrusted to the baitulmal. However, after the fourth century of the Hijrah, later scholars of the Shāfi‘ī school, such as Imam al-Nawawī, stipulated that for the baitulmal to qualify as an inheritor, it must be well-managed and properly administered. In general, the states of Malaysia adhere to the original stance of the Shāfi‘ī school, which allocates surplus inheritance to the baitulmal. Hence, this study aims to examine the perspectives of Islamic jurists regarding the inheritance rights of the baitulmal and its position as an heir within the legal framework of Malaysia. This study employs a qualitative methodology, encompassing data collection through content analysis and interviews with informants, specifically selected baitulmal officers directly involved in the management of inheritance. The collected data is then analysed inductively to synthesise the research objectives. The findings of the study indicate that in Malaysia, the baitulmal is recognised as the party entitled to receive the surplus of a deceased person’s estate and serves as a trustee responsible for safeguarding Muslims’ property, including inherited assets. Nevertheless, various constraints must be addressed to ensure the smooth administration of baitulmal estates, thereby preserving the maṣlaḥah (benefit) of the Muslim community. In addition, it is essential to ensure that the assets under its management achieve the predetermined objectives, namely for the purposes of welfare and the socioeconomic development of the Muslim community in line with the provisions of shariah and the law.

Muslim-majority regions in Southeast Asia—Aceh, Mindanao, and Patani—continue to face mental health and psychosocial challenges despite reduced political violence. This systematic review examines how Islamic values are integrated into Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs in post-conflict settings. Using the PRISMA framework, 20 peer-reviewed and grey literature sources (2004–2025) were analyzed. Findings show that Islamic practices such as zikr and worship contribute to mental well-being and illness prevention, while psychospiritual interventions enhance emotional resilience and recovery. Religious leaders and institutions often exert greater influence than clinical professionals, reflecting strong community trust in faith-based support. However, implementation is limited by shortages of trained Islamic-oriented MHPSS providers, few specialized institutions, and persistent mental health stigma. This review proposes a culturally grounded MHPSS framework integrating Islamic values and highlights implications for policymakers, practitioners, and humanitarian actors supporting Muslim post-conflict communities.

This study examines how local Islamic traditions function as instruments of cultural da’wa among urban Muslim communities in Palembang, Indonesia. Situated within the discourse of Islam Nusantara and cultural da’wa theory, this research employs a qualitative approach with ethnographic methods and in-depth interviews. It argues that traditions such as Ruwahan, Ngidang, and Maulid Nabi are not mere cultural relics but active media of religious transmission that simultaneously construct Islamic identity and foster social cohesion in an urbanizing society. The findings reveal four interrelated dynamics: (1) the persistence and pressure on local Islamic traditions amid modernization; (2) revitalization strategies enacted by religious actors; (3) the construction of Islamic identity through these traditions; and (4) the social transformation and strengthened religious cohesion that result. This study concludes that cultural da’wa through local Islamic traditions remains a vital and adaptive model in maintaining Islamic identity within plural urban societies. Keywords: Dakwah Kultural, Tradisi Islam Lokal, Revitalisasi, Identitas Islam.

Purpose This study investigates how meaning is negotiated in the Tolaki translation of selected Qur'anic verses on interreligious relations. Design/methodology/approach Positioned within an interpretivist–constructivist paradigm, the research adopted a qualitative digital ethnographic design integrating interviews, task-based back translation, and observations. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA), informed by Nida's theory of equivalence, Baker's translation strategies, and Gadamer's hermeneutics to trace linguistic, semantic, and cultural negotiations of meaning. Findings Four interrelated themes emerged. First, readability challenges surfaced as participants struggled with archaic Tolaki vocabulary (e.g. taslim translated as “submission” lacked clarity). Second, theological shifts appeared when key concepts such as iman were generalized into “belief,” reducing doctrinal nuance. Third, cultural mediation was evident as local idioms and customary values reframed Qur'anic messages on pluralism. Fourth, reinterpretive strategies were employed through simplification, contextual glossing, and intertextual back-referencing to enhance comprehension. Originality/value The study offers a novel theoretical contribution by integrating readability, equivalence, and hermeneutic horizons in Qur'anic translation research; provides empirical insight through first-hand accounts of Tolaki readers; and proposes practical recommendations for producing vernacular Qur'an translations that maintain accessibility without compromising theological precision supporting interreligious understanding and social harmony in diverse Muslim communities.

