An Islamic Perspective on Coping with Life Stressors

1 23

Applied Research in Quality of LifeThe Official Journal of the InternationalSociety for Quality-of-Life Studies ISSN 1871-2584 Applied Research Quality LifeDOI 10.1007/s11482-015-9389-8

An Islamic Perspective on Coping with LifeStressors

Meguellati Achour, Benaouda Bensaid &Mohd Roslan Bin Mohd Nor

1 23

Your article is protected by copyright and

all rights are held exclusively by Springer

Science+Business Media Dordrecht and

The International Society for Quality-of-

Life Studies (ISQOLS). This e-offprint is

for personal use only and shall not be self-

archived in electronic repositories. If you wish

to self-archive your article, please use the

accepted manuscript version for posting on

your own website. You may further deposit

the accepted manuscript version in any

repository, provided it is only made publicly

available 12 months after official publication

or later and provided acknowledgement is

given to the original source of publication

and a link is inserted to the published article

on Springer's website. The link must be

accompanied by the following text: "The final

publication is available at link.springer.com”.

An Islamic Perspective on Coping with Life Stressors

Meguellati Achour & Benaouda Bensaid & Mohd Roslan Bin Mohd Nor

Received: 1 July 2014 /Accepted: 23 January 2015# Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht and The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies(ISQOLS) 2015

Abstract There is growing popularity among researchers, human-resource managers,and policy makers concerning the efficacy of coping strategies on employee well-beingand work-family conflict. The role of religious belief and spiritual support mechanismsin maintaining effective well-being remains understudied. This research explores theIslamic concept and categories of coping strategies, and discusses the role they play inpromoting the well-being of Muslim employees in general. We further examine variousreligious strategies that Muslims often use to cope with life stressors including religi-osity, belief, trust in God, prayer, forbearance, supplication, recitation of the Qur’an,remembrance of God, patience and thankfulness; all of which serve as effective copingstrategies and mechanisms in the face of life stressors.

Keywords Religiosity . Islamic coping strategies .Work-family conflict .Well-being .

Muslim employees

Introduction

Significant research has been recently carried out on methods to manage the work-family relationship, professional diversity, and psychological well-being. Researchershave identified numerous approaches, strategies, and techniques for effectively copingwith life stressors. Among the numerous strategies are relaxation, meditation,imagination and yoga. Several studies support the efficacy of these techniques in

Applied Research Quality LifeDOI 10.1007/s11482-015-9389-8

M. Achour (*)Research and Development Division, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 KualaLumpur, Malaysiae-mail: [email protected]

B. BensaidEffat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabiae-mail: [email protected]

M. R. B. M. NorDepartment of Islamic History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya,50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Author's personal copy

coping with stress and eliminating its effects. Recent studies however indicate thatreligious coping strategies contribute to a reduction and buffering of job stressors.Kasberger (2002) studied college volunteers with divorced parents ranging from 1 to16 years from a Christian liberal arts college. He found a positive correlation betweenreligious coping and divorce adjustment and concluded that religious coping strategiesplayed a critical role in the reduction of stress levels.

In a different study, both Patel and Cunningham (2012) studied a sample of Hindusin the USA to examine the role of religion in their work-family balance. The authorsestablished a correlation between religious engagement and the individual’s level ofresources which enabled them to cope with work-family conflicts while also achievingwork-family balance. Safaria et al. (2010) conducted a study with 155 Javaneseacademic staff in Jogjakarta Indonesia to explore the role of religious coping strategiesas a moderator for job stress. The results found a significant relationship between jobinsecurity and job stress with religious coping as moderator.

In his attempt to understand the common strategy Muslim academicians use to copewith life problems, Achour (2013) conducted face to face interviews with five Muslimfemale academicians from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Achour concluded thatmost Muslim women academicians were aware of the difficulties related to balancingwork demands and family roles and that most interviewees used religiosity as a strategyto cope with the various conflicts. Hussin and Noor (2007) sought to investigate therelationship of work-family conflict with well-being. Their study has a total of 243completed questionnaires obtained from different married Malay nurses in severalgovernment hospitals and public health care centers throughout the East Coast ofPeninsular Malaysia. To assess the effects of coping strategies their research madeuse of two different scales; namely problem-focused coping and religious coping. Theresults indicate that both religious and problem-focused coping strategies are related tojob satisfaction, and that high levels of religious coping correlate to high levels of jobsatisfaction. Abi-Hashem (2007) reported that religious coping skills correlate withmental well-being. Despite such researches, the effects of religiosity and religiouscoping skills in managing the problems and changes of life remain understudied.The religious and spiritual capital of Muslims helps them during times of difficulty, andact as a solid foundation for coping with life’s problems.

Religiosity and Subjective Well-Being

Subjective well-being pertains to the evaluation of one’s global life circumstances,reflecting a sense that one’s life is going well and that one would not change much ifone’s life could be lived over again (Diener, et al. 1999). Subjective measures of well-being capture people’s feelings or real experiences in a direct way, assessing well-beingthrough ordinal measures (McGillivray and Matthew 2006; van Hoorn 2007). There isincreasing recognition of the role of religious support as an effective coping strategy forwell-being. The link between religious group affiliation and greater well-being has beendemonstrated in numerous studies across a variety of contexts (e.g., Blaine and Crocker1995; Bradshaw et al. 2010; Ellison 1991; Fabricatore et al. 2004; Fiorito and Ryan2007; and Hackney and Sanders 2003). Most of the research in the field indicates thatreligious affiliation has a positive effect on individuals’ well-being. For instance the

M. Achour et al.


seminal work of Ellison (1991), p.80), in his review of the pre-1990s’ literature onreligion and well-being found that religion may affect well-being through four distinctways: 1) social integration and support; 2) establishment of personal relationships withthe divine; 3) provision of systems of meaning and existential coherence; and 4)promotion of more specific patterns of religious organization and personal lifestyle.

Nonetheless, the relationship of religion with subjective well-being requires furtherexploration according to different perspectives. Several studies show that policiesrelated to the work-family relationship do not necessarily reduce work-family conflict,retention and absenteeism (Hudson 2005; McDonald et al. 2005). Furthermore, thereare not enough studies on coping strategies for job stress and work-family conflict. Assuch, we examine the concept and forms of religious coping strategies. Noor (2008) forexample found that Islam, like all other religions, is associated with well-being becauseit provides guidance on how to live life, offers comfort and support in good and badtimes, and further gives meaning and identity to individuals. Muslims use the conceptof reliance on God as a coping strategy in their way to deal with the challenging eventsof life and to achieve well-being (Ghazali 2001). Tiliouine and Belgoumidi (2009)showed how religiosity predicts meaning and life satisfaction in the life of students.Abdel-Khalek (2010) found that religiosity among Kuwaiti adolescents was related tobetter health, well-being and less anxiety. Religious people report being happier andmore satisfied with their lives (Diener et al. 1999; Myers 1992; Veenhoven 1984). ForMoberg (1979), happiness is greater and psychological stress is lower for those whoattend religious services regularly.

The Concept of Coping

Prior to 1960, the term Bcoping^ was used in both the medical and social connotationsof the word, in reference to positive responses to pressure. Since the 1960’s however,increased levels of focused research emerged on the subject of coping. The term‘coping’ did not appear in the field of psychology until 1967, and had been used inpsychoanalysis under what was dubbed as the Bdefense mechanism of thesubconscious^. It was between the sixties and the seventies however that researchersbegan to relate coping strategies with stress, instead of focusing on extreme conditionssuch as threats to life or traumatic events. In the eighties, research focused on copingthrough the study of a variety of responses and measuring methods.

Presently, various definitions of coping exist. The Oxford Dictionary defines copingas a response issued by positive attitudes towards threatening attitudes (Folkman andLazarus 1980). Levine and Ursin (1980) see coping as the behavioral responseconcerning avoidance or escape in response to the environment. Coping is also definedas Bconstantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific externaland/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of theperson^ (Lazarus and Folkman 1984). On the other hand, Kihlstrom (1987) and Haan(1982) define coping as the response of the individual to external stressful events.

The term Bcoping^ is seen as a central part in the process of pressure management. Itreflects how individuals gain awareness of and respond to the pressures of dangers; orthreats, which reduce the pressure altogether, and involves any attempt to reduce oravoid dealing with the impacts of pressure (Fleming et al. 1984). According to Cox



(1985), coping is a form of problem-solving behavior, while stress is the result of failedproblem solving. For Breakwell, coping strategies represent any activity, in thought oraction, which seek the removal or modification of a threat to identity’ (Breakwell 1986,p. 78). Matheny et al. (1986) define coping as the individual’s behavioral efforts andcognitive behavior to reduce or handle the demands of pressure. Mathny argues that theeffectiveness of the response efforts undertaken by the individual is largely dependenton the coping behavior and coping sources.

