Wellness through Sharing: The Trend of Routine Almsgiving in the Mental Health of Modern Muslims

Riko Afrimaigus; Ayman  Saadawy Mohammed

doi:10.63919/ajmpce.v2i1.66

Authors

Riko Afrimaigus Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0793-1552
Ayman Saadawy Mohammed Ain Shams University Cairo, Egypt https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3301-0293

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63919/ajmpce.v2i1.66

Keywords:

Digital Islamic Philanthropy, Modern Muslim Wellness, Routine Almsgiving, Spiritual Wellness Economy, Mental Health, Urban Muslim Communities.

Abstract

The rise of digital philanthropy has fundamentally reshaped the practice of almsgiving (sadaqah), integrating it into the modern Muslim lifestyle as a component of holistic wellness. This study investigates the trend of routine, digitally-mediated almsgiving, arguing that it transcends its traditional role as a religious obligation to become a strategic practice for mental and spiritual well-being. Employing a qualitative library research methodology, this article systematically reviews and synthesizes scholarly literature to analyze the psychospiritual dimensions of this transformation. The findings demonstrate that regular giving functions as a potent spiritual coping mechanism, effectively alleviating urban stress and existential anxiety through neuropsychological rewards akin to the ‘helper’s high.’ Furthermore, the convergence of Islamic values, digital platforms, and psychological awareness fosters a novel ‘spiritual wellness economy.’ Within this paradigm, well-being is redefined: it is no longer anchored in material accumulation but is cultivated through social contribution and a sense of purposeful connectivity. This research concludes that routine digital sadaqah represents an epistemic shift in contemporary Islamic spirituality, effectively merging acts of worship with mental self-care. It signifies the emergence of a reflective wellness practice where true happiness is derived from sharing, offering a critical alternative to the individualistic pressures of digital capitalism. The study bridges discourses on Islamic philanthropy and positive psychology, providing a new framework for understanding faith-based wellness in the 21st century.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdul Khaiyom, J. H., Tajul Ariffin, A. H., & Md Rosli, A. N. (2022). Islam, Iman, and Ihsan: The Role of Religiosity on Quality of Life and Mental Health of Muslim Undergraduate Students in Islamic University. IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia, 21(3). https://doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v21i3.2047

Abelia Dhuwi Juwita, Alfian Aulya Rahman, Ayudhia Sakha Widyadana, Khansa Tsabita, Rizka Salsabila Putri, & Joko Mijiarto. (2025). Tradisi Sedekah Bumi Sebagai Refleksi Nilai Spiritual dan Sosial di Masyarakat Perkotaan (Studi Etnografi di Kelurahan Pradah Kalikendal Surabaya): Pengabdian. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Dan Riset Pendidikan, 4(1), 3387–3393. https://doi.org/10.31004/jerkin.v4i1.2133

Abu Raiya, H., & Pargament, K. I. (2010). Religiously integrated psychotherapy with Muslim clients: From research to practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 41(2), 181–188. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017988

Achour, M., Souici, D., Bensaid, B., Binti Ahmad Zaki, N., & Alnahari, A. A. A. (2021). Coping with Anxiety During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Academics in the Muslim World. Journal of Religion and Health, 60(6), 4579–4599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01422-3

Anugrah, I. (2023). Effective Altruism, Islamic Philanthropy, and Public Welfare: A Critique. Sodality: Jurnal Sosiologi Pedesaan, 11(2), 168–180. https://doi.org/10.22500/11202348227

Awad, G. H., Kia-Keating, M., & Amer, M. M. (2019). A model of cumulative racial–ethnic trauma among Americans of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent. American Psychologist, 74(1), 76–87. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000344

Baasher, T. A. (2001). Islam and mental health. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 7(3), 372–376. https://doi.org/10.26719/2001.7.3.372

Bartkowski, J. P. (2014). Finding the Sacred in Unexpected Places: Religious Evanescence and Evocation. Review of Religious Research, 56(3), 357–371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-014-0178-x

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Carter, N., Bryant-Lukosius, D., DiCenso, A., Blythe, J., & Neville, A. J. (2014). The use of triangulation in qualitative research. Oncology Nursing Forum, 41(5), 545–547.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage.

Danlami, M. R., Abduh, M., & Abdul Razak, L. (2023). Social finance, institutional quality and stability of Islamic banks: Evidence from four countries. International Journal of Social Economics, 50(8), 1186–1216. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-06-2022-0441

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2018). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). Sage.

