ImanWire Podcast
ImanWire Podcast
Al-Madina
Ep. 94: Maristans and Islamic Psychology: Reviving A Groundbreaking Legacy - Rania Awaad
1 hour 2 minutes Posted Oct 27, 2025 at 1:00 pm.
Introduction
Human Psychology in the Qur'an and Sunnah
Mental Health and the Objectives of the Shariah
Majnun in the Hadith: A Treatable Condition
Ahead of Its Time: Maristans as a Place of Healing
A Shared Ethos Across Time and Space
Sustainability Through Awqaf
Holistic Healing Rooted in the Religion
Caring for the Poor: A Central Spiritual Motivation
The Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Framework
Customized Sound Therapy and Engaging the Five Senses
Talk Therapy
Fitrah Alignment: Healing Through Architecture
-Ihsaan in Practice: The Responsibility of the Provider
The Caregiver is the Mirror to the Patient
Why Did Mental Illness Become Stigmatized?
Colonization of the Mind
Shifting Trends: Islamic Psychology and Contemporary Psychiatry
Implementing the Maristan Model Today
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Show notes
Dr. Rania Awaad joins the ImanWire Podcast to discuss mental health and the history of the Maristans throughout the Muslim world. Ahead of their time, these institutions of healing provided an integrated system of care treating the mind, body and soul. Rooted in the foundations of the religion itself, their innovative approach provide a model for reimagining and revitalizing health care today.
Rania Awaad, M.D. is the Co-Founder and President of Maristan, a nonprofit reviving the Islamic legacy of holistic healing through spiritually and culturally congruent clinical care, education, and training. She is also a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab. Dr. Awaad is a nationally recognized speaker, award-winning teacher, researcher, and author in both the Islamic and medical sciences. She holds traditional certifications (ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law, and other Islamic sciences.
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