Everly (1989) divides coping strategies into cognitive coping strategies, which relateto thinking in cognitive methods in order to reduce the response rate of pressure, andthe physiological method which involves parasympathetic the re-balancing of theorganism. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) point out two main functions of coping. Thefirst relates to dealing directly with the problem caused by the sense of problemmanagement that causes distress or hardship to the individual. The second however,pertains to confrontation which is limited to the regulation, and simultaneous mitigationof any negative emotions associated with the problem or situation compressor, thusreducing the sense of negative emotions caused by stressful events.

Callan (1993) defines coping in terms of the outcome, referring to a form of non-coping and sees it as a failed effort to cope. Thus coping is accompanied by variousphysical and psychosocial disturbances, which result in higher stress levels. Marais(1997) argues that coping connotes the individuals’ efforts to manage or modifypressure, as with the case of changing one’s organizational work culture throughimproving the quality of work and productivity. Coping is seen as a set of cognitiveand emotional acts by means of which individuals would respond to stressful situations,restore equilibrium, or ease tension and confusion (Frydenberg and Lewis 1993).Likewise, Lutfi (1994) views coping as a group of activities comprising behavioraland cognitive strategies that individuals use for problem-solving and ease tension andemotional impact. Coping strategies represent the means through which an individual,group or organization minimizes the effects of stress (Belal et al. 2009).

In light of the definitions mentioned above, coping effectively represents an um-brella of concepts under which a large number of strategies and behaviors may befound for individuals to cope with stressful situations and related emotions problems.Coping skills play a critical role in determining the manner according to whichindividuals adopt strategies to manage stress. Coping refers to both the cognitive andbehavioral methods and techniques individuals utilize in dealing with life pressures,difficulties and disturbances whether social, emotional or physical. This implies thatcoping embraces a cluster of techniques individuals use to deal with stressful situationsand events when seeking to reduce stress and minimize or control resultant negativeemotions.

Categories of Coping Strategies

In reaction to conditions of stress and anxiety, individuals generally adopt differentcourses of problem-solving. Some may simply give up and withdraw from unbearablesituations, and in turn fall back into escapism. Others however, resort to resistance.Researchers found that the strategies individuals often use to deal with pressure varywith respect to effectiveness. There are generally two broad categories of coping

M. Achour et al.


strategies: problem-focused and emotional-focused approaches (Folkman et al. 1979;Leventhal and Nerenz 1982). Problem-focused coping strategies are found to reducestrain (Beehr et al. 1995), increase job satisfaction (Bhagat et al. 1995), increase health(Parkes 1990), reduce psychological distress (Violanti 1992), lower family-work con-flict levels (Rotondo et al. 2003) and decrease depression, anxiety, and somatization(Greenglass and Burke 1991). Emotion-focused strategies however, are used to hold offfeelings of distress, rather than deal or confront the real problem.

Interestingly, Anshel (1997) draws attention to the difference between problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies. The first includes individuals’ attemptsto achieve the goal set for any given task by applying measures such as emphasizing orsoliciting social support. The second however, refers to the organization of emotions soas to reduce hardship and emotional distress, through the use of techniques such as self-talk training and relaxation. In general, most studies show that problem-focused copingstrategies are the most effective method of dealing with stress, not to mention theirassociation with more positive outcomes, when compared to emotion-focused strate-gies, in spite of the fact that both contribute to creating a positive outcome, dependingon the stressor or problem to be coped with (Loots 2008).

Religious coping strategies however, consist of elements from both emotion-copingand problem-coping strategies. Social support is also used as a strategy for coping withpressures. This often takes the form of offering advice, assistance, subsidies, andemotional support. As such, this justifies the individual’s perceptions regarding herown actions. Similarly, this applies to religious coping strategies; which involveperforming prayers and religious practices that focus on the release of emotions. Someresearchers divide pressure-dealing strategies into the following: a) rational thinkingwhereby logic is used to identify the sources and causes of anxiety; b) imagining themeans through which a person is likely to think about the future; c) denial defensemechanisms according to which the existence of an unpleasant internal or externalreality is kept out of conscious awareness; d) problem-solving as a knowledge strategythat uses new ideas and innovation to address problems alongside the resolution toolwhich may be used to solve immediate problems, a skill and process; e) humor andpositive emotions that may be used to deal with pressure during coping; and f) turningto religion and religious practices as a source of moral, spiritual and emotional support.

Other researchers identify the following four general categories of coping strategies:a) Personal coping strategies: This category involves cognitive, physical, behavioral,emotional, and rational/time organization strategies. Cognitive strategies involve pos-itive thinking, setting realistic expectations, pragmatism, and blocking out negativecomments. The physical strategies however, involve activities such as recreation, sportsand general exercise while others are passive such as listening to music or watching TV.Behavioral strategies on the other hand involve engaging in routines, like houseworkchores which often do not require much conscious thought. Emotional strategiesinclude the use of self-deprecation, a capacity to laugh, and trying not to be hard ononeself. Furthermore, rational/time organization strategies are identified in the way onewould clearly define their work priorities and free time, as ‘having a balance betweenwork and social life’; b) Professional coping strategies: This is reflected in attention toprofessional or career details, as with lecturers’ preparation of their lessons and of liferesponsibilities in general as a method to avoid stress; c) Social coping strategies: Thisis manifested in individuals resorting to family and friends in times of crisis or simply



for conversation, reflection or discussion with people, as well as involvement in socialevents; and d) Institutional coping strategies: They involves two specific levels ofinstitutional coping strategies at both the government and university levels and aremanifested through the sharing of advice, assistance, subsidies, programs, flexibility inprocedures, financial support, attitudes, facilities, motivations and rules.

In general, the concept of coping strategies describes people’s responses to difficul-ties and stressful situations. Researchers nonetheless continue to search for efficientstrategies to cope with life problems. This efficiency lies in their ability to reduceimmediate stress and prevent its long-term consequences, as is the case with negativeinfluence on well-being or the development of illness. The effectiveness of a givencoping strategy may be different among individuals using it as opposed to thoseobserving or evaluating it. Most coping strategies and techniques such as imagination,meditation, communication, social support, and religiosity are applied to daily liferoutines. Many studies concluded with that these techniques and strategies for copingwith life problems were effective.

The Perspective of Islam on Coping Strategies

Using Islam as a religious background, al-Munajjid (2006) sought to explain basicstrategies Muslims use to cope with life problems. According to him, the firststrategy is the need to understand the truth of the world which implies that thebeliever should grasp the truth of the temporariness and transiency of the worldthe limited nature of worldly material luxuries, and the imperfection of lifepleasures and satisfactions. For him life creates a short laughter but gives manyreasons to cry. It provides a little but withholds far more. Furthermore, when aMuslim is engaged in the worship of God while acknowledging his weaknessesand needs to Him, he would be able to understand the true meanings of the worldand life, and as such would be able to take the right stand and fix his wrongchoices and attitudes towards life including the family, and workplace. Theargument is that profound yet effective submission to God, with the acceptanceof human weakness and the need for supplication to God for help provide himwith satisfaction, happiness, and guidance in doing things right, and generally howto better approach life and manage its problems.

Islamic coping strategies, methods, and techniques are deeply rooted in Islamicspirituality and interwoven with various forms of worship and moral discipline.The strategies Islam advances for Muslims provide remedial potential for copingwith life’s changing problems for they translate Muslims’ cognitive perceptionsinto behavioral modes and life courses while being anchored within their religiousemotions. Islamic techniques such as prayer and supplication to God, patience,trust in God, and recitation of the Qur’an may potentially reduce life stress,depression, and anxiety. The following Qur’anic verses illustrates some mecha-nisms for engaging and resolving life problems.

BAs for those who say, BOur Lord is God,^ and then follow the Straight Path (intheir belief, thought, and actions) without deviation, the angels descend uponthem from time to time (in the world as protecting comrades and in the Hereafter,

M. Achour et al.


with the message): BDo not fear or grieve; but rejoice in the glad tidings ofParadise which you have been promise.^ (Qur’an 41:30).

BSuch is God, your Lord; there is no deity but He, the Creator of all things;therefore, worship Him alone. He holds all things in His care and control.^(Qur’an 6:102).

