Research from a number of disciplines indicates that the interpretation of HIV/AIDS as

a divine punishment for illicit sexual practices dominates both a contemporary intra-

Muslim public religious discourse and perceptions of the disease among Muslims.

This dominance persists despite the existence of alternative theological interpretations,

and despite seemingly contradictory empirical evidence. The present article

develops a hypothesis on why this is the case and poses it against existing attempts at

explanations. The theoretical basis for this hypothesis is elaborated with the help of

findings from within the cognitive science of religion, and particularly the notion

of an “epidemiology of representations.” According to the hypothesis, a combination

of general psychological and cognitive factors and specific contextual factors provide

the notion of HIV/AIDS as a divine punishment, with a selective advantage in certain

social contexts over both theological alternatives and non-religious understandings

of the disease. The article finally puts forward some predictions that may be tested

empirically in further research.