Al-Ghazâlî (D.510 AH/1111 CE) Abu Ḥāmid Muḥammad Al-Ghazâlî was born in 1058 ce at Tûs, Greater Khorasan, Seljuq Empire and died on the 19th December 1111. •Al-Ghazâlî was one of the most prominent and influential philosophers, theologians, jurists and mystics of Sunni Islam. •He received thorough education in Quran Hadith, fiqh and kalam. after education Imam al-Ghazali appointed as a professor in the Nizamiyah Madrasah in Baghdad (1091 CE) which was built by Nizamul Mulk. •Under the influence of Sufi literature, Al-Ghazâlî had begun to change his life-style two years before his departure from Bagdad. •He sunk in a deep existential and spiritual crisis. Hence imam left the teaching and went to Damascus where he spent ten years for self-introspection, meditation and spiritual exercises. •Al-Ghazâlî, as a Sufi, was an advocate of introspection and self-analysis to understand the psyche and psychological issues.

1. Muslim Scholars
Lecture 2
Course Instructor: Sidra Tanvir
(Consultant Clinical Psychologist)
University of the Central Punjab (UCP)
Lahore.

2. The theologians’ perspective
• Many Islamic theologians were instrumental in the development of the nature of Islamic
psychology because the discipline of Ilm an Nafs was linked to Islamic theology and the
religiosity of the soul.
• Awaad et al. (2020) suggested that “Muslim theologians contributed to the development
of an ‘Islamic psychology’ through their work in three fields:
• (1) Islamic creed,
• (2) Islamic law,
• (3) Islamic spirituality” (p.74).

3. Al-Ghazâlî
• Al-Ghazâlî (D.510 AH/1111 CE) Abu Ḥāmid Muḥammad Al-Ghazâlî was born in 1058
ce at Tûs, Greater Khorasan, Seljuq Empire and died on the 19th December 1111.
• Al-Ghazâlî was one of the most prominent and influential philosophers, theologians,
jurists and mystics of Sunni Islam.
• He received thorough education in Quran Hadith, fiqh and kalam. after education Imam
al-Ghazali appointed as a professor in the Nizamiyah Madrasah in Baghdad (1091 CE)
which was built by Nizamul Mulk.
• Under the influence of Sufi literature, Al-Ghazâlî had begun to change his life-style two
years before his departure from Bagdad.
• He sunk in a deep existential and spiritual crisis. Hence imam left the teaching and
went to Damascus where he spent ten years for self-introspection, meditation and
spiritual exercises.
• Al-Ghazâlî, as a Sufi, was an advocate of introspection and self-analysis to understand
the psyche and psychological issues.

4. Al-Ghazâlî
• Narrating this spiritual crisis imam al- Ghazali says: “the thirst for knowledge was innate
in me from an early age: it was like a second nature implanted in my by God…
• At the end of the spiritual inquisition imam convinced that Islamic mysticism was the
highest and the purest way of life. In this period he began writing his magnum opus Ihya
Ulumi al-din (the revival of religious sciences).
• For Al-Ghazâlî “the purpose of society is to apply the Shari‘ah, and the goal of man is to
achieve happiness close to God. Therefore, the aim of education is to cultivate man so
that he abides by the teachings of religion and is hence assured of salvation and
happiness in the eternal life hereafter” (Nofal, 1993, p.524).
• Al-Ghazâlî “reinstated the ‘principle of fear’ in religious thinking and emphasised the role
of the Creator as the centre around which human life revolves, and an agent intervening
directly and continuously in the course of human affairs (once the ‘principle of love’ had
gained supremacy among the Sufis)” (Nofal, 1993, p.531).

5. Al-Ghazâlî
• Al-Ghazâlî describes how the concept of the self is expressed by four terms in Arabic
(as conceived by the Qur’an) and each of these terms signifies a spiritual entity.
• These terms are
• Qalb (heart),
• Ruh (soul),
• Nafs (desire-nature)
• Aql (intellect, reason).
• Al-Ghazâlî prefers to use the term Qalb for the self in his work. One is essentially
required to know this Qalb in order to discover ultimate reality (Amer, 2015).