BTo God belongs (absolute dominion and full knowledge of) the unseen of theheavens and the earth, and to Him alone is the whole matter referred (for finaljudgment). So worship Him, and put your trust in Him. Your Lord is by no meansunaware and unmindful of what you do.^ (Qur’an 11:123).

The strategy of Muslim social support is a powerful collective reflection of individ-uals’ religiosity and the internalizing of religious values and norms. The strikingdifference perhaps between Islamic coping mechanisms and strategies and otheralternative coping means is the clear emphasis placed on the individual’s relationshipwith the Creator and reliance on Him in the entirety of life’s affaires as a copingstrategy in the reduction of anxiety, depression, and restitution of hope.

Individuals tend to believe that their personal power and confidence are whatdirectly result in changes and solving of problems. Similarly, social and institutionalsupport significantly increases the effectiveness of coping with life problems. Stressobservably reduces while sharing problems with other individuals we trust or whensoliciting their wisdom and guidance. Reflection on the other hand, is highly critical asfar as coping with stress is concerned. People habitually depend on medical means todeal with life’s problems; yet a great number of other natural coping strategies may beapplied. The following Qur’anic-based instruction for coping may be useful. GodAlmighty said: BWe said: BGo down from here, the two of you, all together (withSatan, and henceforth you will live a life,) some of you being the enemies of others. Ifthere comes to you from Me a guidance (like a Book through a Messenger), thenwhoever follows My guidance (and turns to Me with faith and worship), will not goastray, nor will he be unhappy.^ (Qur’an 20:123).

The Qur’an prescribes a variety of methods and techniques for dealing with stressand life problems. Prophet Muhammad being the ideal role model for Muslims isreported to have effectively used many of those methods and techniques. Muslims areeffectively taught to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Mohammed, in the mannerthrough which he endured stress, handled life difficulties, or solved daily life problems.Prophet Muhammad is reported to have instructed Muslims to adopt sets of religioustreatment remedies to handle sorrow, apprehension and fear some of the major com-ponents of stress. For instance, he encouraged Muslims to read the Qur’an whileplacing special attention on some of its particular chapters such as Chapter 113–114,which essentially exhorting believers to seek refuge in God Almighty and ask for Hisprotection. According to Karim, these represent established anchors in the present-daytreatment of neurosis which derives its base from insecurity and helplessness (Karim1984).

For Muslims, seeking the pleasure of God is of pure worship. Purity of intentionsmatters the most. They must be held for the sake of God alone, and seek to acquire Hispleasure and avoid His wrath. According to Islam ordinary daily tasks, chores, and



routines turn to forms of worship when approached with the proper religious intention.Similarly, excellence and conscientiousness in daily acts are highly rewarded. Thus,belief in God is set to produce greater acceptance, tolerance, willingness and sacrificefor work and job performances. Believers accept work conditions and family respon-sibilities such as long working hours, irregular work schedules, work overload, childrenmatters, spouse’s attitudes, multiple role problems, and even financial problems whenthey believe that performing the job will lead to Allah’s acceptance. As such, negativefeelings towards work and family differ among believers according to their level ofreligious commitment (Achour et al. 2014).

An Overview of Islamic Coping Strategies

According to Mujahid (2006), Muslims need to remember their limited power sincethey have no control over the outcomes of events even when they are able to dischargetheir duties and responsibilities to the best of their abilities. For example and alongsimilar parallels, one finds that Prophets had no control over the outcome of theirreligious and spiritual endeavors. Regardless of the results of their efforts however,Muslims are rewarded for their work. In essence, Muslims are instructed to grasp theconcept of the divine blessing (barakah) and need to remember that God Almightyincreases His gifts and blessings when matched by sincere exertions of energies andefforts towards the right path. This religious concept serves as a regulatory mechanismfor individuals’ sense of responsibility and even guilt that is elicited in certain lifeoccurrences. While it clearly places individual responsibility at the center of change andaccommodation of environmental needs and pressures, it provides flexible leeway onthe individual’s share of the burden with regards to the final development of events.

This mechanism not only reinforces human responsibility, but also defines theboundaries over human limits and capabilities, and as a result demarcates and identifiesthat which is human from that which is divine. Whether job loss, divorce, or a caraccident, Muslims understand to act to the best of their abilities whether at work, withthe family or while driving. Moreover, they also believe in the decree of God accordingto which things do happen even when men fulfil their duties to the best. Upon hearingof the news of death for instance, Muslim are accustomed to instantly state thefollowing: Surely we belong to God and unto Him shall we return (inna lillahi wa-inna ilayahi raji‘un). This utterance is set to provide a sense of spiritual re-connectionwith the Creator, and a simultaneous profound awareness of time and the reality thatlife is perishable; that all shall return to the fundamental origin of creation.

On the other hand, the significance of the Hereafter for Muslims is yet anotherfundamental belief and priority that shape and affect their preoccupations, determina-tions, motivations and approaches to coping with changes. Prayer to God and suppli-cation to him are also found to be instrumental, for they enfold both protection andtreatment. According to Mujahid (2006), the feeling of stress can be contained whenMuslims believe that God oversees and controls life and death. Remembrance of deathis another coping strategy in the life of Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad is reported tohave exhorted Muslims to constantly remember death, the destroyer of all pleasures, asits remembrance in difficult situations is set to cause him to be more considerate, and itsremembrance during times of ease, will ensure he does not deviate. Aside from life

M. Achour et al.


success and prosperity, Muslims are promised great rewards in the hereafter. Remem-brance of death is thus perceived as an opportunity to reflect on the various strategiesand techniques of coping with life problems, in addition to re-organizing ideas anddealing positively with life events and problems. Similarly, piety (taqwa) implies thecontinuous reflection on one’s own actions and behavior. The study of al-Fahdawi andal-Hawamdeh (2002) reveals that there is a significant relationship between piety, jobperformance, and job satisfaction. Their study also found a significant relationshipbetween piety and the building of organizational loyalty.

In the following section, we address a number of methods and techniques Islamprescribes for coping with difficulties and stress, and for containing problems and crisisfrom further escalation. These coping strategies find support in a large number of versesand hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and are coherently set to nurture, fulfil and sustainMuslim devotion to God while continually cultivating a deep sense of service to others.Taken together, these varied strategies and methods reflect the Islamic Weltanschauungaccording to which humans would be able to grasp their raison d’être, understand theirnature and boundaries of action, and fulfil their role for the stewardship of earth. Thesetechniques are theologically grounded, spiritually bound, morally validated, and reli-giously set; and as such, any systematic capitalization on Muslim religiosity in normalconditions would yield a proportionate increase in their level of efficiency.

Trust in God

The Qur’an (Chapter 6:102 & 11:123) exhorts Muslims to place their unconditionaltrust in God in all matters, and to further take Him as the ultimate source of guidanceand comfort in all of their business and decision-making. Muslims are instructed toplace their full and utter faith in God and to show unconditional trust that God’s planalways works best; that with full faith and trust in God, nothing in life remains difficult,and that no worry will stay insurmountable. The following Qur’anic verse illustrates thepoint: BSay: BNothing befalls us except what God has decreed for us; He is ourGuardian and Owner; and in God let the believers put all their trust^ (Qur’an 9:51).For Muslims, reliance on God (tawakkul) represents one of the most effective ways tosteer motivation and enhance behavioral performance. It represents the intrinsic part ofMuslim life, especially during times of stress and hardship. Trust in God’s planhowever, does not imply a laissez-faire state where Muslim contribution to change isfrozen or idly suspended altogether; but rather, generates a state of intimacy with Godat the center of which Muslims would realize that God’s plans are just wise and perfectand that no matter how challenging life difficulties may be, they should place their trustin God who changes conditions to the better. This inner religious conditioning, to alarge extent, reduces the changes of falling into a viciously self-centered and inacces-sible world, whereby one would apparently do her best at work, yet exhaust energythrough repeated cycles of worry and anxiety about the unknown.

The principle of trust in God also helps Muslims engage better with their work whileremaining conscious of their own human potentials and limitations within the broadboundaries of the divine purpose and creation. With trust in God at the forefront ofone’s mind, Muslims would generally commit themselves to a task while investing intheir reliance on God. In conditions of trouble for instance, reliance on God turns into apowerful tool of stress management in the sense that it generates ample space for divine



intervention in human affairs, and the basis that God never abandons those who placetheir trust in Him. Such comforting mechanisms are commonly understood and appliedin Muslims’ religious and socio-cultural life. Often, in Muslim public cultures, therepetition of statements such as ‘God is Great’ (Allah akbar/kabir), ‘Trust your Lord’(tawakkal ‘ala Allah), ‘God is better’ (Rabbi khayr), or ‘We have placed our trust inGod’, ‘I leave it to God’ and so on; all serve as effective methods to reinforce the sacredwhile fulfilling the psychological needs of divine remembrance in day-to-day dealings,thereby defining a social culture whereby various parties acknowledge the presence ofGod in the events of life, and His ultimate power to bring about better change in theirpresent life and future.

