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Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery

Shehar Bano*,  Waqeem Akram
Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 4)
Received: 1 April 2026     Accepted: 6 May 2026     Published: 11 August 2026
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Abstract

The study examines that how salah (Islamic prayer) and du’a (supplication) offer help to Muslim individuals who are trying to leave their addictions. This is when people usually feel cravings, anxiety, guilt and a lot of hopelessness. As recovery must connect with meaningful aspects of a person’s life, the research considers: how do individual use Islamic prayer to adapt emotionally, spiritually and form a new perspective during their recovery? The study looks at information from filtered documents which includes peer-reviewed articles, academic theses and case studies between 1997 and 2025. It mentions qualitative points about the regulation of emotions, controlling urges, gaining daily habits, healing the inner self and including prayer as a regular practice in overall rehab programs. It appears that performing usual Islamic prayer helps individuals defend against psychological stress, feel responsible to God and set up regular insufficient practices that make it easier for them to avoid relapse. It helps deal with emotions better, teaches to stay disciplined and improves a spiritual bond, all essential for lasting improvement. Significant limitations are detailed in research as well. Solid surveys and studies testing the long-lasting results of prayer are lacking and a lot of studies depend on individual stories. Researchers tend to have few studies to compare those who use prayer with therapy and those who do not. Also, there are not many formal guidelines for adding Islamic spirituality to common addiction treatment methods. It is found that prayer when used along with clinical care provides meaningful support to people. It promotes education for therapists about blending spirituality from Islam with therapy, increased research to test outcomes and forming better models for using both spiritual and psychological approaches. It encourages more research into culturally and religiously sensitive methods for helping Individuals recover from addictions.

Published in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11
Page(s) 58-65
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group
Previous article
Keywords

Islamic Prayer, Du’a, Addiction Recovery, Muslim Mental Health, Spiritual Healing, Emotional Regulation