6. Al-Ghazâlî
• The self according to him includes six faculties:
• Appetite,
• Anger,
• Impulse,
• Apprehension,
• Intellect,
• Will
• Animal on the other hand, have only three faculties:
• Appetite,
• Anger
• Apprehension.
• It is the presence of intellect and will in man who distinguishes him from animals as well as
from the rest of the nature.
• Al-Ghazâlî believes that our focus should shift from “treating diseases of the body, such
diseases compromise an already fleeting life. More attention should be directed to treating
diseases of the heart [psyche], which has an infinite lifetime” (Al-Ghazālī, 2005, p.929)

7. Al-Ghazâlî
Al-Ghazali and Philosophy
• Imam al-Ghazali bravely criticized the scholastic analysis, the aims and purposes of the
philosophy.
1. Islamic shariah assumes natural regularity to be a product of divine providence (God’s will),
where as the philosophers view it as being independent of any external agency or power.
2. Certain views of the philosophers are clearly contrary to the Islamic shariah. They deny the
possibility of the resurrection of the dead (the concept of a living being coming back to life
after death) on the day of the judgment and they claim that punishment by god is spiritual,
not physical.
3. The philosophers hold that the world is eternal (ever lasting) and co-existent with God (both
exist at same time).

8. Al-Ghazâlî
• Al-Ghazâlî believed in the use of therapeutic interventions including negative reinforcement,
modelling, labelling and shaping (Farooqi, 2006).
• Al-Ghazâlî discusses the spiritual diseases of the heart, including arrogance, miserliness,
ignorance, envy and lust (Haque, 2004), and encourages purification of the soul (Tazkiyat al-
nafs) (including its cognitions and behavioural inclinations) to cure these diseases (Awaad et al.,
2020).
• In Iḥyā ʿUlūm al-Dīn, Al-Ghazâlî describes six steps for self-purification (Keshavarzi and Haque,
2013):
• Mushāraṭah (self-contract with goals)
• Murāqabah (self-monitoring)
• Muḥāsabah (self-examination; holding oneself accountable)
• Mujāhadah (self-penalisation; implementing, consequences for breaking the selfcontract
[lapse and relapse])
• Muʿāqabah (self-struggle; working diligently to overcome sinful inclinations) •
• Muʿātabah (self-admonition; regretting breaking and recommitting to upholding the
contract). (p.242).

9. Shah Waliullah
• His real name was Qutub-ud-din Ahmad Ibn-e-Abdul raheem,but because of his pious
nature people call him as Shah waliullah, born in 1703 (at the time of Aurangzeb rule in
India).
• He was a philosopher, scientist, metaphysical theologian and sociologist. His metaphysical
philosophy is a combination of: Ibn-e-Rushd and AL-Ghazali.
• According to his philosophical system, man is integrated in the larger system of universe.
• Being a part of the system, he has a certain role to play. He has a deterministic nature.
• He is a psychosomatic unit, therefore, he can only achieve mental health if there’s a
balance between the two aspects.
• Profoundly influenced the thought of Muslims in the subcontinent.

10. Shah Waliullah
Three-tiered model of personality
• Nafs-e-nasmah (Inferior)
• It is responsible for man’s biological life.
• It flows through the body like fire in a coal.
• Constitutes of four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile.
• Made of air, earth, water and fire.
• Nafs-e-natiqa (Rational)
• It controls and conducts the Nafs-e-Nasma.
• Rational soul makes us different from animals and it is also responsible for individual
differences among humans.
• Both inferior and superior souls are connected to each other and the body till death.
• Man dominated by Nasmah is driven by materialistic desires while when Nafs-e-
Natiqa is in control, he becomes an ideal virtuous person.

11. Shah Waliullah
Three-tiered model of personality
3. Nafs-e-samawi (Heavenly)
• There’s a potentiality in every human to reach this level.
• Reached at by prophets and saints.
• The secrets of universe such as life after death and the unseen are revealed
through divine revelation.
• The heavenly soul for all humans have been created much earlier than their
birth. While superior and inferior souls are only created at birth.
• The heavenly soul is an ideal form of every individual which means that
everyone has the full potential to reach at this level of perfection.
• The debate of created soul vs pre-birth soul was reconciled by Waliullah by
accommodating both types of soul in his system.

12. Shah Waliullah
Psychological health
• Complete psychological health is achieved by harmonious functioning of both angelic
and animalistic aspects of personality.
• Man is combination of mind and body, therefore, satisfying the needs of only one
aspect adversely affects the other aspect.
• Religion is an important means to be on the path that leads to personal as well as
the perfection of humanity in general.
• Seven virtues of a fully functioning man:
• Wisdom
• Bravery
• Chastity
• Generosity
• Truthfulness
• Mode of expression
• Harmony of character

13. Shah Waliullah
The level of needs
• The psychological health of an individual depends on the gratification of
certain needs.
• Needs for a person’s physical survival
• Food, eating and drinking
• Protection, clothes, dwelling place
• Accessory needs, cleanliness, sleep, help and treatment in illness.
• Aesthetic needs of art, literature, decoration, cleanliness etc.
• Need for association with like minded people.
• Need for a marital relationship and a family.