Performance of Prayer

Prayer (salat) is seen as the most practical religious strategy used to cope with stress inMuslim lives. It is expected to generate awareness of the divine presence in addition tointense reflection on the masterful grand design of creation and the universe; whicharguably provides a calming sense of scale with regards to reality. Prayer (salat) is oneof the most fundamental obligations in the religious life of Muslims. Salat engenders astate of human homeostasis. It interrupts the duration of work stress and as a resultwould allow the body to acquire physical, mental and psychological rest. From aphysiological standpoint, and during periods of stress, hormones that are released areof the corticosteroid group, often responsible for hypertension and it’s associatedwith heart attacks and cardiac failures, gastric ulcers, and nervous disorders. Froma mental perspective however, salat, which requires a reliance on the Creator, leadsto prevention and cure of most neuroses, depressions, and even major psychosis(Karim 1984).

In the stage of preparation for prayer, Muslims are instructed to shift their thinking asmuch as they can about the material nature of the world including all their burdens andworries. In praying however, Muslims would feel an extreme connection to God fromWhom they derive maximum support (Tala’at 2006). Similarly, Muslims are expectedto use their prayer to transform their worries into a positive power of supplication, andto convert the meanings of invocations they use into concrete reality. In so doing, theywould be able to continually demonstrate serious commitment to their religiousconcerns, with increase of focus and direction of energy to the right course of action,eventually maximizing their overall life productivity and performance. This findssupport in the following Qur’anic verse: BThose who have believed (and becomeestablished in belief), and whose hearts find rest and contentment in remembrance ofand whole-hearted devotion to God. Be aware that it is in the remembrance and of andwhole-hearted devotion to God that hearts find rest and contentment (Qur’an 13:28)and BO you who believe! Seek help (against all kinds of hardships and tribulations)through persevering patience and the Prayer; surely God is with the persevering andpatient^ (Qur’an 2: 153).

Similarly, one finds similar examples in the life of Prophet Mohammed who used toencourage Muslims to be determined in their prayer to God. Prophet Muhammad isreported to have said: BDu‘a (supplication to God) is the essence of worship^ (al-Nawafih al-Atirah 1991) and also said: BGod Almighty is angry with those who do notask Him for anything^ (Albani n.d). For Karim (1984), the remembrance of God

M. Achour et al.


(dhikr), His glorification (tasbih) and prayer (salat) to Him are among the best methodsIslam prescribes to cure Muslims from numerous diseases; this at a time when chemicaldiscoveries are in full swing, and which if properly performed would bring aboutmental tranquility and potentially cure of the mentally ill. Karim further argues Godendowed man with a great reservoir of spiritual energy that is able to change one’sattitude to life and the world in general eventually to the better. By means of inwardreflection and introspection however, one begins to see outwardly, and eventuallyenters and acclimatizes to the society (Karim 1984).

Regular prayer acts as a constant psychological and emotional catalyst throughwhich Muslims can effectively screen surrounding changes and develop theirdecision-making according to the very meanings of prayer and their intrinsicallyevolving connection with the divine. Islam urges Muslims to perform the supereroga-tory prayer of seeking guidance from God (istikhara) in any of their decision-making,as trusting God with the choice would enhance personal self-confidence and removeuncertainty and hesitation. This prayer is set to liberate Muslims from doubts and fromthe blurring and often confusing effects of self-attachment to life desires while refresh-ing their thinking through submergence in God’s remembrance as a measure forbuilding sustainable spiritual and emotional strength. Muslims are also urged toperform the prayer of need (salat al-hajah) which speaks of Muslims resorting toGod for guidance and support.

Remembrance of God (dhikr)

For Muslims, remembrance of God (zikr- referring to all forms of remembrance ofGod, supplications (du‘a) and recitation of the Qur’an) helps them better copewith life problems such as stress, anxiety, and work-family conflict. This findssupport in the following verse in the Qur’an: BThose who have believed (andbecome established in belief), and whose hearts find rest and contentment inremembrance of and whole-hearted devotion to God. Be aware that it is in theremembrance and whole-hearted devotion to God that hearts find rest andcontentment.^ (Qur’an 13: 28). In feeling the pressures of the heart and burdensof life, Muslims are required to turn their faces to God and indulge themselves inthe remembrance of the Divine. Dhikr is all encompassing. It includes salat, du‘a,reciting and listening to the Qur’an, praise and glorification of God (tasbih) andreflection on the universe and creation.

Spiritual invocations are believed to help increase blessings (barakah) in thelife of Muslims and further sustain their serenity to the fullest. This in turnaffects the very potential for positive thinking. The remembrance of God caneffectively result in satisfaction and serenity, as illustrated in the followingQur’anic verse: BThose who have believed (and become established in belief),and whose hearts find rest and contentment in remembrance of and whole-hearted devotion to God. Be aware that it is in the remembrance and of andwhole-hearted devotion to God that hearts finds rest and contentment^ (Qur’an13:28). Remembrance of God not only implies communicating with One WhoHears and knows all, but also creates a reassuring self-consciousness of a higherauthority that can change negative situations and grants patience for overcomingdifficulties (Mujahid 2006).



Muslims are encouraged to cultivate a state of remembrance of God, at all timesand in all places. This condition results in divine guidance and support. Thefollowing Qur’anic verse highlights this point: BSo always remember and makemention of Me (when service to Me is due), that I may remember and make mentionof you (when judgment and recompense are due); and give thanks to Me, and do notbe ungrateful to Me^ (Qur’an 2:152). One of the effective methods of remembranceof God is held through reflection on the meanings of the verses of the Qur’an. ForMuslims, the recitation of the Qur’an is seen as a form of communication with God,and requires one’s full attention. Muslims are encouraged to recite the Qur’an withcomprehension and humility. Generally, Muslims read the Qur’an in all places and indifferent times, recite it aloud, and listen to its recitation keenly. Recitation of theQur’an helps ease the hearts and minds. Many recent studies for instance haveshown the effects of listening to the recitation of the Qur’an and human physiolog-ical conditions, curing maladies such as abnormal heart rates, unhealthy bloodpressure and damaging muscle tension with reported improvements in all cases,irrespective of the listener’s religion and race.

Exercising remembrance of God serves many purposes in the life of Muslims, and isinclusive of constant remembrance of God’s companionship, vigilance, and support.These, depending on the individual’s commitment to their meanings, generally yieldpositive spiritual inputs that affect the cognitive and behavioral reaction to change inone’s environment, including stress-related events. The remembrance of God forcoping not only provides varying degrees of comfort which is crucial to the processof stress management but also contributes to other reactions to stress, and in essenceframes it against a broader backdrop of a larger and more significant metaphysical andontological order of existence

Islam also sets forward many different ways for God’s remembrance, one ofwhich is showing thankfulness to the Divine. The Qur’an states: BSo alwaysremember and make mention of Me (when service to Me is due), that I mayremember you and make mention of you; and give thanks to Me, and do not beungrateful to Me^ (Qur’an, 2:152) and BIf you are thankful (for My favors), I willmost certainly give you more; but if you are ungrateful, surely my punishment issevere.^ (Qur’an 14: 7). Muslims practice praising God and are thankful to Him.Among the ways of thanking God involve prayer (salat), supplication (du‘a),giving charity, assisting the poor and needy, and performing fasting, whetherobligatory or optional. The spiritual and moral attitude of showing thankfulnessto God is seen as an extremely instrumental strategy for coping with stress. It firstacknowledges the many blessings and bounties in the life of Muslims; such ashealth, food, family and friends, and safety while further motivating Muslims tobe appreciative and thankful for what they already have.

Belief in this regard is considered the greatest blessing of all. This in turn is reflectedin a positive state of being whereby Muslims would thank God for all that befalls them,be it good or bad; translating into a condition of positive reaction to change or stress.The least one would expect according to such a perspective is a reasonable handling ofthe causes of stress and anxiety through investing in a spiritually intimacy with theCreator, not to mention enjoying what one has in life instead of finding faults with whatone does not have or worrying about the future rather than being satisfied with thepresent time. The following tradition of Prophet Muhammad outlines the significant

M. Achour et al.


role of prayer and supplication as effective strategies to cope with stress, anxiety andproblems in general.

