Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak presents a contrastive analysis of Iqbal and Freud's theories of personality. Abbas discusses Iqbal and Freud's backgrounds and influences on their work. Iqbal's theory was influenced by the Quran, Western philosophers, and Rumi, while Freud was influenced by Greek mythology, Darwin, Nietzsche, and his patients. Both saw the ego as central to personality, but differed in their views of human nature - Iqbal viewed humans positively while Freud was more pessimistic. Iqbal's theory emphasized strengthening the ego through acts like courage, while Freud focused on the id, ego and superego. In the end, Abbas argues Iqbal's dynamic

1. Ideas on Personality: A Contrastive Analysis
between
Iqbal & Freud
By:
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak
Department of Fundamental & Inter-Disciplinary Studies
Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences
(maarji@iium.edu.my)
Presented at: 2nd
International Conference on Mental Health
Organized by: Depart. Of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, International
Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Venue: Senate Hall, IIUM, Gombak Campus
Date: 5th
& 6th
May 2015
1

2. My Research Works
1. Konsepsi Pendidikan Akhlaq Menurut Muhammad Iqbal,
1992, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
2. Human Nature: A Comparative Analysis between
Western and Islamic Psychology, 1997, IIUM
3. Contribution of Iqbal’s Dynamic Personality Theory
to Islamic Psychology: A Contrastive Analysis with
Freud and Selected Mainstream Western
Psychology, 2011, IIUM
2

3. My Book on Iqbal:
Iqbal’s Theory of Personality: A Contrastive Analysis with Freud,
Lambert Academic Publishing, Germany, 2013.
3

4. Allama Muhammad Iqbal
1879-1938
4

5. Personal Information
• Born in Sialkot Punjab
• His ancestors were of Kashmiri Brahmins
• Pakistan was Iqbal's brainchild
• Poet-philosopher, thinker, Sufi-scholar,
statesman, religious- reformer, advocate,
educationist
5

6. Personal Information
• He was given titles like Allama Iqbal (Iqbal
the learned)
• Shaire-e-Mashriq (Poet of the East)
• Hakeem-ul-Ummah (The sage/physician of
the Ummah)
6

7. Iqbal’s Magnum Opus
The Reconstruction of Religious
Thought in Islam
(Iqbal’s Philosophical Ideas)
My personal experience in trying to understand Iqbal’s Philosophical Ideas
7

8. Poetry and Philosophy
To Iqbal, poetry and philosophy are the two
vehicles through which he conveyed his
ideas to the intellectuals as well as the
masses in the East and West
8

9. Professor Nicholson on Iqbal:
“He is a man of his age and a man in
advance of his age;
he is also a man in disagreement with his
age”
(Nicholson in Iqbal 1983,p.xxxi)
9

10. Iqbal’s Philosophy (An Eclectic Approach)
Mohd Abbas,2013,pp.227-228
Notes on a, b and c on the
next slide.

11. Iqbal’s Philosophy
Notes:
a)The dynamic teachings of the Qur’an on man and the good example
shown by the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H.).
b) Ideas of Western philosophers, which are not contrary to the Islamic
principles. Iqbal has agreed with some of the ideas of Goethe, Bergson,
Nietzsche, Mc Taggart and some existential philosophers.
c) Mainly mystical ideas of Ar-Rumi. He also liked the reformation works
done by Al-Afghani and other Muslim reformers (Mohd Abbas,2013,pp.227-
228)
11

12. Iqbal’s Theory of Personality came as a Response to:
Mohd
Abbas,
2013, p.315
Refer Notes
on next slide
12

13. Iqbal’s Theory of Personality came as a Response to
Notes:
a)After the fall of the Mogul empire, Muslims lost their dominant position. As such, under
the British rule, Muslims were left behind in education and other sectors of public life
b)Iqbal was saddened by the fact that all Muslim countries were under European
subjugation. This pathetic situation has robbed their dignity, honour and self-esteem. It also
created a state of mental slavery in them towards the West
c)Muslims lost their zeal and zest for life. Abandoning active participation in worldly life in
the pursuit of attaining the nearness of God
d)Sufi teaching which preaches that at the highest level of man’s spirituality, man can attain
union with God
e)Muslims suffered inferiority complex and started imitating the Western culture
(Mohd Abbas, 2013,p.315)
13