Abstract What was the place of sharīʿa in the USSR? Did Communist authorities take measures to adjust sharīʿa to social and institutional change? Or was sharīʿa crushed under the heavy march of Soviet modernization? A collection of manuscript records preserved today in the mosque of Karabudakhkent in central Daghestan affords us the opportunity to rethink the space that sharīʿa occupied in the public sphere in the North Caucasus after the Second World War beyond the official scholarly network of the local Muslim Spiritual Board. Resurfacing now after decades of oblivion, this documentation allows us to appreciate how between the 1950s and 1960s Muslim communities living under the rule of the one-party state endowed sharīʿa with normative force in spite of the official ban on Islamic law courts. Such a documentation helps us furthermore to illuminate the peculiar trajectory of legal hermeneutics ( furūʿ al-fiqh ) in the Soviet Union, and shed light on the textual traditions which acquired, preserved, or lost authority in the eyes of the local scholars of Islam after WWII.

Abstract Over the last decade, scholars of Islam have increasingly turned to the imaginal – forces not immediately visible or tangible – and its effects on the broad range of Muslim understandings of reality and truth. Much of this scholarship has implicitly suggested that the exploratory character of the imaginal and its acceptance of multiple truths and values is the prerogative of traditionalist Muslims, while its ambiguities are inherently oppositional to the project of modernity. This idea has been most explicitly articulated by Thomas Bauer, according to whom modernization annihilated ambiguity in Muslim communities. Focusing on stories about dream encounters, I complicate these binaries by showing that the so-called epistemic norms of modernity cannot be easily mapped onto this traditionalist-modernist conceptual pair, as the capacity to tolerate ambiguity may take different forms. While modernist Muslims may themselves insist on the fundamental incompatibility of the modernist project with the imaginal and its ambiguous understandings of the real, they reconceptualize experiences of ambiguity in terms that differentiate them from premodern or traditionalist conceptualizations.

Abstract This article stems from two questions: How have Muslim communities reconciled the veneration of Hindu divinities with belief in God’s Oneness? Why have the Islamic elements of “Malay magic” been interpreted as syncretic rather than normative? Revisiting the works of scholars in British Malaya, for whom Islam was assimilated into pre-Islamic religion, the article turns to a manuscript compendium of Islamic esoteric science. This text hierarchically integrates Hindu divinities – particularly Siva – into Islamic cosmologies, portraying Siva as a metaperson within an Islamic hierarchy, subject to a singular God. However, this integration is marked by ambiguity, divergence, and multiple cosmologies, instead of assimilation. It is perhaps the lack of closure that has enabled Siva to be represented across a broad scale of forms, from tutelary divinity to demon. Rather than compromising Islamic normativity, Siva’s resilience highlights the processes of translation, negotiation, and resistance central to the diversity of Islam.

ABSTRACT The Gaza conflict has reignited debates on Muslim political participation in Britain, thrusting Muslim communities into national discourse ahead of the 2024 General Elections. Amid rising Islamophobia and the securitisation of Muslims, the current conjuncture has also witnessed the notion of the “Muslim vote” gaining attention, shaped by global events and their local political resonance. Building on scholarship on Muslim political agency, this article critically examines the notion of the ”Muslim vote“ to highlight contestations shaping British Muslim political subjectivities. Through an in-depth case study of the Rochdale by-election and the General Election – marked by George Galloway′s mobilisation of Muslim concerns – we explore how electoral moments reflect both political agency and fragmentation. Drawing on ethnographic research, we mobilise Stuart Hall’s notion of “the trap of surface,” to consider some of the implications when utilising the term “Muslim vote” for understanding British Muslim responses to political disenfranchisement.