Anas Ibn Malik reported that when Prophet Mohammed was faced with a seriousdifficulty, he would always supplicate, (O the Living, O the Eternal, I seek help inyour grace) (Tirmidhi 2999).

It was reported that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays said: The Messenger of God said to me:BShall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed? (Allah, Allah,my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).^ (Albani 1989).

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that Prophet Mohammed, in times of distress and grief usedto supplicate, (There is no god but God Almighty, the Mighty, the Forbearing,there is no god but God Almighty, the Lord of the mighty throne, there is no godbut God Almighty, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of thethrone of honor)’ (Bukhari, M. bin Isma‘il 1980).

Ibn Mas‘ud reported that Prophet Mohammed said: BIf any servant of GodAlmighty afflicted with distress or grief makes this supplication, his suppli-cation will be accepted: ‘O God Almighty, I am Your servant, son of Yourservant, son of your maidservant. My forehead is in your hand. Yourcommand concerning me prevails, and your decision concerning me is just.I call upon You by every one of the beautiful names by which You havedescribed Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your book, or have taughtanyone of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowl-edge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur’an the delight of my heart, thelight of my breast, and remover of my grief, sorrows, and afflictions’.^These words if replied will be answered. God Almighty will remove one’saffliction and replace it with joy and happiness. (Ibn Hibban 1994).

Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas reported that Prophet Mohammed said, BThe sup-plication made by Prophet Jonah in the belly of the fish was, ‘There is nogod but You, You are far exalted and above all weaknesses, and I wasindeed the wrongdoer)’ (Qur’an, 21: 87). Every Muslim who applies thesewords in his/her supplication will be accepted. In another hadith/narrationwe read, BI know words that will cause God Almighty to remove one’sdistress. These are the words (of supplication) of my brother Yunus.^(Qaysarani 1995).

Abu Hurayrah reported that Prophet Mohammed said: BA strong believer isbetter and dearer to God Almighty than a weak believer, and there is good ineveryone, but cherish what gives you benefit in the Hereafter and seek helpfrom God Almighty and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form oftrouble) comes to you, don’t say, ‘If I had not done that, such and such thingwould not have happened,’ but say, ‘God Almighty has ordained it so, andwhatever He pleases He does,’ because ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ open the door forSatan.^ (Muslim 1953).



Patience, Forbearance, and Forgiveness

On numerous occasions, the Qur’an exhorts Muslims to act with patience. Thisdiscipline would likely ensure effective handling of stress. In Islam, patience isconsidered one of the highest spiritual and moral qualities. The Qur’an sees patienceas a critical pre-requisite for success (Qur’an 3:200); a way to the companionship ofGod (Qur’an, 8:46). The Qur’an also promises patient people with a threefold rewardentailing blessings, mercy and guidance (Qur’an 2:155–157). For example the Qur’anstates: BThey spend (out of what God has provided for them,) both in ease andhardship, ever-restraining their rage (even when provoked and able to retaliate), andpardoning people (their offenses). God loves (such) people who are devoted to doinggood, aware that God is seeing them^ (Qur’an, 3:134). In this context ProphetMohammed is reported to have said, BNo one had ever been given anything betterthan patience^ (Muslim 1994).

The term patience (sabr) and its derivatives are mentioned more than 70 timesin the Qur’an. The significance of this value is perhaps better understood in lightof the fact that Islam assigns rewards for good acts, from 10-fold to 700 fold, withexception to someone who bears in patience, his reward then being limitless. InChapter Two of the Qur’an, attention is drawn to the importance of patience andthe reality that God shall test people’s patience in many ways. God Almighty said:BWe will certainly test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealthand lives and fruits (earnings); but give glad tidings to the persevering andpatient.^ (Qur’an 2: 155).

Muslims are encouraged to demonstrate trust in God and to display a balancedattitude to all life changes. These meanings find support in many religious traditionssuch as the following: BWondrous are the believer’s affairs. For him there is good in allhis affairs, and this is so only for the believer. When something pleasing happens tohim, he is grateful, and that is good for him; and when something displeasing happensto him, he is enduring (sabr), and that is good for him^ (Ibn Hibban 1993). In essence,patience knows no limit and as such, learning it would remain ongoing for one whomay never reach its final verge. On the other hand, the legislation of various acts ofworship, be they regular prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, voluntary andcompulsory acts of charity, or the pilgrimage to the Ka‘aba in addition to othercommands and prohibitions, are all set to develop Muslims’ inner resilience and furtherharness their power of patience and endurance.

What Muslims learn through patience is the strengthening of forbearance, endur-ance, and resolute will. Muslims believe that ease and comfort generally followhardship and difficulties, and as such exert maximum energy to reach the stagefollowing patience. The implications of patience in coping with life stressors areenormous. Patience extends the endurance of the Muslims towards arising stress; whilefurther strengthening reactions to anxiety, as there already exists an underlying beliefthat God loves patient people and supports them. Moreover, patience reconfigures thescale of stress-related problems in contrast to their proper position with reference to abroader perspective of behavior modelling. It also reduces hasty reactions and decisionsto life changes. It is believed that the power of patience varies according to varyingdegrees of resilient beliefs, moral values, customs, and lifestyles. In the case ofMuslims, and in view of their religious routines, the religious texts are of incredible

M. Achour et al.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Baqara%23Al-Baqara

influence on their cognitive and behavioral conditioning, and as a result carry signif-icant effects on coping with stress.

Islam however, places great emphasis on the degree and quality of patience shownduring the early initial reaction to life stressors. Prophet Muhammad is reported to havesaid: BVerily, patience is at the first stroke of a calamity^ (Bukhari 1979a). Anotherrelated example showing the effect of patience in Muslims’ lives is the mother’s loss ofher newborn, to which Islam responds with the promise of paradise as a fervent strategyfor coping with the stress of the loss. In the case of Muslim mothers for instance, thetradition promises them a wonderful future union. Prophet Muhammad is reported tohave said: BNo two Muslims lost three children except Allah will cause the two parentsto enter Paradise through the favor of His mercy toward them.^ They said, BWhat abouttwo, Messenger of Allah?^ He said, BTwo also.^ They said, BAnd one?^ He said,B[Even] the miscarried child will certainly drag its mother [and father] with itsumbilical cord to Paradise!^ (Mundhiri 2000).

Similarly, Islam sees life trials befalling people as opportunities for purification ofthe soul, nurturing emotional resilience, and strengthening of personal character. ForMuslims, their belief in the highly rewarding nature of calamities provides them tovarying degrees with active awareness and remembrance of God, resulting in self-assurance and comfort, while strengthening their emotional stands in view of theultimate promises set in return for their patience and endurance. Those meanings findsupports in numerous reports of Prophet Muhammad including the following: BNocalamity befalls a Muslim but that Allah expiates some of his sins because of it, even ifit were the prick he receives from a thorn^ (Bukhari 1979b).

Exercise of patience however, is perhaps one of the most interestingly universalcoping strategies demanding a great deal of self-comfort and endurance; be it emotion-al, financial, or physical. In the case of Islam, the strategy of patience is framed withinthe belief in the promises of God, and is supported further with the legislation ofnumerous acts of worship, prayers, and religious invocations. Most importantly per-haps, is sustained through the support of the Muslim community which is bound tojustify its raison d’être through consolation and support of others during times oftrouble and difficulties.

Similarly, Muslims are taught to cultivate discipline of forbearance, pardon, andforgiveness and to adhere to them in their life affairs. The Qur’an uses three terms todescribe forgiveness; ‘afw, safh, and ghafara. Prophet Mohammed is reported to haveinstructed Muslims to pursue forgiveness as a strategy for calming the self andexpelling worries, and for reducing depression and anxiety. The following traditionillustrates the point: BIf anyone continually asks pardon, God Almighty will provide forhim a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will appoint forhim from where he did not reckon^ (Tabarani 1995). The spiritual discipline inherentwithin seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy is expected not only to generate a sense ofrelief and willingness to reform and overhaul negative life conditions, but goes a stepfurther to reinforcing fresh commitment towards positive courses of life action, model-ling Muslim behavior on forgiveness and tolerance towards others as a way of pleasingthe divine; while ensuring emotional social rapprochement, understanding, andreconciliation.