1. Introduction
Addiction describes a condition where a person keeps using substances even though it causes harm to themselves. It influences brain activity, makes people make bad decisions and badly impacts their personality, emotions and beliefs. At the beginning of recovery, dealing with withdrawal symptoms, worrying thoughts and powerful cravings is very hard. Because relapse is likely at this time, early recovery needs support from doctors, therapists and spiritual and emotional sources too. Among Muslims, who look to their religion for who they are, spiritual guidance helps a lot in the rehabilitation process. Because addiction requires care for the mind, body and spirit, faith-based strategies are now more important to help. He underlines that knowing the religious and cultural background of Muslims affected by substance abuse should be given importance during care. She points out that many Muslim people dealing with addiction feel guilty, ashamed and isolated because of how Islam views addiction. Not dealing with emotional issues can prevent someone from improving. She says that making ṣalah (prayer) and du’a (supplications) a part of their life can assist people in gaining self-esteem, getting closer to God and managing feelings of guilt positively. Rassool G. H argues that the Islamic view of healing sees people as a blend of body, mind and soul and, therefore, cannot treat them separately. He writes that any therapy or counseling in Islam must take care of physical, intellectual and spiritual aspects of a person. Praying in Islam isn’t only an obligation; it also helps you focus your mind, relax and find peace within yourself.
[1]
He says that ṣalah leads us to be closer to God, guides us in self-discipline and encourages us to leave behind bad habits. He also points out that Western approaches to therapy tend to overlook the spiritual side which is why Islamic beliefs should be included in therapy for Muslim clients. For this reason, Islamic prayer naturally fits into and supports recovery for people at the beginning of their journey. Ghaus, as part of her doctoral dissertation, puts forward a practical approach for faith-congruent addiction treatments among Muslims. She encourages creating rehabilitation efforts that are compatible with the religious practices of the people participating.
[2]
She said that for Muslims, addiction recovery should involve returning to God and should not only concern health concerns. Ghaus points out that prayer acts as a way to cleanse one’s spirit and communicate with God and reflects how this can be very powerful when people are in the early stages of recovery. According to her research, practicing Islam by offering regular prayer and asking Allah for help supports emotional strength, shapes their spiritual identity and makes them feel responsible to Allah. All of this supports having more motivation, less risk for relapse and a more active involvement in the road to recovery. In rehabilitation, including Islamic prayer has been found both useful and scientifically confirmed. A case study in Indonesia was done by Nugroho et al. which covered Liddo Sukabumi BNN Drugs Rehabilitation Center and Inaba Suryalaya. These centers use a model where all aspects such as spiritual, social, economic and educational are included. According to the study, recovering adolescents benefit a lot from daily prayer, religious schooling and spiritual help.
[3]
Engaging regularly in prayer and other spiritual activities, according to the researchers, made patients feel better mentally, commit more to good virtues and grow spiritually. According to Nugroho et al, the preventive, curative and rehabilitative framework at these centers proves that religious practices are effective in assisting early recovery if properly integrated into treatment. It is obvious from these insights that Islamic prayer helps greatly in early addiction recovery among Muslims in society. Taking time for prayer gives us a structure to think, deal with our emotions and become better people. It is in line with what Muslim clients value and it cares for their emotional needs by dealing with feelings like guilt, fear and no hope that usually come with the start of recovery. In addition, praying regularly improves self-control and creates a routine which are important for staying sober and not relapsing. Even though studies agree that Islamic prayer (ṣalah and du’a) benefits those recovering from addiction, many significant gaps have not been considered in majority research so far. Nearly all the studies on this subject use method that are qualitative, mostly analyzing case studies and personal stories instead of studying real-world data. Because of this, the results from these studies may not apply to most communities. While we know that prayer is useful for handling emotions, cravings and connecting people to their beliefs, we aren’t certain how these positive effects take place. Only a small number of investigations have looked into if prayer helps reduce stress in the brain, changes how a person thinks or avoids relapse in the long run. Yet another important gap is that there hasn’t been a comparison between people who use Islamic prayer plus counseling with those who use spiritual habits alone in recovery. In addition, the majority of what is published on the topic covers general spirituality or merges several religious traditions, usually not giving enough space to the unique social and religious traditions of Islam. It is necessary to build models that fit the real experiences of Muslim people in early recovery, especially in areas with many cultures. Few studies provide well-organized ways to apply Islamic prayer into structured addiction treatment. Articles on rehabilitation do not yet use prayer in their procedures, although prayer is believed to provide comfort and grounding. A rift forms when the values of religion do not match the practices of their organizations which needs to be filled with applied research.
