Introduction and objectives There are more than a billion
Moslems in the world, living mostly in Asian and African countries. However, the Muslim population in the US, Canada, EU and Australia is between 1% and 6% of the total population. Their religious and cultural differences can create
challenges for sex educators,
counselors and therapists that work with these clients. The purpose of this section of the symposium on
sex and Islam is to provide the participants with the background information that can help in providing a better service for
Muslim clients. Methods The presenter will use a varied range of Islamic texts to identify the verses, quotes or recommendations that can be used directly or indirectly in a
sex education, counseling or therapy encounter. A demographic account of the
Muslims in the Western world will also be explored and presented which can help create a more accurate picture of the Muslims outside their original countries. Case studies from clients with Muslim backgrounds will also be analyzed and presented to provide better insight about the complexities and strategies to plan their therapy and counseling. Results The result will consist of some background information about Muslim families and couples in the Western world plus some key quotations from the
Islamic texts (Shi\'i and Sunni) that can be used by sex educators, counselors and therapists to understand their clients\' values better and to develop strategies and plans that would incorporate these values and help them achieve their goals. The case studies will support these messages by demonstrating how these quotations have changed the cooperation of the clients and helped the therapist in achieving the treatment plan. Conclusions Better understanding of the relevant Islamic texts and values can help the educators, counselors and therapists in dealing with clients with a
Muslim background.
Special acknowledgement from Sara Nasserzadeh to:
- Dr.Pejman Azarmina, Health care consultant
- Serim Kelami, Psychosexual Therapist
- Dr.Abbas Mohajerani, Professor of Islamic law and philosophy
- Ayatollah Dr. Fazel Milani, Professor of Islamic law and philosophy
More information at:
www.sara-nasserzadeh.com Conflict of Interest: None disclosedFinancial Support/Funding: None disclosed Recorded: Sydney, Australia, April 2007
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