The Influence of Religion on Attitudes towards Death among Muslim Communities in Ghana
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of religion on attitudes towards death among Muslim communities in Ghana, with a focus on how religious beliefs and practices shape perspectives on end-of-life matters.
Methods: The study past literature and historical accounts to understand how Islamic beliefs about death have evolved over time within the Ghanaian context.
Results: The study revealed that Islamic religious beliefs and traditions play a significant role in shaping Muslim communities' attitudes towards death in Ghana. Core Islamic theological concepts related to the afterlife, fate, and the will of God influence perspectives on death as both inevitable and predestined. Islamic funeral and mourning rituals provide communal coping mechanisms for dealing with loss and reinforcing belief in the hereafter.
Conclusion: Religion has a profound influence on attitudes towards death among Muslim communities in Ghana. Islamic religious beliefs, rituals, and traditions provide a frame of meaning that shapes perspectives on death as inevitable yet purposeful, and provide coping mechanisms and sources of comfort for bereaved individuals and communities.
Recommendation: There should be more research into how Islamic religious beliefs and practices shape end of life experiences and provision of thanatology services in Ghana, with the aim of providing culturally appropriate and compassionate care for Muslim patients and communities. Overcoming misconceptions and promoting interfaith dialogue on matters related to death and dying could help improve end of life care and support for Ghanaians.
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