The aim of this research gap is to give a culturally appropriate, faith-based and medical approach to using Islamic prayer in early recovery from addiction. The research is focused on studying how Islamic prayer specifically ṣalah and du’a helps people in the initial stage of recovering from addiction. The purpose of this study is to see how such practices impact the emotional state, faith strength and actions of Muslims individuals. It plans to outline strategies and processes for incorporating Islamic prayer into addiction treatment programs, hoping to help those treatment programs succeed better in dealing with people from Islamic cultures. In the end, the study works to unite faith-based and clinical care for addiction recovery and provide knowledge useful for study and for practical rehabilitation plans.
2. Research Questions
How does Islamic prayer influence the psychological and emotional well-being of individuals in early addiction recovery?
What role does ṣalah and du’a play in promoting spiritual strength during the initial phase of rehabilitation?
How can Islamic prayer be effectively integrated into formal addiction treatment programs in Muslim contexts?
3. Literature Review
Addiction recovery involves many aspects, going past just physical withdrawal and medical help. For many people, including members of religious groups, spirituality helps a lot in healing. More studies are showing that Islamic prayer and other religious beliefs are effective ways to deal with addiction. The section explores what previous studies say about the potential role of religiosity and spirituality in addiction recovery, particularly for Muslims who pray and highlights the need for further research in this area. Many studies point out that faith-based frameworks are helpful for people trying to overcome substance addiction. Kesgin and Akıncı (2018) research the functions of religious organizations from the three religions mentioned above, finding that they provide individuals with structure, stability and support important for staying sober. Their findings demonstrate that participating in religion encourages resilience, self-control and meaning, qualities that matter more in Muslim cultures since religion and personal identity are very much connected.
[4]
Adam and colleagues (2011) report that traditional rehabilitation methods in Malaysia involve teaching recovering addicts to pray, recite the Qur’an and remember God (dhikr) and this helps reduce the psychological distress they face. By using these strategies, people are able to remember their values and strengthen their spiritual side which encourages them to work through addiction. They point out that spiritual methods are simpler to use and are more easily accepted in most Muslim communities than official mental health services.
[5]
Bano et al. (2025) prove that using religious methods to manage challenges greatly strengthens the mental health of Muslim students. It is shown in their study that religious practices such as prayer, allow individuals to regulate stress, ease anxiety and stay emotionally balanced. They claim that including spiritual practices in recovering from addiction helps young Muslims feel more involved and supported since they may not respond well to only standard psychological treatments.
[6]
Besides having religious value, the act of ṣalah and du’a in Islam gives psychological and therapeutic relief. Hatch et al. (2017) carried out a qualitative research about Muslim families and concluded that prayer encourages family members to communicate their feelings, build a sense of family unity and reflect on themselves. Experts found that people often turn to prayer when under stress or experiencing major challenges. These results prove that Islamic prayer is helpful during the trying early stages of addiction recovery.
[7]
Yeganeh Ghobary Bonab et al. (2013) investigate "attachment to God" in Islamic spirituality and find that people with a stronger spiritual attachment to God can manage psychological struggles better. The research suggests that praying improves the bond with support groups and helps people develop patience, self-belief and stronger religious trust which are necessary for fighting addiction. If people imagine God to be caring and understanding, they are often able to recover with new hope.
[8]
Shamsalinia et al. (2014) studied recovery experiences in Iran and saw spirituality as a main component of those fighting addiction. People in the study said that prayer gave them calmness inside, helped them battle cravings and made them feel more purposeful. The report also shows that religious rituals give order and routine which can greatly benefit people who want to recover from addiction.
[9]
Muslim rehabilitation programs often focus on practices from Islam like prayer, fasting and allowing time for Qur’an recital. According to Indriyani et al. (2025), Ṭibbun Nabawī (prophetic medicine) in addiction recovery encourages following traditional Islamic values and habits to rebuild moral aspects and personality. They observe that prayer brings individuals back to their faith and reminds them to have a good relationship with others, so they feel better about themselves and support their community. Reconstructing their identity matters a lot in early recovery, because people usually feel embarrassed and isolated.
[10]
In a study conducted by Shafie (2024), it was shown that youth living in dangerous environments who are spiritually involved are more protected from addiction. He indicates that praying regularly both improves morality and helps people resist peer pressure and dangerous behavior. According to the study, developing early spiritual habits and prayer supports prevention and treatment of addiction.
[11]
The therapeutic community story of Nebi-Musa by Al-Krenawi and Graham (1997) was designed for Muslim addicts. All students take part in Islamic prayer, stay in the same residence and follow religious study. The research confirms that those involved saw large increases in discipline, handling their emotions and happiness with their spiritual lives. Having prayer was both a sign of respect and a real means to help with emotional healing and reforming actions.
[12]
Yahya et al. (2022) examined Islamic spirituality and suggested a model where prayer is one of the key elements. The authors discovered that Islamic spirituality makes it easier for people to feel stable emotionally, helps them manage problems and guides them on ethical issues which are important for recovery. They believe that repeated prayer fosters self-checking and moral attention which make it less likely for someone to go back to making bad choices and more likely to keep doing good things.