Interestingly, Muslims’ various religious prayers for the mercy of God are dictatedas per the religious instruction of showing mercy to others as a way of acquiring God’s



mercy. Muslims hold that the sustaining of investments in the individual’s spiritual andemotional capital by means of religious practices within the context of increasing thepower of forgiveness and forbearance provides them with the requisite resolve tohandle stressful conditions; which encompasses a wide range of life disturbances andhuman annoyances. What makes this religious strategy effective is the inherent powerto resort to a greater source of help in the life of Muslims, and as such sustains aconstant and conscious source of relief, relaxation, and alternative perception of hostileand troublesome conditions.

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is yet another interesting strategy Muslims use to cope with lifestressors. Being conscious of the state of being, positive thinking shows a meaningfulinteraction with the occurrences of life in such a manner so as to sustain positive andhealthy living (Machouche et al. 2012). Positive thinking is grounded in the belief inGod and is essentially nourished through Muslims’ active spiritual engagement. Thiswould ensure an optimistic attitude towards life changes, while equipping Muslimswith fresh views and judgments of changes across a more expansive context of lifedynamicity, while nonetheless sustaining an aesthetic taste for beauty and an appreci-ation of life that distances Muslims from escalating hopelessness, despair and depres-sion. What lies at the center of positive thinking in the Muslims’ perspectives however,is their belief in God, the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, and also in the goodexpectation they have of Him. It is argued that throughout the process of developingpositive thinking, God-consciousness deeply permeates the fabric of Muslim aware-ness, emotions, and modelling of behavioral and social interactions. It is probably insuch a context that one grasps the Muslim wisdom stating: BWhenever a crisis comesyour way, utilize your good expectations of God in order to repel it. This will bring youcloser to relief (Machouche et al. 2012).

According to Islam, sincere devotion to God and adherence to piety and remem-brance works towards building a sustainable power and capital inherent within viewingthe world, and all that goes with it as part of God’s grand design and wisdom inherentin His creation. This implies that building the power of positive thinking is not left tothe sole imagination of the individuals alone, in the sense that it emanates from theirbeing, but rather builds upon their complex and dynamic human potentials with regardsto an inexhaustible mutual relationship with a positive external agent, namely, theCreator. In Muslim life, positive thinking is continually tested and enhanced. Aspointed out by Machouche, life occurrences such as birth or death, prosperity orpoverty, health or sickness, marriage or divorce, friendship or loneliness, isolation orinteraction, rise or decline, all provide real testing grounds for the power of positivethinking, not to mention the opportunities for their development (Machouche et al.2012).

The Qur’an instructs Muslim to shun superficial judgments of events, whether goodor bad, for what might be perceived or considered as evil can turn to be good. TheQur’an states the following: BIt may well be that you dislike a thing but it is good foryou, and it may well be that you like a thing but it is bad for you. God knows, and youdo not know.^ (Qur’an 2: 216). The positive attitude towards life events helps positionsurrounding changes according to their own prospects, understanding the very

M. Achour et al.


phenomenon of movement, change, and transformation as natural to existence and asan integral routine of a healthy life. For instance falling sick, losing close ones, orfacing bankruptcy according to such a perspective are screened against a broader viewof the absolute power of God’s to intervene, to unite the disunited, and to grant Hisgenerosity. What positive thinking effectively does to the process of coping with stressis that it provides sufficient space for the individual to hold onto hope, optimism andrationality and as such resilience in a dynamic configuration that generates varyingdegrees of comfort and relaxation, and boosts the Muslims’ inner drive to step forwardand conquer all doubts, hesitation and fear. That very emotional outlook resulting ingrowing optimism does not stand in a barren land, but is continually nurtured andnourished through religious Islamic practices and rituals and further enhanced throughfamily and communal religious and spiritual engagements and celebrations.

Community Support

Islam encourages living and interaction within the community. This is demon-strated in its call for attending regular congregational worship functions includingthe five daily congregation prayers, the prayer of Friday (jumu‘ah), and the Prayerof the Festival celebration (Eid) alongside the celebration of feasts. These are atcomplete odds with all forms of religious seclusion set for personal spiritualentertainment. It is in this context that one perhaps may understand the instructionof Prophet Muhammad: BThere are not three people, either in the town or in thedesert, among whom prayer is not said in congregation but the devil will surelyovercome them; so stick to the congregation for the wolf eats the one that hasstrayed away from the flock^ (Ibn Hibban 1993). Muslims are fervently encour-aged to know one another, share and be of benefit to their fellow humans, and tobe in the service of others. The fulfilling of religious obligations such as prayer,fasting, charity and pilgrimage are socially oriented and are meant to improvesocial conditions and add life values through socialization programing. One wouldnot be prone to exaggeration to state that Islam, as seen through the philosophy ofits moral and legal values, is fundamentally geared to sustaining a communal lifewhereby individuals live together with mutual understanding, support, and defensein addition to promoting virtue, decency, and goodness.

What the Islamic principle for communal life means for Muslims is that irrespectiveof race, color, gender, or status, they all need to understand that they belong to acommunal system of support. Such an emotional and religious feeling of belonging andsupport plays a significant role in the way Muslims cope with calamities, stress, oranxiety. The community of Muslims carries a moral responsibility of emotional,spiritual, religious and financial support to one another as illustrated in numeroustraditions that highlight the virtues of smiling to others, visiting the sick, caring forwidows, orphans, poor, needy, wayfarers, consoling others, or offering sincere adviceand consultation. The community also holds the duty of guiding wisely and motivatingthose who for any reason fail to observe the religious norms and mores. The ingredientsof community life are not meant to overshadow individual freedom, privacy, orresponsibility, but are set as sustainable layers of support and also of the growth ofits members, groups and families so as to ensure that the healthy drive of the Muslimcommunity is worth subscribing to.



Generally speaking Muslims tend to attend to other fellows, whether family mem-bers, elderly, neighbors, visitors, strangers or even enemies; these acts are seen asordinary gestures dictated by the very religious and spiritual commitment of everypracticing Muslim. Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: BA man is not abeliever who fills his stomach while his neighbor is hungry^ (Mundhiri 2000).Enduring negative life circumstances with solid emotional and religious bond to thecommunity, is likely to contribute to the process of improved modes of coping withstress. Often, in Muslim traditional societies, and even today, not only are familymembers found to be supportive, but also community members and neighbors contrib-ute effectively to the sphere of incumbent social support, which by current contempo-rary social standards are no less than strangers. That is to say, that the life of thecommunity to varying degrees dictates the sense of collective sharing of life events andchanges such as happiness and sorrow, joy and pain, and so forth. This religiousprinciple is referred to in Qur’an as follows: BO you who believe! Be patient (perseverethrough what befalls you in the world, in God’s cause); encourage each other topatience, vying in it with one another and outdoing all others in it…^ (Qur’an 3:200). The following is another example that illustrates the social support Muslimcommunity provides to its members on the occasion of grief. Upon the death of oneof his companions, Prophet Muhammad is reported to have instructed Muslims asfollows: BLet food be sent to Ja‘afar’s house, for the members of his house in theirabundance of grief will not be able to cook a meal^ (Albani 1987).

A Discussion of the Islamic Coping Strategies

Employees need to conduct more religious worship that focuses on emotion, with morepractice of prayers to increase their well-being, and to efficiently balance their roles inwork and family domains (Achour et al. 2014). Institutionalizing those strategies andmechanisms through development of special employees section set to improve theiroverall social well-being, and further provide them with the knowledge, skills,methods, techniques necessary to cope with work and life problems in general. Withthis section in place, human resources managers need to organize professional trainingsto further help Muslim employees cope with work-family conflict while reducing thefeeling of strain and updating their skills and knowledge capital. They also need tocreate awareness among Muslim employees on the importance of religious copingstrategies

These religious coping strategies are not addressed in any hierarchical order ofauthority or religious priority scale. They are generally adaptable to change and assuch are elastic and flexible to take on different cultural shapes and forms, and can beshared with others through role modelling. They are imbued with the potential ofaffecting others and as such can be shared with others and affect others’ copingstrategies as well. In other words, these coping strategies are constantly interactingwith others and generate a space of communication and consequently a domain ofrecognition of the other, rapprochement, and appreciation.

What matter in pluralistic societies is that those strategies do not place others’ rightsand privileges in jeopardy and that they continue to enhance moral and economiceffectiveness and further articulate genuine forms of humaneness. These coping

M. Achour et al.


strategies should neither be simply described as passive, for what matters in ourperspective is the resilience they generate for individuals, and the rationality theyprovide the individual in the process of approaching events, undertaking change anddecision making, the degrees to which human immunity to life stressors evolve, and thelevels at which human interactions and relations are sustained. What appears to makethese coping strategies effectively operative and impactful is the degree to whichindividual Muslim grasp the basic meanings of religious instruction, and the degreesto which they have been exposed to modelling of behavior either in the form of fellowcoping or community support. They require no high sophisticated levels of intellectu-alism or complex learning.

