Islamic Counseling and Spiritual Rehabilitation: Addressing Pre-Marital Pregnancy Among Malay-Muslim Girls in Malaysia

Abstract

Discussion about sexuality is still considered taboo in the ethnic Malay-Muslim society and is never openly talk about. Thus, a comprehensive educational approach needs to be integrated into the school syllabus and taught at home by parents to meet the long- and short-term needs of the girls’ growth and development. Simultaneously, religious and cultural approaches are most applicable to Malay-Muslim ethnicity since religiosity and cultural values in this cohort are intertwined. This concept aligns with the religious-cultural counseling approaches in facilitating this group of young women to self-develop. Based on qualitative research utilizing the phenomenological interpretative design that highlighted the experience of counselors in handling pre-marital pregnancy cases among ethnic Malay-Muslim girls in the Klang Valley, a good progress was observed after counseling sessions using conventional techniques along with various modus-operandi and skills of the Islamic and cultural approach by counselors. Therefore, the adaptation of Islamic and cultural approaches, such as recitation of Quranic verses, solawat, zikr, prayers, and stories of prophets and sahabah, has a positive impact on self-awareness, self-conduct, self-healing, and knowledge towards sexual education for self-development.  A Comprehensive Islamic Counseling service has drawn a framework for our Muslims counselors to practice in the counseling setting, to address not only the case of unwed pregnancy which consist of the role of professional counsellors, shifa’ an nafs intervention, element of unconditional positive regard and counseling therapy in helping client to become in line with Aqidah, syariah and akhlaq.