Arabic language retention is widely theorised as central to the cultural reproduction of Arab diaspora communities, yet its empirical relationship with cultural maintenance has rarely been examined through systematic multivariate analysis in the Indian context. Drawing on original survey data from 214 third-generation and beyond Yemeni-origin households across three Indian states Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka this study tests Arabic language ability as a predictor of cultural maintenance practices, supranational identity, and employment outcomes. OLS regression analysis reveals that Arabic ability is the single strongest predictor of cultural maintenance (β = .497, p < .001), accounting for over 52% of variance in cultural maintenance scores in a five-predictor model (R² = .528). Kruskal-Wallis tests demonstrate significant state-level variation in both Arabic retention and cultural maintenance (H = 142.35 and H = 145.04, respectively, both p < .001), with Telangana communities exhibiting substantially higher scores than Maharashtra and Karnataka counterparts. Joint family structure further moderates cultural maintenance (H = 19.005, p < .001). These findings suggest that language is not merely a marker of heritage but an active transmission mechanism a cultural carrier that transports and reproduces Yemeni identity across centuries of settlement. The results have implications for theories of long-settled diaspora, heritage language maintenance, and the relationship between linguistic and cultural assimilation in South Asian Muslim communities.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the interest of living in retirement housing among Indonesian Muslims, referring to the increasing number of elderly residents. Design/methodology/approach This research used the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Ecological Theory of Aging and analyzed them by using the Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modeling. Findings The results indicate that attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and economic sustainability significantly influence the intention to live in retirement housing. Religiosity and religious housing variables are found to have a significant influence on attitudes, whereas social sustainability and environmental sustainability do not significantly affect the intention to live in retirement housing. These findings suggest strong potential for the future development of retirement housing that accommodates religious aspects. Originality/value This research responds to previous research recommendations to study the effects of religious influence to understand differences in interest in living in retirement housing among Indonesian Muslim communities, precisely looking at the relationship between religiosity and religious aspects.

Accurate determination of prayer times is essential for the daily worship practices of Muslim communities. However, many existing online and offline prayer time prediction systems are limited by regional variations, weather conditions, and complex geographical factors. Most current approaches rely on conventional algorithms or manual adjustments, which reduce accuracy across diverse locations. This study addresses these limitations by applying deep learning techniques to predict the five daily Islamic prayer times across major cities in Nigeria, including Kaduna, Borno, Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, and Rivers. Historical prayer time data were obtained from the Adhan API and subjected to preprocessing and feature engineering. Two models; Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were developed and evaluated using Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and the coefficient of determination (R²). Results show that both models achieved high predictive performance, with near-perfect R² values. However, ANN consistently produced lower MAE, RMSE, and MAPE for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, and Maghrib, indicating superior accuracy, while LSTM slightly outperformed ANN for Isha. The best-performing model for each prayer was used to forecast daily prayer times for 2025. The study demonstrated that deep learning models can significantly improve the accuracy of prayer time prediction and provide a reliable solution for faith-based timekeeping.

War poetry in the early Islamic era functioned as a historical record as well as a cultural instrument that helped shape, identity and define morality, while framing the perception of an ‘enemy’. However, current research on Kaʿab ibn Malik’s poetry had focused largely on textual, stylistic or biographical aspects, with limited attention to how the enemy’s images are linguistically constructed and ideologically expressed in his poetry. This gap limits a deeper understanding of how early Islamic poetic discourse participated in the formation of collective memory and social boundaries. This study aimed to identify the various categories of enemy representation in Kaʿab’s war poetry, analyse the linguistic and rhetorical strategies used to construct these images, and evaluate their ideological functions in the Prophetic biography based on a socio-historical context. This qualitative study employed a textual analysis guided by Representation Theory and Enemy Image Theory. The findings reveal six dominant patterns, namely betrayal, cowardice, aggression, doctrinal threat, resistance to the prophetic mission, and moral disgrace. These categories interact to create a unified ideological narrative in which the Muslim community is elevated through moral legitimacy, while its opponents are severely limited through strategic othering. This study also revealed that Kaʿab ibn Malik’s poetry is a literary expression and a structured discourse that reinforces collective identity, moral cohesion and the early Muslim community’s worldview.