[13]
In a case study from Adam (2024), the use of Islamic strategies prayer and spiritual guidance is examined when dealing with substance abuse among Glen Norah Islamic Community Center youth in Zimbabwe. Evidence shows that creating daily spiritual habits helps young people and praying can make it easier for them to control their emotions and reminds them they are not alone. The case proves that Islamic prayer is useful in all cultural situations.
[14]
Even though Jinadu (2012) refers primarily to a Christian situation, it backs up the idea that prayer supports well-being and recovery. Service users attending prayer-based recovery said they experienced spiritual purification, emotional calmness and acceptance in society. The same results have been found in Muslim-focused studies which point to a common beneficial effect of committed, regular prayer.
[15]
In their doctoral dissertation from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (2021), Bensaid, Machouche and Tekke describe a number of Islamic spiritual treatment models for addiction. The authors state that a balanced approach to healing in Islam considers the soul, intellect and behaviors.
[16]
They stress that renewing one’s religious consciousness (taqwa) and engaging in regular ṣalah are very important in guiding addicts back toward self-control. With this dissertation as a guide, future studies on faith-based recovery for Muslims can be done. Saiful et al. (2022) did a study on Islamic psychospiritual therapy and its use in rehabilitation centers in Malaysia. They discovered that using prayer, reading the Qur’an and tazkiyah in a regular schedule helps to lower anxiety and the chance of relapse. It shows that Islamic rituals are helpful resources for coping with emotions and changing one’s actions in therapy settings.
[17]
In their study, Fikha and Seedat (2023) investigated how psychoreligious therapy is used in At-Tauhid Islamic Boarding School, Semarang, Indonesia. Patients receive daily reminders for prayer, perform ṣalah (worship service) and are guided by spiritual mentors in their recovery. Students who participated in addiction treatment and got involved with religion said they regained a feeling of purpose, boosted their self-esteem and became less dependent.
[18]
In a similar way, Machsun (2019) shared the example of the Pondok Tetirah Dzikir Berbah Rehabilitation Institution in Yogyakarta, where Islamic education is an important part of their recovery program. It explains that having regular prayer, fasting and listening to lectures about religion strengthens discipline and self-control. There were real improvements seen in emotional balance and spiritual understanding.
[19]
In this context, Mukti and Handayani (2024) explore the way Islamic psychotherapy can improve spiritual well-being while someone is recovering. According to their studies, using Islamic counseling together with prayer and cleansing oneself spiritually helps people in recovery find balance. It appears that including Islamic values in medical care models can meet the needs of patients in cultures not fully served by conventional medicine.
[20]
Though the studies give valuable information on spirituality and recovery from addiction, certain issues are still not covered. Most of the research on Islamic prayer and its effects on recovery focuses on outcomes other than those mentioned and there is little studying how prayer affects early recovery from anxiety, craving or relapse. Most existing reviews depend on qualitative methods such as case studies which are useful but need to be supported by quantitative data for wider application. Second, researchers have done little to compare the outcomes of Islamic prayer when put together with clinical care to when it is used alone. Studies on how ṣalah is integrated into modern therapy are still being produced. Despite the importance given to spirituality in highly cite literature, little is written about how to start Muslim prayer in everyday addiction treatment. Programs should be created that encourage religious rituals along with psychological help, specialized for today’s Muslim communities. Based on the reviews, early recovery from addiction is improved by the psychological and emotional value of Islamic prayer. Research shows that prayer supports emotional stability, builds up one’s spiritual self and helps people become stronger. Although these claims are well-supported by qualitative findings, more studies are required to see if Islamic prayer works clinically. Close ties between religious teachings and science can be useful for helping Muslims deal with addiction.
4. Methodology
The research study uses qualitative methods to examine how Islamic prayer (ṣalah and du’a) helps individuals recovering from addiction. In place of studying new data, the approach collects and analyzes existing academic findings to learn about the effect of Islamic spiritual practices on emotional health, psychology and spirituality during recovery. Reviewed literature was chosen because it connects Islamic spirituality, prayer and addiction recovery. The sources used are peer-reviewed journal articles, doctoral dissertations and case studies from the years 1997 to 2025. Scholars who investigated: Religious programs for addiction recovery in Muslim environments, the role of Islamic prayer on feelings and addiction recovery in More Muslim settings, the connection between spirituality and well-being and therapeutic methods and programs based on Islamic principles were considered.