14. Shah Waliullah
Concept of Abnormality
• Powerful and dominating inferior soul (heart and emotions) and weak superior soul
(reason and intellect) causes character and behavioral problems.
• Every individual is born with unique inborn tendencies, ignoring or going against those
tendencies also leads to maladjustment.
• Bad habits, unethical behavior and bad customs and traditions of the society also affect
psychological well being.
Intervention
• The dominant Nasmah can be effectively controlled by worship and obedience to
religious laws.
• Such a man also needs hard religious exercises like keeping awake at nights (tahajjud),
adopt humanity and simplicity.
• Adopting new virtues and strengthening them with repetition adds them to personal
dispositions.

15. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
ASHRAF ALI THANVI (1873-1943)
• Ali Thanvi, referred to by many South Asian Muslims as ‘Physician of the Muslims’
[Hakim al-ummat] and ‘Reformer of the Nation’ [Mujaddid al-Millat], is a towering
figure of Islamic revival and reawakening of South Asia in the Twentieth-Century.
• Thanvi was an eminent Muslim theologian, a Sufi mystic, and a prolific author of
numerous Islamic texts.
• His followers claims that his distinguishing mark and guiding principle was his
remarkable sense of balance and straightforwardness--a trait manifested in his
speeches, writings, and training of scholars and Sufis.
• Thanvi is posited by his followers as a reformer of the masses, an exemplary spiritual
guide [shaykh], a successful author, a spiritual jurist, an intellectual sage, and a
fortifier of Islamic tradition.

16. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
• The most famous books of Ashraf Ali Thanvi include the famous
• “Behishti Zaiver” and “Tarbiyyat-ul-Shalik”
• His views in psychology can be are identified by the three titles:
(a) Personality Theory
(b) Causes and Classification of Disease
(c) Treatment or Therapies
(a) Personality Theory:
• According to Thanvi, a child is born with innocent nature.
• He learns good and bad things from his environment.
• Three types of “Nafs” are developed in his personality:
• (I) Nafs Ammara (turning to evil), (ii) Nafs Lavvama (cursing after sin) and (iii) Nafs
Mutmainna (following divines)

17. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
(b) Causes and Classification of Diseases:
• Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi explains the causes of mental diseases as follows:
• When a human being becomes detached from religion and goes away from God it makes
him worthless. This also removes distinction between good and bad; greed and material
gain becomes all-important goal of one’s life in the world. This worldly gain and greed
expose one to mental diseases.
According to the Maulana, there are two forces within a human being:
• Constructive force and Destructive force.
• He lays great emphasis on training of the child so as to strike balance between the two
forces. In the early days, parents especially mother plays greater role while bringing up the
child on right lines. Wrong training spoils him making him prone to mental diseases.

18. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
Kinds of Mental Diseases:
• Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi divided the mental diseases two categories:
• Organic and functional disturbances or diseases.
• The organic diseases may be cured by medicines but the functional or psychological
diseases are to be cured by individual and group therapies.
• In the individual therapy, the disturbed individual is made to understand his own self-
known as right path.
• Maulana Thanvi cured thousands of persons suffering from organic and functional
disturbances through his therapy.
• He simply provided the reading material and inspired the individuals to develop an insight
to communicate with Allah directly.
• For the group therapy, Maulana Thanvi invited his patients to his “Khanqah” to stay with
other members of the group and assigned them different responsibilities. As they lived
together in a group, they were trained and guided to live a normal life.

19. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
• c) Thanvi’s Therapy Approaches:
• Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi believed in individual potentialities and qualities of human
beings.
• Before asking an individual to come down for therapy or treatment, he made it absolutely
clear that his therapeutic techniques do not lead to the following:
1. Miracle and “Kashf
2. Guarantee for forgiveness on the day of judgment
3. Promise of material gain or better prospects in life
4. Automatic cure through counselor’s attention
5. Possibility of action without will
6. Promise or surely for inner experiences
• Maulana Thanvi emphasized the importance of the patient’s own will and effort in the cure
of disease or illness. The counselor (pir) only assists the patient to understand causes of
the disease and overcome adverse factors while organizing his own self. The patient should
have full faith and confidence in the counselor and do as advised.

20. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
Kinds of Therapies:
• Ashraf Ali Thanvi divided his therapies into two kinds:
(I) Reading therapy, (ii) Communication therapy
(I) Reading Therapy:
• Reading therapy is individual therapy. At the start of treatment session, Ashraf Thanvi asked his
patient to write down his problem believing that a strong psychological link existed between the
patient and the therapist.
• This association was developed through an exchange of letters. The patient must be conscious of
his anxiety and explain his trouble in writing.
• The therapist believed that some individuals needed direct guidance and counseling. After reading
the contents of patient’s letter, he put some questions to satisfy and prepare his (patient) for
treatment.
• More often that not, Maulana Thanvi provided reading material out of religious scholar’s books to
his patients. He never failed to let those read and received verses of the Holy Quran.

21. ASHRAF ALI THANVI
• Reading therapy depends upon the faint in ALLAH. Based on Muslim Philosophy, the
reading therapy believes that man is a whole unit. He has definite purpose of life. His
primary concern is fulfilling this aim. All directed towards definite goals of life. These
are to purify one’s soul and seek His pleasure and gratification.
(II) Communication Therapy:
• In this therapy, Maulana Thanvi patients to his Khanqah “Imdadia” where people
always gathered together.
• The Maulana used to sermonize on certain topic which the patients had to listen
intently and act upon as advised.
• He thought sermon was the best spiritual group therapy. The patients uttered again
and again what they listened. Remaining near to the therapist was important for
effective treatment.
• This way of treatment applied to those who fully believe in religion. Belief relates to
purity of though, uprightness of character, nearness to ALLAH and commitment.

24. Themes of Muslim
Psychology trends

25. Current Trends in Muslim Psychology
Malik Babikr Badri: (February 1932 – 8 February 2021)
• Badri was a Sudanese author and professor of psychology. He was the
founder of the modern Islamic Psychology.
• He also played a part in shaping massive cultural transformations that
changed the world.
• While Professor Badri’s writing and thought spanned several different
areas, the majority of his work fell into two major categories:
• 1) The indigenization of psychology (making psychology culturally
relevant to Arabs and beyond)
• 2) The Islamization of psychology.
• Within these categories, further distinctions can be made within Badri’s
lifetime of academic and professional contributions. These are:
• 1) the globalization of indigenous psychology and
• 2) indigenous Islamic Psychology.

28. Malik Babikr Badri’s Work
• Badri, Malik (15 September 2018). Contemplation:: An Islamic Psychospiritual Study (New ed.). International Institute of Islamic
Thought (IIIT). ISBN 978-1-64205-232-9.
• Badri, Malik (1 January 2013). Abu Zayd al-Balkhi's Sustenance of the Soul: The Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century
Physician. International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). ISBN 978-1-56564-599-8.
• Badri, Malik (15 March 2018). Culture and Islamic Adaptation Psychology. Humanology Sdn Bhd. ISBN 978-967-15409-2-3.
• Badrī, Mālik (2015). Cyber-counseling for Muslim Clients: A Muslim Psychologist Addressing Psychospiritual Problems Faced by
Muslims. Other Press. ISBN 978-967-0957-02-9.
• Esack, Farid; Chiddy, Sarah (19 January 2009). Islam and AIDS: Between Scorn, Pity and Justice. Oneworld Publications. ISBN
978-1-85168-633-9.
• Islamizing and Indigenizing Psychology
• Badri, Malik (1999). The AIDS crisis: a natural product of modernity's sexual revolution. Human Behaviour Academy. ISBN 978-
0-9574762-1-9.
• Badrī, Mālik (1998). The AIDS Dilemma: A Progeny of Modernity. Islamic Medical Association of South Africa.
• Badri, Malik (1999). The AIDS crisis: a natural product of modernity's sexual revolution. Human Behaviour Academy. ISBN 978-
0-9574762-1-9.
• The Wisdom of Islam in Prohibiting Alcohol
• Use and abuse of human sciences in Muslim Countries
• Tafakkur from perception to insight
• Psychology from an Islamic perspective
• Islam and Alcoholism
• General Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• The Psychology of Arab Children’s Drawings

29. Current Trends in Muslim Psychology
Goolam Hussein Rassool (1950-Present)
• Goolam Hussein Rassool is a Mauritian-British academic, teacher,
educationalist, author and Islamic psychotherapist.
• He is an experienced and innovative educational consultant and an
academic researcher in the field of Psychology, Education and
Mental Health.
• He was the first appointed Professor of Islamic Psychology in an
academic establishment.
• He currently holds the post of Professor of Islamic Psychology &
Consultant, Riphah Institute of Clinical and Professional Psychology/
Centre for Islamic Psychology, Riphah International University.
• He is also the Director of Studies, Department of Islamic Psychology,
Psychotherapy & Counselling, Al Balagh Academy.
• He is also the Chair of Al Balkhi Institute of Islamic Psychology
Research.

