Maria Kristiansen & Aziz Sheikh, Understanding faith considerations when caring for bereaved Muslims

Religious beliefs provide a way of making sense of the human condition, the means to join together those with a shared understanding into a coherent unit or community, and the basis for communicating existential reflections to others. As such, religious beliefs have considerable potential to influence how grief is experienced and expressed in interactions between the bereaved and healthcare professionals.

Discussing death and dying can be difficult and even more so in encounters with religious minorities. Acknowledging the meanings of death among different religious groups and being willing to engage in conversations on these meanings facilitates the provision of competent care.

Despite the best of intentions, healthcare professionals often struggle when faced with bereaved Muslims.