Academic works were found through the help of academic platforms such as JSTOR, Scopus and Google Scholar. They were reviewed and grouped by well-discussed topics about ṣalah and du’a supporting psychological and therapeutic benefits, spiritual activities helping recovery or rehabilitation, the inclusion of Islamic practices in addiction treatment plans and shortcomings in today’s Muslim-designed frameworks. Findings were organized into major categories including managing feelings, spiritual renewal, changing their personal identity and getting medical help. comparing different sources of literature allowed me to see patterns and note any differences which helped me develop overall insights. Because this study relies on published sources, there are no people taking part as subjects. Because of these criteria, no such approval was needed. Academic integrity was preserved by citing references correctly, making sure the ideas were accurate and ensuring there was no plagiarism. The research preserves the authors’ work and doesn’t make their studies look anything other than they were first intended. Because it only uses secondary data, the study is unable to introduce original research findings. Research in languages other than English was not included which might mean important work has been missed. The majority of studied resources are qualitative which points out the need for more data to back up the value of Islamic prayer in helping with recovery. Still, this literature review gives a good background on including Islamic prayer in supporting addiction recovery, especially during the first and more vulnerable periods.
5. Findings / Discussion
The study looks at how Islamic prayer (ṣalah and du’a) helps when someone is recovering from addiction. Looking at recent and often missed scholarly literature, it is shown that Islamic prayer helps individuals achieve emotional health, strong spiritual ties and better behavior. A main goal is to promote calmness, structure, less anxiety and having prayer in addiction treatment areas.
5.1. Emotional Regulation and Inner Peace
Emotional well-being can be improved in recovery by making Islamic prayer a priority. The article by Bensaid et al. (2021) points out that faith activities like praying can relieve negative emotions and promote emotional stability during rehabilitation. The way salah is performed gives a routine to individuals, helping to deal with the stresses linked to stopping drugs and recovering.
[21]
Saiful et al. (2022) show in further research that praying and remembering God (dhikr) as part of Islamic psychospiritual therapy is very beneficial for the emotional well-being of those recovering from addiction. Patients felt they understood themselves better and felt happier because their program included spiritual practice in addition to medication and therapy.
[22]
5.2. Managing Cravings and Emotional Distress
Invoking God during difficult emotions can greatly help handle urges to smoke. In tough moments, asking God for help supports individuals so they resist their craving for substances. According to Bakran (2001), including Islamic practices in treatment gives individuals stronger defenses against drug cravings. They teach discipline and self-control which is needed for beating addiction.
[23]
People are also encouraged by tawakkul to depend on God’s help in times of difficulty. Having hope in a higher power gives comfort and helps with the emotional stress of getting better, so it is less overwhelming.
[24]
5.3. Discipline and Routine Through Prayer
Since Islamic prayer is well-structured, it teaches people how to stick to a regular routine which is key for recovering from addiction. Having formal prayers at regular times in the day gives individuals structure which means there is less risk of a slipup. According to Bensaid et al. (2021), doing this regularly encourages people to be responsible and accountable, leading them to keep up good habits.
[25]
Also, sticking to certain patterns in prayer can help change habits. Research in the Research Journal for Social Affairs shows that mindfulness gained through prayer helps notice the signs of addiction and prepares people to cope in healthier ways.
[26]
Taking part in prayer activity on the phone, with engagement both physically and mentally, helps one become more alert and aware of oneself. In this condition, people become able to notice and handle the triggers and bad thoughts connected to addiction.
5.4. Spiritual Connection and Identity Restoration
Finding your spiritual identity again is a main part of overcoming addiction under Islam. Prayer helps people restore their bond with others by seeking forgiveness, showing gratitude and confirming their wish to become a better person. Taking time for prayer and similar spiritual exercises helps people get their sense of purpose and belonging back which addiction often takes from them. By asking God for help (supplication, du’a) individuals are able to express their problems and hopes to Him, growing close to Him personally. This spiritual connection gives hope and energy which is necessary for staying well over the years.
[27]
For most Muslim scholars, addiction is understood as a problem where the soul loses connection to its Creator. Hope, a positive sense of self and long-term drive are strengthened, says Yaqeen Institute, when a person reconnects through prayer.
[28]
5.5. Integration into Recovery Programs
Prayer from Islam has found its way into many recovery centers for those addicted. An example is the Millati Islami program which uses standard 12-step methods in combination with Islam, emphasizing how faith and prayer help in recovery. People in rehab join in daily prayers, study the Quran and have discussions about Islamic values, making the environment complete and wholesome.
[29]
As another option, the Islamic Psychospiritual Therapy (IPT) model also uses prayer, meditation and spiritual guidance in its program. It looks at addiction from all angles—psychological, emotional and spiritual providing a complete way to recover. Many studies conclude that those in IPT find improvements in mental health and reduce their use of addictive substances.
[30]
5.6. Testimonials and Supporting Cases
Many people who have started praying as part of their recovery describe how much it has changed them. One person who took part in Saiful et al.’s (2022) study said that spending time praying regularly made them feel calmer, making it easier to avoid relapsing. A different person reported that believing and praying gave them the motivation needed to keep moving forward in their recovery.
[31]
