The Pros and Cons of Integrating Islamic Culture into Social Work Practice

Abstract

Social work is a growing specialization that deals with service provision responding to the challenges of contemporary society, which require integration of Islamic culture into social work in relation to service delivery and other related services. This implies that there is Islamic social work that does not only concern Muslim recipients in the social work domain, but also the active role played by Muslim communities. In this regard the paper focuses on the Muslim-based organizations, and Islamic driven social work thoughts as vital aspects for integrating Islamic culture into social work.   Understanding the culture of religion and spirituality in a precise faith is vital to service delivery. Besides religious culture, social workers need spiritual aspects to reflect their professional identity and attract the perception and expectation of the recipients. The paper defines social work and explores it from an Islamic perspective. It focuses on the Islamic culture in terms of social work and integrates ethical and theological realities into over-all social work practice.