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Effect of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders on the Social Relationships of Young Muslim Women in Pakistan: A Systematic Literature Review
(International Open University (IOU), 2026) Haidar, Sakina
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) encompass a range of psychological difficulties that influence emotional regulation, behavior, and the quality of social interactions. For young Muslim women in Pakistan, these challenges unfold within a complex socio-cultural and religious environment where mental health concerns are often misunderstood, minimized, or stigmatized. This study aims to examine the effect of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders on the social relationships of young Muslim women in Pakistan through a systematic literature review. Following PRISMA guidelines, this non-empirical study synthesizes global and regional literature to identify key relational outcomes associated with EBD. The review reveals that emotional and behavioral difficulties adversely affect interpersonal communication, family relationships, peer engagement, and broader social participation. Cultural norms emphasizing emotional restraint, gender conformity, and family honor further mediate these relational challenges. Religious interpretations also play a significant role, sometimes contributing to stigma but also offering potential coping and resilience when understood in a balanced manner. The findings highlight that Emotional and Behavioral Disorders among young Muslim women are deeply relational and socially embedded rather than isolated psychological conditions. Integrating psychological theories with culturally and religiously informed perspectives provides a more holistic understanding of these experiences. This study underscores the need for culturally sensitive, gender-responsive, and non-clinical mental health interventions aimed at strengthening social relationships, reducing stigma, and promoting emotional well-being among young Muslim women in Pakistan.
Literacy in Reading the Qur'an among Indonesian Muslims: Reasons and Solutions (A Case Study of Urban Muslim Adults in Java Island in Indonesia in 2024)
(International Open University (IOU), 2025) Chiquita, Asri Nur
This study evaluates Qur'anic literacy among Indonesian Muslims, focusing on reading levels. It aims to identify factors contributing to low literacy, such as educational barriers, socioeconomic status, gender, and rural-urban disparities. The research utilizes a quantitative surveys to explore these dimensions comprehensively in urban area of Java Island. Two hundred eighty seven (287) articipants constituted the study’s sample. The data obtained was analyzed using percentage and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) Statistical method. Four research hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that there was significant relationship between Qur'anic literacy levels and Qur'anic education access and facilities (r= 0.236; p<0.05); there was significant relationship between Qur'anic literacy levels and socioeconomic status (r= 0.350; p<0.05), there was significant relationship between Qur'anic literacy levels and gender
(r=0.120; p<0.05), and there was significant relationship between Qur'anic literacy levels and rural-urban residence (r=0.440; p<0.05). The study concludes by proposing practical solutions to enhance Qur'anic literacy, including curriculum reforms, community-based learning initiatives, and leveraging technology for wider accessibility. These recommendations aim to bridge literacy gaps, fostering greater spiritual awareness and educational development among Indonesian Muslims.
Marital Expectations, Spiritual and Cultural Beliefs, Religious Coping, and Marital Satisfaction in Muslim Women
(2026) Iqbal, Syeda Baseera
Marriage is a central institution in Muslim women’s lives, shaped by religious teachings, cultural norms, and personal expectations. However, marital distress often arises when culturally imposed roles are misattributed to Islam, creating confusion, guilt, and emotional strain. The present thesis addresses this gap through two distinct objectives. Objective 1 aimed to develop and content-validate a culturally sensitive Marital Expectations Scale for Muslim women that clearly differentiates expectations rooted in authentic Islamic teachings from those stemming from cultural traditions. Objective 2 examined the relationships between marital expectations, Islamic spiritual beliefs, religious coping strategies, and marital satisfaction.
To achieve Objective 1, a multi-phase scale development process was employed. Five in-depth semi-structured interviews with married Muslim women were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings revealed five core domains: pre-marital ideals and sources of expectations, expectation–reality discrepancies, Islamic versus cultural expectations, emotional and psychological consequences, and Islamic coping and reframing. These themes were systematically transformed into scale items using participant language, followed by expert review for content validity and theological clarity. The final refined scale comprised 24 items organised into four subscales—Pre-marital Ideals, Expectation–Reality Discrepancies, Islamic versus Cultural Expectations, and Religious Coping and Reframing, along with one global reflective item, ensuring strong conceptual grounding and cultural relevance.