Those testimonials support the use of spiritual practices in treating addiction by noting that religious prayer helps people recover emotionally and psychologically and also strengthens their resolve to stay sober. The analyses of those studies reveal that Islamic prayer helps people in early recovery through its special structure, religious symbols and meditative parts. Recovery experts believe it helps regulate feelings, manage urges, heal on a spiritual level and introduce a regular daily schedule. Adding prayer to formal recovery programs helps patients recover and supports their own religious and cultural background. A key aspect of prayer is that it supports your own improvement. It gives guidance to people recovering from addiction so they can face the past, change who they are and progress with strength and God’s help. Because it is meaningful to Muslims and can aid in addiction recovery, Islamic prayer needs to be supported more in addiction treatment centers among those from Muslim backgrounds.
6. Challenges and Considerations
6.1. Individual Differences in Religiosity
How religious a person is, covering their beliefs, behaviors and experiences, tends to change a lot depending on who they are and where they are from. Such variations play a role in how people experience and approach prayer as part of therapy. With this study, Ali (2006) aimed to find out how acculturation, ethnic identity and religiosity influence how happy Pakistani Muslims feel in the United States. It was found that being religious tended to strengthen well-being in minority groups dealing with culture changes. However, the influence of this structural condition was not uniform; it depended on various personal attributes such as age and financial resources.
[32]
Fatima, Naoreen and Buzdar (2022) looked at the link between religiosity and psychological capital among Pakistani secondary school students in 2022. Research showed that people with strong personal religious faith were more likely to build resilience and hope and feel more confident in their abilities, than those without such beliefs. Conversely, religiosity motivated by things outside faith was not closely connected to healthy behaviors.
[33]
Krauss et al. (2006) looked at how religiosity varies by region among Muslim youth in Malaysia, discovering that local and environmental conditions play a major role. Because of these differences, therapists must take regional and cultural backgrounds into account when using religious practices.
[34]
These investigations collectively prove that people’s levels of religiosity depend on many personal, cultural and environmental factors. Assessing these variables helps therapists make sure they use prayer appropriately when helping patients.
6.2. Barriers in Using Prayer as Therapy
It can be hard to use prayer in therapy sessions, mainly when supporting Muslim clients. There is a main challenge in that mental health professionals do not have enough cultural knowledge. According to Weatherhead and Daiches (2010), many therapists do not understand Islamic beliefs and practices which leads to confusion and less effective therapy.
[35]
Abu Raiya and Pargament (2010) recommended developing psychotherapy specially for Muslim clients, taking their faith into account. They introduced a framework aimed at combining Islamic values and beliefs with therapy, believing it improves therapy outcomes. But, for this method to work, therapists need to have knowledge in both psychology and theology.
The researchers Badran et al. (2025) performed a systematic review to find out what Muslims think about mental health services and about using CBT. Stigma, a lack of understanding and wrong beliefs about mental health were found to be some of the obstacles restricting therapy among Muslims.
[36]
Therefore, such obstacles underline the importance of using methods that accommodate and value clients’ spiritual needs. Courses that educate therapists should cover Islamic traditions and appropriate therapies for different cultural groups.
6.3. Potential Misconceptions or Over-Reliance on Spiritual Practices Without Clinical Support
Using prayer or religious methods too much may limit responsibility for recovery. According to Barise, A. (2005), social workers should acknowledge and support people’s spiritual beliefs alongside the usual clinical work they do.
[37]
Kheir (2018) looked into how Syrian refugees in the US use traditional medicine from the Arab Islamic and folk traditions and found that depending only on these methods frequently postponed medical and psychological treatment. Because of this, mental health problems may become worse and treatment can be less effective. Flueckiger, J. B. (2013) discussed Islamic healing rituals used by Hindus and Muslims in India, remarking that these practices help build community and faith, but may not treat psychological illnesses. Analysts suggest that the combination of traditional techniques and clinical therapy may help mentally ill people heal more completely.
[38]
It highlights the need for a method that values spiritual traditions and also allows people to use professional mental health services. Therapists need to connect with clients to work out treatment plans that take their religious beliefs into account and help them.
7. Conclusion
In conclusion, this work has discovered how Islamic prayer assists people who are just starting to recover from addiction. It is clear from the evidence that prayer greatly reduces stress, helps people feel close to their beliefs and shapes future actions, but how much prayer helps is tied to personal faith, culture and the way it is incorporated into various treatments. Islamic prayer aids in recovering a link to God, promotes tranquility and strengthens discipline, so it is very useful for recovery programs. But it is important to remember that prayer supports, but does not replace other actions. It cannot consistently help students if it is not supported by psychological needs or basic health care. Prayer can be very helpful only if it forms part of a holistic treatment plan that honors clients’ spirituality and uses effective professional approaches. Those working in mental health should have training to support Islamic beliefs and practices when giving care. Additional studies should create standard models for handling spirituality in addiction treatment among Muslims and study their lasting effect on how people recover.
Abbreviations

