Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Mental Health Practice Between Professional Ethics and Islamic Values

Abstract

Religiously committed mental health practitioners frequently encounter situations in which their perceived or actual religious mandates are at odds with their client’s values, leaving them in an ethical conundrum as to how to reconcile these values with the mandates of their professional ethical codes of conduct. Examples of such conflicts include dealing with cases involving abortion, sexual orientation, gender identity, consensual extramarital affairs, substance and alcohol use, as well as working with clients who display a minimal adherence to basic Islamic rituals and tenets. Precedents to such conflicts have led to serious legal consequences in some cases (DeSantis, 2012; Keeton v. Anderson-Wiley, 2010). Such conflicts are commonplace and particularly important for Muslim mental health professionals operating in the United States and other Western European countries that have secular professional codes of ethics. This paper is a “narrative literature review” that attempts to frame the discussion about value conflicts commonly experienced by Muslim mental health clinicians working within the Islamic legal and ethical discourses in the American context. This is done by analyzing the origins of some of these conflicts as well as providing potential resolutions. First, the relevant mental health philosophies, principles, codes, and definitions are examined. Second, the authors highlight how the Islamic maqāṣid (the higher objectives of Islamic law) and uṣūl (legal maxims), as well as Islamic standard practices, morals, and professional ethics, appear to contribute to the ethical dilemma. Different approaches to conflict resolution and reconciliation between Islamic mandates and ethical dilemmas are presented to help clinicians navigate their professional practice within ethical guidelines while remaining faithful to their religious values.

Religion and mental health: a narrative review with a focus on Muslims in English-speaking countries

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Directive vs. Non-directive Clinical Approaches: Liberation Psychology and Muslim Mental Health

“…No frame of reference can be taken for granted as valid for everyone; values no longer have any collective validity, and even the possibility of appealing to common sense is lost, because the assumptions of coexistence themselves are being put on trial. (p. 113) The idea that Muslim mental health professionals cannot work responsibly with LGBTQ+ clients and follow the APA code of ethics, or with feminists or other Muslim sub-populations who follow less traditional norms, is based on an idea that Islam and secularism are necessarily in conflict (Elzamzamy & Keshavarzi, 2019). In the therapeutic setting, instead of rejecting the ethics of the APA or the National Association of Social Workers, simply remaining clear about the implications of mental health work for Muslims in terms of the afterlife, in reference to the lifespan as understood by Islam, would refocus this debate more constructively (Rothman, 2018).…”

An examination of ethical standpoints: Organ transplants within the framework of islamic law

“…Islamic ethics underscore the importance of fulfilling one's obligations to care for the sick and alleviate suffering (Abu-Shamsieh, 2020;Choong, 2015;Koenig & Al Shohaib, 2014;Padela et al, 2021), reflecting the Prophet Muhammad's teachings on mercy and compassion towards the ill and vulnerable (Alwani, 2019;Cok, 2024;Ghaffar et al, 2024;Salahi, 2009). Healthcare providers are encouraged to approach their work with empathy, compassion, and a commitment to serving the needs of others, guided by the ethical principles and values embedded in Islamic teachings (Atkinson, 2015;Elzamzamy & Keshavarzi, 2019;Hasib, 2021).…”