The Healing Methods of Muslim Religious Healing of Mental Illness

Mental illness, which seems to be increasing at an alarming rate in Tamale, is believed to be caused by demons, and the mentally-ill are thought to be possessed by the demons. In the recent past it was common to find schools been closed down due to alleged invasion of demons in the schools’ premises. And in spite of the presence of hospitals, Muslim religious healing centres are witnessing increasing number of people in search of health care especially with such conditions as mental illness. This book explores the healing methods of Muslim religious healing of mental illness from the perspectives of the healer and the patient. The objectives guiding the study are; (1) To find out how the Afa diagnoses mental illness (2) To find out how he administers treatment (3) To find out if non-Muslims utilize the services of the Afa (4) To identify reasons why some people choose to consult the Afa and not the hospitals, and (5) To identify and describe the characteristics of patients using the Afa’s services. The findings of this work have relevance for professionals with interest in indigenous healing practices or anyone else seeking to know more about this form of alternative medicine