BNN

Badan Narkotika Nasional

IPT

Islamic Psychospiritual Therapy

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Salah

Islamic Prayer

Du’a

Supplication
Author Contributions
Shehar Bano: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal Analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing
Waqeem Akram: Conceptualization, Project administration, Software, Validation, Writing – original draft
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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    Bano, S., Akram, W. (2026). Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 15(4), 58-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11

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    ACS Style

    Bano, S.; Akram, W. Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 58-65. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11

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    Bano S, Akram W. Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery. Psychol Behav Sci. 2026;15(4):58-65. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11,
  author = {Shehar Bano and Waqeem Akram},
  title = {Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery},
  journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
  volume = {15},
  number = {4},
  pages = {58-65},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20261504.11},
  abstract = {The study examines that how salah (Islamic prayer) and du’a (supplication) offer help to Muslim individuals who are trying to leave their addictions. This is when people usually feel cravings, anxiety, guilt and a lot of hopelessness. As recovery must connect with meaningful aspects of a person’s life, the research considers: how do individual use Islamic prayer to adapt emotionally, spiritually and form a new perspective during their recovery? The study looks at information from filtered documents which includes peer-reviewed articles, academic theses and case studies between 1997 and 2025. It mentions qualitative points about the regulation of emotions, controlling urges, gaining daily habits, healing the inner self and including prayer as a regular practice in overall rehab programs. It appears that performing usual Islamic prayer helps individuals defend against psychological stress, feel responsible to God and set up regular insufficient practices that make it easier for them to avoid relapse. It helps deal with emotions better, teaches to stay disciplined and improves a spiritual bond, all essential for lasting improvement. Significant limitations are detailed in research as well. Solid surveys and studies testing the long-lasting results of prayer are lacking and a lot of studies depend on individual stories. Researchers tend to have few studies to compare those who use prayer with therapy and those who do not. Also, there are not many formal guidelines for adding Islamic spirituality to common addiction treatment methods. It is found that prayer when used along with clinical care provides meaningful support to people. It promotes education for therapists about blending spirituality from Islam with therapy, increased research to test outcomes and forming better models for using both spiritual and psychological approaches. It encourages more research into culturally and religiously sensitive methods for helping Individuals recover from addictions.},
 year = {2026}
}

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  • TY  - JOUR
T1  - Islamic Prayer as a Supportive Tool in Early Addiction Recovery
AU  - Shehar Bano
AU  - Waqeem Akram
Y1  - 2026/08/11
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11
T2  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JF  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
JO  - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
SP  - 58
EP  - 65
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7845
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20261504.11
AB  - The study examines that how salah (Islamic prayer) and du’a (supplication) offer help to Muslim individuals who are trying to leave their addictions. This is when people usually feel cravings, anxiety, guilt and a lot of hopelessness. As recovery must connect with meaningful aspects of a person’s life, the research considers: how do individual use Islamic prayer to adapt emotionally, spiritually and form a new perspective during their recovery? The study looks at information from filtered documents which includes peer-reviewed articles, academic theses and case studies between 1997 and 2025. It mentions qualitative points about the regulation of emotions, controlling urges, gaining daily habits, healing the inner self and including prayer as a regular practice in overall rehab programs. It appears that performing usual Islamic prayer helps individuals defend against psychological stress, feel responsible to God and set up regular insufficient practices that make it easier for them to avoid relapse. It helps deal with emotions better, teaches to stay disciplined and improves a spiritual bond, all essential for lasting improvement. Significant limitations are detailed in research as well. Solid surveys and studies testing the long-lasting results of prayer are lacking and a lot of studies depend on individual stories. Researchers tend to have few studies to compare those who use prayer with therapy and those who do not. Also, there are not many formal guidelines for adding Islamic spirituality to common addiction treatment methods. It is found that prayer when used along with clinical care provides meaningful support to people. It promotes education for therapists about blending spirituality from Islam with therapy, increased research to test outcomes and forming better models for using both spiritual and psychological approaches. It encourages more research into culturally and religiously sensitive methods for helping Individuals recover from addictions.
VL  - 15
IS  - 4
ER  -

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