Einolf, C. J. (2023). The relationship between religiousness and charitable giving and volunteering: A systematic literature review. In The Routledge handbook of religion and philanthropy (pp. 15–30). Routledge.

Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115.

Fauzan, F., Al Farooqi, I., Pratiwi, A., & Mauliyah, N. I. (2025). Integration of Islamic Social Finance for Sustainable Economic Development in the Rural Areas of Situbondo Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Economics Perspectives, 7(1), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.35719/ahvk1x86

Fetterman, D. M. (2010). Ethnography: Step-by-step (3rd ed.). Sage.

Hajli, N., Sims, J., Zadeh, A. H., & Richard, M.-O. (2017). A social commerce investigation of the role of trust in a social networking site on purchase intentions. Journal of Business Research, 71, 133–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.10.004

Hamdi, N., Lachheb, M., & Anderson, E. (2018). Muslim gay men: Identity conflict and politics in a Muslim majority nation. The British Journal of Sociology, 69(4), 1293–1312. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.12334

Hyndman, N., & McConville, D. (2018). Trust and accountability in UK charities: Exploring the virtuous circle. The British Accounting Review, 50(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2017.09.004

Ibrahim, M., Islam, S., Zohriah, O., & Azid, M. (2024). Addressing contemporary ethical and moral issues through islamic education. Journal on Islamic Studies, 1(1), 36–51. https://doi.org/10.35335/kbbzar83

Isnaini, U. N., Salma, F. S., & Sujianto, A. E. (2024). Preparation of Administrative Cost Budgeting with Maqasid Syariah Approach: Case Study at Kspps Tunas Artha Mandiri Nganjuk. Formosa Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 3(1), 67–80. https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v3i1.7700

Jailani, N., & Adinugraha, H. H. (2022). The Effect of Halal Lifestyle on Economic Growth in Indonesia. Journal of Economics Research and Social Sciences, 6(1), 44–53. https://doi.org/10.18196/jerss.v6i1.13617

Kamranpour, B., Noroozi, M., & Bahrami, M. (2019). The needs of women who have experienced pregnancy termination due to fetal anomalies: A literature review. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 24(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_80_18

Karoui, S., & Khemakhem, R. (2019). Factors affecting the Islamic purchasing behavior – a qualitative study. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 10(4), 1104–1127. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-12-2017-0145

Kashif, M., & De Run, E. C. (2015). Money donations intentions among Muslim donors: An extended theory of planned behavior model. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 20(1), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1002/nvsm.1519

Kenang, I. H., & Gosal, G. (2021). Factors Affecting Online Donation Intention in Donation-based Crowdfunding. The Winners, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.21512/tw.v22i2.7101

Latief, H. (2013). Islamic Philanthropy and the Private Sector in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 3(2), 175. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v3i2.175-201

Li, Y., & Yu, L. (2020). Factors Influencing Social Media Users’ Continued Intent to Donate. Sustainability, 12(3), 879. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12030879

Lin, X., & Huang, H. (2017). From strong guanxi to weak guanxi: Connectivity in Chinese micro-charity. Chinese Journal of Sociology, 3(3), 473–487. https://doi.org/10.1177/2057150X17704810

Liu, P., Chan, D., Qiu, L., Tov, W., & Tong, V. J. C. (2018). Effects of Cultural Tightness–Looseness and Social Network Density on Expression of Positive and Negative Emotions: A Large-Scale Study of Impression Management by Facebook Users. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 44(11), 1567–1581. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167218770999

Lyons, S., Xu, A. L., Durand, W. M., Patel, S., Oni, J. K., & Babu, J. M. (2022). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Functionality of International Surgical Volunteer Organizations. Frontiers in Surgery, 9, 868023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2022.868023

Makhrus, M. (2018). Social Media Based Islamic Philanthropy To Develop Philanthropy Awareness In Indonesia. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Community Development (AMCA 2018). Quezon City, Philippines. https://doi.org/10.2991/amca-18.2018.100

Mansur, M., Addiarrahman, A., Ismail, D., Rasyidi, A., & Deni Putra, M. (2025). Islamic Philanthropy in the Digital Era: The Role of Media and Culture in Spreading the Teachings of Generosity. Asian Journal of Media and Culture, 1(1), 74–92. https://doi.org/10.63919/ajmc.v1i1.20

Migheli, M. (2017). The Gospel And Economic Behaviour: Experimental Evidence From A Trust Game. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 88(1), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/apce.12139