14. Iqbal’s concept on Ego/Khudi/Self
Efficient
Ego
(A)
Appreciative
Ego
(B)
Mohd Abbas,
2013, p.338
14

15. Khudi/Self/Ego
According to Iqbal
• It has a point of departure
• It starts with God
• It develops fully through its relationship with God,
Nature & fellow human beings
• It can reach a state of Immortality
• The ego has to earn this state of Immortality by
carrying out all Ego Sustaining Acts and avoiding
all Ego Dissolving Acts Mohd Abbas, 2013, p.338
15

16. Efficient Ego (A)
• A-The efficient ego interacts with the outside
world. While getting busy with the physical
world it weaves a barrier around separating
itself from the appreciative ego. It lives in
serial time and space. Its position can be
equated with the ‘Aql or intellect
Mohd Abbas, 2013, p.338
16

17. Appreciate Ego (B)
• B-Appreciative ego stays connected with
God. It lives in pure duration and not
confined to any space order. To it, all events
happen as a ‘single order’/‘single now’ and
there is no past and present. Its position can
be equated with the Qalb or heart
Mohd Abbas, 2013, p.338
17

18. Efficient and Appreciate Egos
a)The two parts of the human psyche are not rivals
to one another. The appreciative ego makes
reminder of God to the efficient ego during the
time of prayer and deep meditation
b)The human ego can be either strengthened by the
ego-sustaining activities or weakened by the ego-
dissolving activities
Mohd Abbas, 2013, p.338
18

19. Strong Personality According to Iqbal
• Strong Personality develops when the ego is
strong
• The one closer to God, his/her personality
becomes stronger
19

20. Elements that Strengthen the
Personality(Ego Sustaining Act)
a) Love
b) Faqr: which can be best described by the
expression ‘supreme indifference to the rewards
that the world has to offer’
c) Courage
d) Tolerance
e) Kasb-i-Halal: which can be best translated as living
on lawful earnings
f) Taking part in original and creative activities
(Vahid, 195_:30)

21. Elements that Weaken the Personality
(Ego Dissolving Acts)
a) Fear
b) Dependency (Su’al)
c) Slavery
d) Pride of Ancestry (Mohd Abbas, 2013,pp282-288)
21

22. Stages of Personality Development
a) Obedience to the Law
b) Self-control, which is the highest form
of self-consciousness or Ego-hood
c) Divine vicegerency (Iqbal, 1983: xxvii)
22

23. Ideal Society for Personality
Development
a) It must be based on spiritual considerations like
monotheism
b) It must centre round inspired leadership or
prophethood
c) It must possess a code for its guidance
d) It needs a centre
(Vahid, 195_: 34)
23

24. Ideal Society for Personality
Development
e) It must have a clear goal towards which the whole
society should strive
f) It must gain supremacy over the forces of nature
g) The communal or collective ego must be
developed in the same way as the individual ego is
developed
h) It must safeguard maternity (Vahid, 195_: 34)
24

25. 25
Mohd Abbas,2013, p.302

26. Sigmund Freud(1856-1939)
26

27. Freud’s Theory Got its Influence
from:
Mohd Abbas,2013,p. 311

28. Freud’s Theory Got its Influence from:
Notes:
a) Ideas like Oedipus complex, Electra complex, catharsis and narcissism are taken
from Greek mythology. While some ideas on the human psyche, have been taken
from Plato
b) He was influenced by Schopenhauer’s idea that states sex is the most powerful
among all human instincts
c) He was also well read in the stories mentioned in the Old Testament and Talmud.
These stories also influenced him in the conceptualization of his theory
d) Freud also relied on information gathered from his sick patients who came for
psychotherapy
e) During his childhood, Freud was sexually attracted to his mother
f) Darwinian ideas on man and survival of the fittest linger around his own concept
of human nature
g) He had similar views with Nietzsche with regard to the power of the unconscious
mind
Mohd Abbas, 2013, pp.311-312
Refer Note on the following slide
28

29.  Painted a negative image of man
 There is no difference between man and other
members of the animal kingdom
 Man is an intellectual beast doomed for destruction
 Man is enslaved to his sexual impulses
 Man has no freedom to cut loose from the
shackles of his psychosexual development
 Freud’s concept on man is a pessimistic and
deterministic one
 Man is driven by two psychic forces; Eros
 (Life Instinct) and Thanatos (Death Insticnt)
29