30. Current Trends in Muslim Psychology
• His research interests include Islamic psychology, psychotherapy &
counselling; psychosocial and spiritual problems; indigenous psychology;
mental health, curriculum development; Islamic studies.
• He set up a Research Laboratory in Islamic Psychology in Riphah
International University.
• He also was the founder of the Al-Balkhi Institute of Islamic Psychology
Research.
• Definition of Islamic Psychology
• Schools of Thought in Islamic Psychology
• Islamic Psychotherapy and Counselling
• Decolonisation of Psychology
• Curriculum approaches in Islamic Psychology Education (The
“sprinkle” approach, the “Bolt-on” approach and the “integrated
or embedded” approach).

31. List of Published Work
• Islamic Psychology -Ilm An-Nafs: Tradition in Human Behaviour and Experience from an Islamic Perspective
.Oxford: Routledge (2021).
• The Science of the Soul (Ilm an Nafs): Themes in Islamic Psychology. Gambia: Islamic Psychology Publishing (IIP) &
IOU Press (2021).
• Health and Psychology: An Islamic PerspectiveVolume1.London: Islamic Psychology Publication (IIP) (2020).
• Evil Eye, Jinn Possession, and Mental Health Issues: The Islamic Perspective. Oxford: Routledge, (2019).
• Alcohol and Drug Misuse. A Handbook for Students and Health Professionals.
• Islamic Counselling: An Introduction. Hove, East Sussex: Routledge (2016).
• Cultural Competence in Caring for Muslim Patients. Basingstoke:Palgrave McMillan, (2014).
• Addictive Behaviours: Theory & Clinical Practice. Basingstoke:Palgrave McMillan (2011).
• Addiction for Nurses. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, (2010).
• Alcohol and Drug Misuse. A Handbook for Students and Health Professionals. Hove, East Sussex: Routledge
(2009).
• Rassool G.Hussein & Luckman, M. (2022). Foundations of Islamic psychology: From Classical Scholars to
Contemporary Thinkers. Oxford: Routledge.
• Pir, M & Rassool G.Hussein. The Evil Eye is Real (2022). Birmingham: Kube Publications.
• Khan, A., Rassool, G.Hussein., Mabud, S., & Ahsan, M. (2020). Sexuality Education from an Islamic Perspective.
Newcastle Upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Ltd.
• Rassool G.Hussein. (Ed.) (2006). Dual Diagnosis Nursing. Oxford: Blackwell Publications.
• Rassool G.Hussein. (Ed.) (2001). Dual Diagnosis: Substance Misuse and Psychiatric Disorders. Oxford: Blackwell
Science.
• Rassool G.Hussein. (Ed.) (1998). Substance Use and Misuse. Nature, Contexts and Clinical Interventions. Blackwell
Science, Oxford.

32. References
• Haque, A., 2004. Psychology from Islamic perspective: Contributions of early Muslim scholars and
challenges to contemporary Muslim psychologists. Journal of religion and health, 43, pp.357-377.
• Awaad, R., Elsayed, D., Ali, S., & Abid, A. (2020). Islamic psychology: A portrait of its historical origins
and contributions. In Applying Islamic Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care, pp. 69-95. Routledge.
• Farooqi, Y.N. (2006). Understanding Islamic Perspective of Mental Health and Psychotherapy. Journal of
Psychology in Africa, 16(1), 101–111. doi:10.1080/14330237.2006.10820109.
• Keshavarzi, H., and Haque, A. (2013). Outlining a Psychotherapy Model for Enhancing Muslim Mental
Health within an Islamic Context. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 23(3), 230– 249.
doi:10.1080/10508619.2012.712000.
• Al-Ghazālī, A. M. (2005). Iḥyaʼ ‘ulūm al-Dīn. (Z. A. al-‘Irā qī, Ed.) (1st ed.). Beirut: Dār ibn Ḥazm.
• Nofal, N. (1993). Al-Ghazali (A.D. 1058–1111; A.H. 450–505) Prospects: The Quarterly Review of
Comparative Education. Paris, UNESCO: International Bureau of Education, XXIII (3–4), 519– 542.
http://www.ibe.unesco.org/sites/default/files/ghazalie.pdf.