Treating Cancer with Islamic Traditional Healing Methods: Patients' Perspectives

Islamic healing is frequently referred to as the treatment of choice by many Malay Muslim cancer patients in Malaysia. Despite its widespread use, there is limited information relating the role of Islamic healing in cancer treatment. With rising cancer rates in the country, this issue has become a concern to public health policy makers. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of Islamic healing from the patients' perspectives. This qualitative study utilized in-depth interviews with 15 Malay Muslim cancer patients. The findings indicate two roles of Islamic healing: (1) as a complement to conventional healing system; and (2) perceived physical and spiritual benefits. Islamic healing is likely to remain a practice in Malay Muslim culture due to its ability to provide a holistic approach to patient well-being. From the findings, we propose the introduction of Islamic traditional healing compliment the conventional healing system within Malaysian hospital settings.