Miles, A., Andiappan, M., Upenieks, L., & Orfanidis, C. (2022). Using prosocial behavior to safeguard mental health and foster emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A registered report of a randomized trial. PLOS ONE, 17(7), e0272152. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272152

Mitha, K. (2020). Conceptualising and addressing mental disorders amongst Muslim communities: Approaches from the Islamic Golden Age. Transcultural Psychiatry, 57(6), 763–774. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461520962603

Muheramtohadi, S., & Fataron, Z. A. (2022). The Islamic Lifestyle of the Muslim Middle Economy Class and the Opportunities for the Halal Tourism Industry in Indonesia. Journal of Digital Marketing and Halal Industry, 4(1), 91–104. https://doi.org/10.21580/jdmhi.2022.4.1.10828

Mulyani, M., Abdulhassan, N. J., & Noori, M. I. (2023). One Suro Night Tradition: Alms Earth and the Dynamics of Its Influence in Community Social and Religious Life. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam Indonesia (JPAII), 4(4), 100–105. https://doi.org/10.37251/jpaii.v4i4.950

Page, M. J., et al. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71.

Pargament, K. I. (2011). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy: Understanding and addressing the sacred. Guilford Press.

Peek, L. (2005). Becoming Muslim: The Development of a Religious Identity. Sociology of Religion, 66(3), 215. https://doi.org/10.2307/4153097

Rakhmawati, Y. (2019). Studi Media Filantropi Online: Pergeseran AltruismeTradisional-Karitas menuju Filantropi Integratif. KOMUNIKA: Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.24090/komunika.v13i2.2082

Sabry, W., & Vohra, A. (2013). Role of Islam in the management of Psychiatric disorders. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55(6), 205. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.105534

Samuelson-Cramp, F., & Bolat, E. (2018). Helping the World One “Like” at a Time: The Rise of the Slacktivist. In G. Grigore, A. Stancu, & D. McQueen (Eds.), Corporate Responsibility and Digital Communities (pp. 123–143). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63480-7_7

Scull, N. C., Khullar, N., Al-Awadhi, N., & Erheim, R. (2014). A Qualitative Study of the Perceptions of Mental Health Care in Kuwait. International Perspectives in Psychology, 3(4), 284–299. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000023

Shi, Y., & Wu, C. (2023). The influencing factor model and empirical research of TikTok charity live streaming impact users” online charitable donation. PLOS ONE, 18(11), e0294186. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294186

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339.

Syahrivar, J., Selamat, F., & Chairy, C. (2020). The Role Of Technology Savviness In Muslim Online Shopping (Mos). Jurnal Muara Ilmu Ekonomi Dan Bisnis, 4(2), 240. https://doi.org/10.24912/jmieb.v4i2.7865

Tarigan, E. S. (2023). The Influence Of Crowdfunding Innovation And Trust On Online Donation Decisions On Crowdfunding Platforms. Jurnal Apresiasi Ekonomi, 11(3), 506–519. https://doi.org/10.31846/jae.v11i3.679

Taylor, C. B. (2018). Receipts and Other Forms of Islamic Charity: Accounting for piety in modern North India. Modern Asian Studies, 52(1), 266–296. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X17000221

Tong, S. C., & Chan, F. F. Y. (2022). Revisiting trust in the digital era: The interplay of online trust and online dialogic communication from the practitioners” perspective. Journal of Communication Management, 26(3), 271–293. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-08-2021-0094

Triantoro, D. A., Wahyuni, T., & Purna, F. P. (2021). Digital Philanthropy: The Practice of Giving Among Middle to Upper-Class Muslim in Indonesia and Soft Capitalism. QIJIS (Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies), 9(2), 315. https://doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v9i2.7814

Tyas Aprillia, Tri Widiyanti, & Alpri Azika. (2022). The Relationship Between The Religiosity Of Islamic Teachings To The Mental Health Of Modern. Muhammadiyah International Public Health and Medicine Proceeding, 2(1), 259–272. https://doi.org/10.61811/miphmp.v1i2.228

Xiao, S., & Yue, Q. (2021). The role you play, the life you have: Donor retention in online charitable crowdfunding platform. Decision Support Systems, 140, 113427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2020.113427

Xiao, Y., & Watson, M. (2019). Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39(1), 93–112.

Zhang, X., Lv, T., Leavey, G., Zhu, N., Li, X., Li, Y., & Chen, Y. (2023). Does depression affect the association between prosocial behavior and anxiety? A cross-sectional study of students in China. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1274253. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1274253