International Journal of

ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

EISSN: 2313-3724, Print ISSN: 2313-626X

Frequency: 12
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 Volume 12, Issue 1 (January 2025), Pages: 164-171

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 Original Research Paper

Investigating the integration of prayer in family counseling among Muslim counselors in Malaysia

 Author(s): 

 Mazita Ahmad 1, *, Norazlin Mohd Rusdin 2, Noor Insyiraah Abu Bakar 2, Hapsah Md Yusof 1, Nurul Ain binti Mohd Daud 1, Norazani Ahmad 1

 Affiliation(s):

 1Guidance and Counseling Department, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjung Malim, Malaysia
 2Department of Education, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjung Malim, Malaysia

 Full text

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 * Corresponding Author. 

  Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3103-3070

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.01.016

 Abstract

Prayer is an intentional way of connecting with the sacred through thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Counselors often use prayer as part of therapeutic interventions to seek spiritual guidance. However, its use in family counseling raises questions about the methods and reasoning behind its application. This study explores how Muslim counselors in Malaysia incorporate prayer in family counseling to address various issues. A qualitative case study approach was used, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 counselors from three counseling centers. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes in the data. The findings highlight two main roles of prayer in family counseling: (i) as a source of support for counselors and (ii) as a tool to empower clients. The counselors reported that prayer helps reduce stress, promote hope, and build inner strength. The results suggest that counselors view the integration of prayer positively, reflecting their spiritual and religious values. This study offers important insights into the ethical aspects of using prayer in counseling and emphasizes the need for further research in this area.

 © 2025 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

 Prayer in counseling, Family therapy interventions, Muslim counselors, Thematic analysis, Spiritual empowerment

 Article history

 Received 21 August 2024, Received in revised form 3 December 2024, Accepted 8 January 2025

 Acknowledgment

No Acknowledgment.

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

Participants' well-being, autonomy, and confidentiality were prioritized throughout the study. Informed consent was obtained after participants were fully briefed on the study's purpose, procedures, and potential risks, with the option to withdraw at any time. Privacy and anonymity were safeguarded to prevent harm or breaches of trust, ensuring ethical integrity in all aspects of the research.

 Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

 Citation:

 Ahmad M, Rusdin NM, Abu Bakar NI, Md Yusof H, Mohd Daud NA, and Ahmad N (2025). Investigating the integration of prayer in family counseling among Muslim counselors in Malaysia. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(1): 164-171

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 Tables

 Table 1 Table 2 

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