Can Muslims Go To Rehab?

If you or a friend or family member have a drug or alcohol problem, it’s important to seek help, regardless of your religion. Many Muslims go to rehab and use their faith as a basis for recovery, with abstinence being the primary goal.

 

Respecting The Islamic Way Of Life

The Islamic view is that all drugs and alcohol are out of bounds and prohibited. Muslims can carry a lot of shame and guilt if they become addicted to alcohol or drugs, and because of this, they are reluctant to seek professional help. Addicts often don’t look for rehab. It’s usually family or friends who encourage an addict to find help. They know support is out there but fear being judged by the local community.

Muslims still follow Islamic practices and traditions in rehab. Fasting and prayer times are respected, and rehab centres often provide Halal meals, prayer rooms and Islamic books to make you comfortable throughout your stay.

Many Muslims need to stay connected to their faith while still in drug or alcohol rehab, and clinics often have links with local Islamic community groups, mosques and imams. Local religious leaders often visit rehab centres to offer guidance and lead prayers.

Some Muslims feel comfortable if gender appropriate professionals treat them. Often clinics will match male patients with male professionals, and female professionals treat female patients. This can’t be guaranteed at every rehab centre, as it depends on staffing numbers. Most importantly, clinics aim to give you the best treatment, regardless of gender.

 

Muslims And The Rehab Process

If you have a drug or alcohol problem, you’ll follow evidence-based treatment programmes that have helped thousands of people beat addictions regardless of their religion. However, as a Muslim, your faith will underpin your recovery, combined with medical treatment and counselling.

You will likely complete a drug or alcohol detox to remove toxins from your system, followed by counselling and group therapy for anything from a few weeks to two months, depending on your level of addiction. When you finish your stay, you’ll continue to attend therapy sessions and support groups in the outside world. These groups are pivotal in helping towards your long-term recovery.

Islamic focused healing encourages Muslims to practice their faith as a road to recovery. Islam prohibits followers from using drugs or alcohol, so many practising Muslims feel shame if they suffer from drug or alcohol addiction. Some in rehab have lost their faith and don’t believe in themselves. Belief in life after death plays a central role in many Muslims’ lives, so recovery is tailored to religious commitment and abstinence from drugs or alcohol.

Family often plays a crucial role in Islamic life, and people in rehab usually take part in family therapy. Led by a qualified therapist, family therapy helps heal those affected by addiction and is an integral part of recovery.

 

Following The 12 Steps Of The Millati Islami

Most rehab clinics teach a 12 step recovery programme to help people conquer their addiction. The 12 steps of the Millati Islami (the Path of Peace) are based on the core 12 step recovery programme that’s helped millions of people worldwide conquer drug or alcohol addictions. The original programme was based on Christianity and created for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and it’s now used by Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and recovery groups around the world.

The difference with the Millati Islami is that it’s tailored to Islam. It’s a successful recovery model, as it gives people a structure to follow to help them live a life free from drugs or alcohol. Here are the 12 steps:

-We admitted that we were neglectful of our higher selves and that our lives have become unmanageable.

-We came to believe that Allah could restore us to sanity.

We decided to submit our will to the will of Allah.

-We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

-We admitted to Allah and ourselves the exact nature of our wrongs.

-Asking Allah for the right guidance, we became willing and open to change, ready to have Allah remove our character defects.

-We humbly ask Allah to remove our shortcomings.

-We made a list of persons we have harmed and became willing to make amends.

-We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted it when we were wrong.

-We sought through Salaat (Islamic prayer) and Iqraa (studying and reading) to improve our understanding of Taqwa (love and respect for Allah) and Ihsan (We can’t see Allah, but he sees us.)

-Having increased our level of Iman (faith) and Taqwa, as a result of applying these steps, we carried this message to humanity and began practising these principles in all our affairs.

 

Rehab Is Confidential

Your stay at a rehab clinic is entirely confidential. During the initial consultation and admissions process, your clinic will ask you questions about your medical, drug or alcohol history. The admissions team are likely to contact your GP or any other medical professionals you are working with, so your clinic can provide you with tailored treatment. Working with other agencies and professionals is called a ‘multi-agency approach,’ meaning that all parties work on the same page to get you the help you need.

Rehab clinics won’t ever share your information with your employer, friends or family unless you give permission. Please speak to your clinic to learn more about their data protection policies. Wondering how successful faith-based rehab can be? Find out here.

 

Find Muslim Drug And Alcohol Rehab Near You

Step One recovery run private drug and alcohol rehab clinics throughout the UK. Our expert teams have helped thousands of people to conquer drug and alcohol addictions and manage their mental health.

Many of our staff have experienced alcohol and drug addiction first hand, so they know what you’re going through. Call our friendly team today on 0800 012 6006 to learn how we can help you beat your drug or alcohol addiction.