For Objective 2, a quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was employed. Data were collected from 112 married Muslim women residing in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi. The study assessed Islamic and cultural marital expectations, spirituality-related orientations, religious coping strategies, and marital satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis indicated that Islamic marital expectations were positively associated with marital satisfaction, whereas cultural marital expectations were negatively associated. Due to strong intercorrelations among the spirituality components i.e., Tawakkul, Understanding of Qadar, and Taqwa, they were combined into a composite Spirituality Index, which demonstrated a modest but significant positive contribution. Religious coping strategies emerged as the strongest positive predictor of marital satisfaction, substantially enhancing the overall explanatory power of the model.
The findings highlight the central role of religiously grounded expectations and faith-based coping mechanisms in promoting marital well-being, while suggesting that culturally embedded expectations may negatively influence marital satisfaction among Muslim women.
The Impact of Gratitude (Shukr) on Emotional and Social Well-being
(International Open University (IOU), 2026) Giwa, Taiwo Nurullah
This study investigates the impact of gratitude (shukr) on emotional and social well-being among Muslim adults, integrating perspectives from positive psychology, Islamic psychology and Islamic theology. By utilising a quantitative, cross-sectional design, 266 Muslim adults completed validated measures: the Islamic Gratitude Scale (IGS-10), the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE), and the South Wales Social Well-Being Scale (SWSWBS). Results from 243 participants who met the inclusion criteria revealed overwhelmingly high levels of gratitude, emotional well-being, and social well-being. Correlation analyses demonstrated that gratitude was significantly and positively associated with positive affect (r = 0.469, p < 0.001), affect balance (r = 0.410, p < 0.001), and social well-being (r = 0.387, p < 0.001), while being negatively correlated with negative affect (r = -0.204, p = 0.001). Regression analyses further confirmed that gratitude significantly predicted positive emotional and social outcomes. These findings empirically validate Al Ghazali’s multidimensional model of shukr by highlighting its emotional, verbal, and behavioural dimensions and demonstrating their relevance to emotional and social well being. The results underscore the value of psychological approaches that prioritise positive experiences, resilience, and flourishing alongside established disorder focused models, rather than limiting mental health efforts to symptom alleviation alone. By operationalising shukr as a holistic construct and employing culturally relevant measurement tools, the study addresses important conceptual, theoretical, and methodological gaps in gratitude research. The findings further support the integration of gratitude based, faith consistent interventions into mental health promotion initiatives for Muslim communities, with potential benefits for emotional balance, social connectedness, and long term psychological well being.
Disunity amongst Yoruba Muslims: Impacts and Suggested Solutions
(International Open University (IOU), 2026) Babatunde, Bello Ali
While Islamic unity is a core principle among Muslims, the absence of such poses a myriad of challenges for many Muslim societies across the world.
This research study examines the disunity in Yorubaland, taking the southwest of Nigeria as a case study, and applying the qualitative research method to elaborately dissect the historical, institutional, political, economic, and socio-cultural dimensions of disunity in the southwest of Nigeria.
The research study begins with the literal and practical explanation of unity within the Islamic context to lay the groundwork for the representation of the idea in the religious doctrine, and its realistic representation, which may entail areas of human imperfection in administration, worship, politics, youth, and women's representation.
The study delves into the thematic analysis of disunity in Yorubaland, drawing from the interviews undertaken, plus the historical background of the establishment of Islam between the fifteenth and the nineteenth centuries, to further justify the degree of Islamic pervasiveness across Yorubaland from the old Oyo Empire, and West Africa, by extension.
For comparative evaluation, the Senegalese Islamic community was drawn into the context of understanding how Islamic disunity reverberates across religious sects, tribes, economic classes, and generations.
The extent of this research is determined by the available historical data and literature sources covering the prominent records of Islamic expansion, collision with the indigenous and colonial rule in Yorubaland, and the manner of co-existence with Christianity, from the colonial era till the present day in southwest Nigeria.
The study identified areas of peaceful coexistence and collaboration between Islam and the Yoruba tradition, Islam and Civil Law, and Islam and Christianity, to justify the degree of accommodation and religious tolerance in the religion.
On the other hand, the cultural adaptability of the Yoruba ethnicity predominated the elaborate case studies surrounding the relationship between Islam and the Yorubas.