The International Research Institute of Islamic Spiritual Medicine (IRIISM) is a proposed independent international research initiative dedicated to advancing the study, professional development and responsible healthcare integration of Islamic Spiritual Medicine.

Islamic spiritual practices such as ruqyah, hijama and other forms of faith-informed care are used by communities throughout the world. However, the field currently lacks the coordinated research infrastructure, academic partnerships, professional frameworks and clinical evidence needed to develop as a recognised healthcare discipline.

IRIISM has been conceived to help address this gap.

Its long-term vision is to bring together researchers, healthcare professionals, universities, Islamic scholars, practitioners, policymakers and communities to investigate the relationship between spirituality, resilience, quality of life and health outcomes. Through research, education, ethical governance and international collaboration, IRIISM aims to support the development of safe, evidence-informed and professionally delivered Islamic spiritual healthcare.

Why IAR Initiated the IRIISM Vision

The International Academy of Ruqyah (IAR) initiated the concept of IRIISM after recognising that the long-term development of ruqyah cannot depend upon practitioner education alone.

IAR has worked to improve ruqyah practice through structured education, professional development and the exploration of more advanced approaches to Islamic spiritual care. This work has also highlighted wider questions that cannot be answered by an educational academy acting independently:

• What outcomes do patients experience?
• Which approaches should be investigated scientifically?
• How can services be evaluated responsibly?
• What professional and ethical standards are required?
• How might Islamic spiritual care collaborate with modern healthcare?
• What research, educational and economic infrastructure would be needed to support the field internationally?

IRIISM has therefore been proposed as a separate, research-focused initiative capable of addressing these broader questions.

IAR is the originator and founding initiator of the vision, but IRIISM is not intended to exist merely as the research department of IAR. Its purpose is to develop into an independent and internationally collaborative platform serving the wider field of Islamic Spiritual Medicine.

The Foundational Publications

While the dedicated IRIISM website is being developed, IAR is hosting the initial collection of IRIISM publications. 

White Papers:

• WP 1a – The Future of Islamic Spiritual Medicine (Executive Summary)
• WP 1b – The Future of Islamic Spiritual Medicine
• WP 1c – Invitation to Become the Founding Host Nation
• WP 1d – Preparatory Commission Proposal
• WP 2 – Building the Islamic Spiritual Healthcare Ecosystem
• WP 3 – Building the Ruqyah Profession
• WP 4 – Integrating Islamic Spiritual Medicine into Modern Healthcare
• WP 5 – Building the Islamic Spiritual Healthcare Economy

Strategic Guides:

• SG 1 – Investing in the Future of Islamic Spiritual Medicine

Together, these publications present an initial vision for transforming a fragmented field into a research-informed, ethically governed and internationally connected healthcare discipline.

IRIISM’s proposed motto is: Advancing knowledge. Serving humanity.