Course site will open August 23rd for those who wish to read background material.
Recording will be available approximately 7 days afterwards.
This course has been approved for 3 CE credits by the DC Board of Social Work.
All CE requirements (webinar + evaluation + quiz) must be completed by September 30, 2024.
Instructor:
Imam Abdul-Malik Merchant completed an undergraduate degree in Islamic Studies, specializing in Islamic Culture, at Umm al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He also completed an MA in Theological Studies at Boston University, with a concentration in practical theology.
Imam Merchant currently serves as the Lead Chaplain in All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS)’s office of the Imams. He also serves as a board member of the Muslim Wellness Foundation.
If you are unfamiliar with some of the social movements, or with Islam as a religion, click through these resources.
We encountered some problems with the subtitling. Therefore, we have uploaded a transcript for your convenience.
Unfortunately, research about Muslim mental health is limited, and information about Muslim men’s mental health is even more limited. However, the research available indicates that Muslim men and women experience discrimination differently (Abu-Ras & Suarez, 2009). Over the past two decades conversations in popular media around masculinity and manhood have increased. The views expressed have been divergent, creating polarized developmental pathways for young men navigating their way to adulthood. The diverse American Muslim community is not isolated from these larger cultural forces, and has seen a rise in the “futuwwa” or sacred manhood movement.
As the Lead Chaplain of a large mosque / masjid in Northern Virginia, Imam Abdul-Malik has been working 1:1 with many young men who are currently navigating their path to adulthood. He has also, over the past year, been teaching a class called “Rijaal” or “Men” which is a men’s only class held at the masjid. It is a place for young men to bring their questions, discuss their struggles, and to dive into religious texts that address these topics. As someone who is in the unique position to have been introduced to psychological theories in his Master’s program, who has worked closely with mental health providers including social workers throughout his career, and who has religious theological training to break down and explain concepts that are being referenced by contemporary movements, Imam Abdul-Malik’s knowledge and skills make him uniquely qualified to help mental health providers better understand this population.
Develop increased knowledge about masculinity movements in general, as well as those that are specific to the Muslim community. This is of special importance given that the spaces in which conversations about masculinity happen are often limited to men, and the majority of mental health professionals identify as female.
Develop increased competence in being able to engage with Muslim men in therapy by:
Understanding the impact of the larger cultural movements on the Muslim community, including common language that is used
Understanding the theological context upon which the Muslim masculinity movements base their foundational concepts
Understanding the presenting problems that Muslim men have brought into pastoral counseling sessions
Having an opportunity to discuss treatment approaches and other practice questions with an expert in Islamic classical texts who is also a pastoral counselor familiar with psychological theories and interventions.