Engaging with Faith Councils to Develop Stoma-specific Fatawas: A Novel Approach to the Healthcare Needs of Muslim Colorectal Patients

Intestinal stomas are common. Muslims report significantly lower quality of life following stoma surgery compared to non-Muslims. A fatwA is a ruling on a point of Islamic law according to a recognised religious authority. The use of fatawAs to guide health-related decision-making has becoming an increasingly popular practice amongst Muslims, regardless of geographic location. This project aimed to improve the quality of life of Muslim ostomates by addressing faith-specific stoma concerns. Through close collaboration with Muslim ostomates, a series of 10 faith-related questions were generated, which were posed to invited local faith leaders during a stoma educational event. Faith leaders received education concerning the realities of stoma care before generating their fatawAs. The event lead to the formulation of a series of stoma-specific fatawAs representing Hanafi and Salafi scholarship, providing faith-based guidance for Muslim ostomates and their carers. Enhanced communication between healthcare providers and Islamic faith leaders allows for the delivery of informed fatawAs that directly benefit Muslim patients and may represent an efficient method of improving health outcomes in this faith group.