The current study sought to generate a theory from the data on crisis management in Islam, and also aimed to identify the strategies used by leaders in the crisis management process. The grounded theory approach was applied, which is one of the qualitative designs. The content of the verses of the Noble Qur'an and the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad that dealt with the issue of crises were analyzed. The results of the qualitative analysis of the verses of the Qur'an and the hadiths of the Prophet's noble Sunnah have resulted in four concepts that constitute a broad conceptual theory of crisis management according to the Islamic approach. These concepts are: Crisis management strategies in Islam, the stages of crisis management, the characteristics of a leader who manages crises, and the roles of a leader during the crisis management process. A number of assumptions have been made of this generated theory about Islamic crisis management model. In light of the results of this study, recommendations were formulated that indicate the necessity of training leaders in the Islamic approach to crisis management, its strategies and its scientific steps in crisis management. These results have wide applications in the field of training leaders, and also recommend future studies to verify the assumptions of the theory that emerged from the data in this study on crisis management in Islam (COVID‐19 pandemic crisis as a model).

Objective The controlling of the COVID-19 pandemic is influenced by the precautionary behavior of the community, and such behavior is frequently related to individuals’ risk perception. The current study aimed to explore risk perceptions and precautionary behavior in response to COVID-19. Method Qualitative in-depth interviews by telephone were undertaken with 26 participants from three affected cities in an initial stage of the disease outbreak, from May 3 to June 5, 2020. The method of analyzing data was inductive. The results were analyzed using interpretation, categorizing, and thematic analysis. Results The perception of risk is influenced by numerous individual, community, and cultural factors; these perceptions act as triggers for precautionary behavior, with a tendency to deny risks or react with exaggeration in terms of the precautionary reactions related to COVID-19. The thematic analysis produced two major categories: 1) risk perception and 2) precautionary behavior. The analysis provides essential insight into risk perception and precautionary behavior. Conclusion The risk perceptions and patterns of precautionary behavior could be unreliable, unhealthy, and culturally affected, which would influence the effectiveness of pandemic control measures. Further investigations with more data and including risk perception and precautionary behavior in the national response plan for emergency and crisis are highly recommended. Practice implications A greater understanding and ongoing assessment of COVID-19 risk perception could inform policymakers and health professionals who seek to promote precautionary behavior. This could also facilitate early interventions during pandemics.<-- -->

Those working in helping professions, including counsellors, cope with many career stresses (Lim, Hepworth, & Bogossian, 2011). McCann et al. (2013) indicated that all health professionals can face many stresses within their clinical practice, including time stress, workload, conflict roles and emotional issues. Barnett, Baker, Elman, and Schoener (2007) mentioned that persistent occupational stress can impact on the well-being of helping professionals and lead to burnout and other stress disorders. These negative stress outcomes can affect not only the well-being of health professionals, but also