Tensions in describing Muslim religious practices: Insights generated from an Islamic monotheist perspective

ABSTRACT As forms of human occupation, religious practices have tended to be separated from spirituality in occupational science discussions. This paper describes the tensions we experienced in trying to situate a religious practice in Islam, namely salah (prayer), in relation to existing understandings of human occupation. We think through these tensions, drawing upon Islamic ontology and epistemology. Using a qualitative research design, we generated data using critical reflections by the first and third authors. Using their experience, and an Islamic ontology and epistemology, the co-authors analyzed and explicated the tensions experienced and identified during the academic project describing Muslim religious practices in occupational science. We use the embodiment and enactment of salah as our prominent illustrative example. The findings represent three tensions: Ontological differences through Islamic Monotheism; A fragmented and segregated view of Islam and Deen versus religion; and Tackling the dichotomy between religious and non-religious. We discuss how Islamic epistemology provides a harmonious way of capturing the fullness of religious practices such as salah. We suggest that this demonstrates a decolonial effort at focusing on viewing religious practices as occupations.