From Belief to Lifestyle: A Comparative Analysis of the Role of Existential Dimensions in Islamic and Western Theories

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research

Author

Department of Islamic Studies, Farhangian University, P.O. Box 889-14665 Tehran, Iran

10.22034/sls.2025.68055.1552

Abstract

The relationship between belief and lifestyle is a fundamental issue in anthropology and cultural studies. This study adopts an analytical-comparative approach based on the tripartite model of human existence (cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions) to examine and compare the role of belief in Islamic and Western theoretical frameworks. In the Islamic tradition, belief is not merely a mental proposition but an existential and purpose-oriented structure that influences human life from knowledge to action. In contrast, Western theorists such as Anthony Giddens, Pierre Bourdieu, and Thorstein Veblen analyze the role of belief through concepts such as identity reflexivity, cultural habitus, and symbolic behavior. The findings indicate that in both paradigms, belief plays a fundamental role in shaping lifestyle. However, the Islamic framework—due to its revelatory foundations, ethical teleology, and the integration of reason, affection, and action—offers a more existential and guiding analysis of lifestyle. The study proposes a conceptual framework for belief-based lifestyle analysis that can contribute to theory development in Islamic human sciences.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Journal of Sociology of Lifestyle (SLS)

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 29 November 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 17 July 2025
  • Revise Date: 24 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 29 November 2025
  • Publish Date: 29 November 2025

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