Islamic coping strategies and Gazan mothers’ resilience during genocide and famine

This study examines the role of Islamic coping strategies in sustaining the psychological and spiritual resilience of Gazan mothers during genocide and famine. Drawing on thirty semi-structured interviews with displaced mothers in Rafah and Khan Younis, the research identifies five key themes: prayer and spiritual refuge, faith amid loss and uncertainty, divine trust (tawakkul) and mental strength, communal worship and Qur’anic support, and the construction of meaning and endurance through faith. The findings reveal that Islamic practices provide not only solace and emotional regulation but also serve as frameworks for reinterpreting suffering, reinforcing social bonds, and preserving dignity in the face of systematic deprivation. While faith-based coping does not eliminate trauma, it offers Gazan mothers psychological scaffolding, enabling them to sustain hope, maintain caregiving roles, and resist the erasure of their identity. The study highlights the urgency of understanding culturally embedded coping mechanisms for populations enduring collective violence and loss.