Like any other human endeavor, these religious coping strategies can be manipulat-ed to influence certain situations or meet a particular agenda. Manipulation of thesecoping strategies may be conducted through re-interpretation of religious and culturalaxioms underlying the metaphysical and theological perspective of the individual.Notwithstanding, their effects of manipulation can only range within a broad yetflexible frame of operation. Patience for instance can be a highly effective mechanismwhen applied as a rational coping method leaving the Muslim with sufficient opportu-nities to reflect, compromise and accordingly decide. Similarly it may be judged asnegative or even destructive when used to justify poor deteriorating in the surroundingenvironment or to exploit human conditions. This can be said to be subjective in viewof the many interpretative views and judgments surrounding the theme of patience.This in essence suggests that religious coping strategies can hardly be radically twistedto the point of becoming detrimental to human situations. Generally speaking manip-ulation cannot be radical either as these coping strategies are rooted in a comprehensivesystem of piety, morality, law, spirituality, socially collective religious consciousnessand Muslims’ historical reservoir.

These coping strategies are reflective of any proportionate relationship with thegeneral socio-economic welfare. This concern drives us to question the efficacy ofreligion with regards to economic conditions. Despite the fact that one can deny theimpact of economic prosperity on religiosity and on the general approach to business inview of legal justice, effectiveness of resources, support and services, one need notmisleadingly dismiss the position of religious coping in the context of growingeconomic prosperity because in either economic and socio-political context of life,there arise relational problems and changes resulting in corresponding stress andanxiety that affect the quality of human interaction and productivity. Having said that,one needs not to dismiss the fact that religious coping shall continue to play critical rolein any of the changing context of society, life, and civilization.

Conclusion

This study explores the insight of Islam on coping with life stressors and highlights theimpact of religious coping strategies towards reducing work-family conflict and jobstress. The contribution of this study lies in the discussion of concepts and relatedtheoretical evidence. Future research needs to inquire into empirical evidence andexamine ways and means leading to an understanding of how those concepts andreligious coping strategies operate in Muslim life. This study shows that religiosity is to



a large extent used by Muslims as a common strategy to cope with life stressors andthat turning to religiosity through belief and faith, forgiveness, prayer and supplication,recitation of the Qur’an, exercise of trust in God, beginning one’s day with positiveideas, remembrance of God, performance of prayer, patience and thankfulness for Godfor His bounties and many blessings all serve as effective coping strategies andmechanisms to cope with life stressors.

The present study has several limitations including the fact that it is essentiallyconceptual. Future studies need to further explore life stressors in social research. Thecurrent study focused on religious coping strategies as a common strategy for Muslims.The social support which Muslims heavily use as coping strategy should be thoroughlyinvestigated especially in relation to the link between work-family conflict and well-being. Future research needs to address the use of religiosity as a coping strategy withlife problems, as a method to improve employees’ well-being, and how to select thebest strategy to cope with conflict between work demands and family roles. Similarly,future research needs to study the effects of life stressors and the role of religiouscoping strategies in improving employee well-being.

The findings of this study can be applied in both public and private institutions,especially in institutions of health. Pilot practice of this research can for example bepracticed on hospital employees including nurses in view of the fact that they have aremore likely to experience increased conflict and more difficulty to balance out amongmultiple roles and responsibilities. There are also other factors such as organizationalculture and climate, social support, flexibilities, and family-friendly policies on work-family problems that need to be taken into consideration in future research.

Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank a Research and Development Division at Academy ofIslamic Studies for financial assistance to prepare this article. The grant provided to the authors under researchproject BK029-2013 is highly appreciated.

References

Abdel-Khalek, A. M. (2010). Religiosity, happiness, health, and psychopathology in a probability sample ofMuslim adolescents. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 10, 571–583.

Abi-Hashem, N. (2007). The agony, silent grief, and deep frustration of many communities in the Middle East:Challenges for coping and survival. In P. T. P. Wong & C. J. Wong (Eds.), Handbook of multiculturalperspectives on stress and coping (pp. 457–486). Springer US: US.

Achour, M. (2013). Work-family conflict and Women's well-being: the role of religiosity. Singapore: LambertAcademic Publishing.

Achour, M., Grine, F., Mohd Roslan, M. N., & Zulkifli, M. Y. (2014). Measuring religiosity and its effects onpersonal well-being: a case study of Muslim female academicians in Malaysia. Journal of Religion andHealth. doi:10.1007/s10943-014-9852-0.

Albani, M.N. (1987). Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah. Maktabat al-Tarbiyyah al-‘Arabi li-Duwal al-Khalij, Ed.1,1317.

Albani, M. N. (1989). Sahih Sunan Abi Dawud. Maktab al-Tarbiyyah al-‘Arabi li-Duwal al-Khalij, Ed.1,1525.

Albani, M. N. (n.d.). Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Dha‘ifah. Riyad: Dar al-Ma‘arif, Ed.1, 4040Al-Fahdawi, S., & Al-Hawamdeh, N. (2002). The influence of Al-Taqua-piety on job performance and job

satisfaction. MU’TAH Lil-Buhuth wad-Dirasatl, 17(2), 165–200.Al-Munajjid M. S. (2006). Dealing with worries and stress. Available at: www.islam-qa.com/index.php?

Pgarticle&lneng&article_id¼12.

M. Achour et al.


http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9852-0

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?%20Pgarticle&lneng&article_id%C2%BC12

http://www.islam-qa.com/index.php?%20Pgarticle&lneng&article_id%C2%BC12

Anshel, M. H. (1997). A model for coping with acute stress in sport. In L. Vander Velden, L. Chalip, & J. H.Humphrey (Eds.), Psychology and sociology of sport: Recent advances. New York: AMS Press.

Beehr, T. A., Johnson, L. B., & Nieva, R. (1995). Occupational stress: coping of police and their spouses.Journal of Organizational Behavior, 16, 3–25.

Belal, B., Hassan, Y., & Rusnah, M. (2009). Religiosity and work stress coping behavior of Muslimemployees, education, business and society. Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 2(2), 123–137.

Bhagat, R. S., Allie, S. M., & Ford, D. L. (1995). Coping with stressful life events: an empiricalanalysis. In R. Crandall & P. L. Perrewe (Eds.), Occupational stress: a handbook. Washington:Taylor and Francis.

Blaine, B., & Crocker, J. (1995). Religiousness, race and psychological wellbeing: exploring social psycho-logical mediators. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 21(10), 1031–1041. doi:10.1177/01461672952110004.

Bradshaw, M., Ellison, C. G., & Marcum, J. P. (2010). Attachment to God, images of God, and psychologicaldistress in a nationwide sample of presbyterians. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion,20(2), 130–147. doi:10.1080/10508611003608049.

Breakwell, G. M. (1986). Coping with threatened identities. London: Methuen.Bukhari,M. I. (1979a).Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, Ed.Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib. Cairo: al-Maktabah al-Salafiyyah, Ed.1, 1283.Bukhari, M. I. (1979b). Sahih al-Bukhari, Ed. Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib, Cairo: al-Maktabah al-Salafiyyah,

Ed.1, 5640.Bukhari, M. bin Isma‘il. (1980). Al-Jami‘al-Sahih al-Musnad min Hadih Rasuli Allah wa-Sunanihi wa

Ayyamih. Ed. Muhibb al-Din al-Khatib. Cairo: al-Maktabah al-Salafiyah, Ed. 1, 6346, 1283, 5640.Callan, V. J. (1993). Individual and organizational strategies for coping with organizational change. Work and

Stress, 7(1), 63–75.Cox, T. (1985). Stress. Hampshire: MacMillan Publishers Ltd.Diener, E., Suh, E., Lucas, R., & Smith, H. (1999). Subjective well-being: three decades of progress.

Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302.Ellison, C. G. (1991). Religious involvement and subjective well-being. Journal of Health and Social

Behavior, 32(1), 80–99. doi:10.2307/2136801.Everly, G.S. (1989). A clinical Guide to treatment of the human stress response, New York & London.Fabricatore, A. N., Handal, P. J., Rubio, D. M., & Gilner, F. H. (2004). Stress, religion, and mental health:

religious coping in mediating and moderating roles. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion,14(2), 91–108. doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr1402_2.

