Rand Faied

Proposed title

Healing, Causation and wellbeing in Islam: A Theological Assessment of Contemporary

Supervisors

Principal Supervisor: Dr Zuleyha Keskin
Co-Supervisor: Carol Mroue

Research

This project investigates selected contemporary complementary healing practices through the lens of Islamic theology and classical Islamic anthropology. Practices such as Reiki, energy healing, sound therapy, forest bathing, grounding, intermittent fasting, crystals healing, breathwork and nervous system regulation are increasingly popular in global wellness culture. Within Muslim communities in Australia and beyond, these practices are sometimes compared to ruqyah, congregational prayer, fasting, retreat (iʿtikāf), Qur’anic recitation, and prophetic simplicity. However, such comparisons are rarely examined through rigorous theological analysis.
This study argues that Islamic theology already contains a sophisticated understanding of healing grounded in tawḥīd (oneness of God) and divine causality. It proposes a structured evaluative framework distinguishing between: (1) practices rooted in Islamic tradition; (2) practices that may support general wellbeing but require theological clarification; and (3) practices which conflict with Islamic belief. The research contributes to Islamic Studies, especially within the Charles Sturt University context, by applying classical theological principles to contemporary questions affecting Muslim communities in multicultural Australia, particularly in relation to faith-informed mental wellbeing.

Why I chose Charles Sturt

My journey to doing a PhD at CSU grew out of both my professional practice and my personal passion for meaningful, community-centred research. Through my work as a family therapist, counsellor and mediator, I have seen how deeply people’s emotional, relational and spiritual experiences shape their healing. This led me to become more interested in Islamic healing, particularly Ruqyah, and how it can be explored alongside contemporary biopsychosocial-spiritual understandings.
After completing my postgraduate studies, I felt ready to take this interest further and contribute to research that is both academically rigorous and practically useful. CSU stood out to me as a place where I could pursue this work in a supportive research environment, while continuing to connect my academic journey with my professional and community work.