30. Freud’s Structural Model
Id
(Works on
Pleasure
Principle)
(Biological)
Ego
(Works on Reality
Principle)
(Psychological)
Superego
(Works on
Moral/Ideal
Principle
(Social)
Mohd Abbas,2013,p.336
Notes on the next slide

31. Id, Ego & Superego
• Notes:
- The id, ego and superego fight for dominance in the human psyche.
- The human personality, mental health, creativity, motivation, psychotherapy,
etc. are all related to the interplay of the id, ego and superego.
- A stable condition in the human psyche is sustained when the ego is able to
balance the moderate demands of the id and superego.
- An individual develops a strong personality when the ego is strong and
dominant compared to the id and the superego.
Mohd Abbas, 2013, p.336
31

32. Stages in Personality Development
a) Oral Stage
b) Anal Stage
c) Phallic Stage
d) Latency Stage
e) Genital Stage
32
Mohd Abbas,2013

33. Strong Personality According to Freud
a) A strong personality develops when the
Ego is strong in its control over the Id
and Superego
b) A weak personality is formed when the
Ego is weak as a result of being
submissive to the demands of the Id and
Superego 33

34. Similarities Between Freud & Iqbal
1) Both Scholars were controversial during their time
2) Great admirer of Goethe and Nietzsche
3) They were well read in the Greek philosophy
4) Their travel to foreign land brought marked changes in
their intellectual way of thinking
In favour of the scientific research & exploration
6) Both believed that a strong ego produces strong
personality
7) Fighting for the supremacy of their respected community
(Mohd Abbas, 2013, P.321)

35. Differences Between Freud & Iqbal
Freud Iqbal
1.His personality 1.His his personality
2.Concept on Human
Nature
2.Concept on Human
Nature
3.Nature of his Theory
on Personality
3.Nature of his Theory
on Personality
4.Views on Women 4.Views on Women
5.What is Personality 5.What is Personality
Mohd Abbas, 2013, pp.340-342

36. Appraisal (Mohd Abbas,2013,pp.342-347)
Freud Iqbal
1. Pessimistic and deterministic views
on Man
1. Positive image on Man. Man is a
universe at the micro-level. There are
many positive potentials hidden in man
2. Smeared the innocence of childhood
vulgar ideas
2. Man can create a better world
3. In education: civilizing man who is
uncivilized
3. Ideas are relevant to education & in
producing dynamic leadership
4. Freud has not been rejected in the
West “Feud is not Dead”. He is still a
controversial figure
4. Ideas are much appreciated now
5. His ideas caused the sexual revolution
in the West
5. His personality theory calls man to bind
a good relationship with God, Nature &
Humanity.

37. Reference
37
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak. ( 2011). Contribution of Iqbal’s dynamic personality theory to Islamic
psychology : A contrastive analysis with freud and selected mainstream western psychology.
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak. ( 2013). Iqbal’s theory of personality : a contrastive analysis with freud.
Iqbal, Muhammad. (1983).The secrets of the self (Asrar-i-Khudi). (Renold A. Nicholson, Trans.).
Lahore: SH. Muhammad Ashraf.
Iqbal, Muhammad, & Saiyidain, K. G. (1995). Iqbal’s poetry. Patna: Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library.
Saiyidain, KG. (1977). Iqbal’s educational philosophy. Lahore: SH Muhammad Ashraf.
Iqbal, Muhammad. (1996). The reconstruction of religious thought in Islam, Lahore: Institute of
Islamic Culture
Munawwar, Muhammad. (1985). Iqbal and Quranic wisdom. (2nd
.edn.) Lahore: Iqbal Academy Pakistan.
Iqbal, Muhammad, Sir. (1953). The mysteries of selflessness: A philosophical poem (Rumuz-e-Bekhudi).
(A.J. Arberry, Trans.). London: John Murray.
Beg, Abdulla Anwar. (1961). The poet of the east: Life and work of Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal. Lahore:
Khawar Pub. Cooperative Society.
Nadwi, Syed Abul Hasan Ali. (1979). Glory of Iqbal (Trans. Mohammad Asif Kidwai).Lucknow: Islamic
Research and Publications.

38. Syukran Jazilan
Terima Kasih
Thank You
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