Fiorito, B., & Ryan, K. (2007). Spirituality and psychological well-being: a mediator-moderator study. Reviewof Religious Research, 48(4), 341–368.

Fleming, R., Baum, A., Reddy, D., & Gatchel, R. J. (1984). Behavioural and biochemical effects of job lossand unemployment stress. Journal of human stress, 10, 12–17.

Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1980). An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. Journal ofHealth and Social Behavior, 21, 219–239.

Folkman, S., Schaefer, C., & Lazarus, R. S. (1979). Cognitive processes as mediators of stress and coping. InV. Hamilton & D. M. Warburton (Eds.), Human stress and cognition: an information-processingapproach (pp. 265–298). New York: Wiley.

Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1993). The adolescent coping scale: Practitioners manual: Australian Councilfor Educational Research.

Ghazali, M. (2001). The socio-political thought of Shah Wali Allah. Islamabad: Islamic Research Institute.Greenglass, E. R., & Burke, R. J. (1991). The relationship between stress and coping among type as. Journal

of Social Behavior and Personality, 6, 361–371.Haan, N. (1982). The assessment of coping, defense, and stress. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz’s (Eds.),

Handbook of stress: theoretical and clinical aspects (pp. 254–269). New York: Free Press.Hackney, C. H., & Sanders, G. S. (2003). Religiosity and mental health: A meta-analysis of recent studies.

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 42(1), 43–55.Hudson, (2005). The case for work/life balance: closing the gap between policy and practice. Hudson

Australia and New Zealand, www.hudson.comHussin, R., & Noor, N. M. (2007). Work-family conflict, coping and well-being in nurses. In W. R. A.

Rahman, M. A. Dzulkifli, H. S. A. Rahman, &W. S. W. Sulaiman (Eds.), The third international researchcolloquium: research in Malaysia and Thailand. Malaysia: IIUM, Department of Psychology.

Ibn Hibban. (1993). Sahih Ibn Hibban bi-Tartib Ibn Bilban, Ed. Shu‘yab al-Arna’ut. Beirut: Mu’assassat al-Risalah, Ed.2, 2101.

Ibn Hibban M. A. (1994). Sahih Ibn Hibban bi-Tartib ibn Balban, Ed. Shu‘ayb al-Arana’ut. Beirut:Mu’assassat al-Risalah, Ed.2, 972.



http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01461672952110004

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01461672952110004

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10508611003608049

http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2136801

http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15327582ijpr1402_2

http://www.hudson.com/

Karim, G.M. (1984). Islamization of psychology. Third international seminar on Islamic thought. Malaysia:Kuala Lumpur.

Kasberger, E.R. (2002). A correlational study of post-divorce adjustment and religious coping strategies inyoung adults of divorced families. In Second annual undergraduate research symposium, CHARIS.Milwaukee: Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Kihlstrom, J. F. (1987). The cognitive unconscious. Science, 237, 1445–1452.Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Publishing.Leventhal, H., & Nerenz, D. (1982). Representations of threat and the control of stress. In D. Meichenbaum&M.

Jaremko (Eds.), Stress prevention and management: a cognitive behavioral approach. New York: Plenum.Levine, S., & Ursin, H. (Eds.). (1980). Coping and health. New York: Plenum Press.Loots, S. (2008). The role of exposure to suicide and coping strategies in the suicidal ideation of adolescents.

Unpublished master’s dissertation. Bloemfontein: University of the Free State.Lutfi, A. (1994). Operations of carry the pressure and its relationship to the number of psychological variables

of teachers. Journal of Educational Research Center, University of Qatar, 3(5).Machouche, S., Bensaid, B., & Grine, F. (2012). Positive thinking: an Islamic perspective. Al-

Shajarah: Journal of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC),17(2), 225–256.

Marais, C.P. (1997). Salutogenesis as paradigm in change management. Unpublished Masters dissertation.Pretoria: University of South Africa.

Matheny, K. B., Aycock, D. W., Pugh, J. L., Curlette, W. L., & Cannella, K. A. S. (1986). Stress Coping:qualitative and quantitative synthesis with implications for treatment. The Counseling Psychologist, 14(4),499–549.

McDonald, P., Brown, K., & Bradley, L. (2005). Explanations for the provision-utilisation gap in work-lifepolicy. Women in Management Review, 20(1), 37–55.

McGillivray, M., & Matthew, C. (2006). Human well-being: concepts and measures. In M. McGillivray & M.Clarke (Eds.), Understanding human well-being. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Moberg, D. O. (1979). The development of social indicators of spiritual well-being for quality of life research.In D. O. Moberg (Ed.), Spiritual well-being: sociological perspectives. Washington DC: University Pressof America.

Mujahid, A. M. (2006), 25 Ways to Deal with Stress and Anxiety. Available at: www.soundvision.com/info/peace/stresstips.asp.

Mundhiri, A. (2000). Al-Targhib wal-Tarhib, Ed. Muhammad al-Sayyed. Cairo: Dar al-Fajr lil-Turath, Ed.1,vol. 3:323.

Muslim, H. K. (1953). Sahih Muslim, Ed. Muhammad Fuad ‘Abdul Baqi. Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-‘Arabiyyah,Ed. 1, 2664, 1053.

Muslim, H.K. (1994). Al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim, Riyad: Qurtuba Group, Ed. 2, vol. 9: 241, 2999.Myers, D. (1992). Pursuit of happiness: discovering the pathway to fulfilment, well-being, and enduring

personal joy. New York: Avon.Noor, N. M. (2008). Work and women’s well-being: religion and age as moderators. Journal of Religion and

Health, 47, 476–490.Parkes, K. R. (1990). Coping, negative affectivity, and the work environment: additive and interactive

predictors of mental health. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 399–409.Patel, S. P., & Cunningham, C. J. L. (2012). Religion, resources, and work-family balance^. Mental Health I

& Culture, 15(4), 389–401.Qaysarani, M. T. (1995). Dhakhirat al-Huffaz al-Mukhraj ‘ala al-Huruf wa al-Alfaz, Ed. ‘AbdulRahman al-

Qayrawa’i. Riyad: Dar al-Salaf, Ed.1, vol. 2: 1012.Rotondo, D. M., Carlson, D. S., & Kincail, J. F. (2003). Coping with multiple dimensions of work-family

conflict. Personnel Review, 32, 275–296.Safaria, T., Othman, A., & Wahab, M. N. A. (2010). Religious coping, job insecurity and job stress among

Javanese academic staff: a moderated regression analysis. International Journal of Psychological Studies,2, 159–169.

Tabarani, A.S. (1995). Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat, Ed. Tariq bin ‘Awadh & Muhsin al-Husayni, Cairo: Dar al-Haramayn, Ed. 1, 6:240.

Tala’at, M.D. (2006). Islam and stress management (Part 4): Islamic coping mechanisms. http://theislamicworkplace.com/2006/12/23/islam-and-stress-management-part-4-islamic-coping-mechanisms/.

Tiliouine, H., & Belgoumidi, A. (2009). An exploratory study of religiosity, meaning in life and subjectivewell-being in Muslim students from Algeria. Applied Research Quality Life, 4, 109–127.

Tirmidhi, M. bin ‘Issa. (n.d.). Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Ed. Ahmad bin Muhammad Shakir. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 3524.

M. Achour et al.


http://www.soundvision.com/info/peace/stresstips.asp

http://www.soundvision.com/info/peace/stresstips.asp

http://theislamicworkplace.com/2006/12/23/islam-and-stress-management-part-4-islamic-coping-mechanisms/

http://theislamicworkplace.com/2006/12/23/islam-and-stress-management-part-4-islamic-coping-mechanisms/

Van Hoorn, A. (2007). A short introduction to subjective well-being: its measurement, correlates and policyuses. Background paper prepared for OECD Conference on Measuring Progress of Societies. Istanbul,June, 27–30.

Veenhoven, R. (1984). Conditions of happiness. Dordrecht: Reidel.Violanti, M. (1992). Coping strategies among police recruits in a high stress training environment. Journal of

Social Psychology, 132, 717–729.Yamani M. bin Ahmad. (1991). Al-Nawafih al-Atirah fil Ahadith al-Mushtahirah. Ed. Muhammad

‘AbdulQadir ‘Ata. Beirut: Mu’assassat al-Kutub al-Thaqafiyyah, Ed.1, 143.



An Islamic Perspective on Coping with Life Stressors

Documents

Transcript of An Islamic Perspective on Coping with Life Stressors