Islamic Psychology or ilm an-nafs (science of the soul)is an important introductory textbook drawing on the latest evidence in the sub-disciplines of psychology to provide a balanced and comprehensive view of human nature, behaviour and experience. Its foundation to develop theories about human nature is based upon the writings of the Qur’an, Sunna, Muslim scholars and contemporary research findings.

Synthesising contemporary empirical psychology and Islamic psychology, this book is holistic in both nature and process and includes the physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of human behaviour and experience. Through a broad and comprehensive scope, the book addresses three main areas: Context, perspectives and the clinical applications of applied psychology from an Islamic approach.

This book is a core text on Islamic psychology for undergraduate and postgraduate students and those undertaking continuing professional development in Islamic psychology, psychotherapy and counselling. Beyond this, it is also a good supporting resource for teachers and lecturers in this field.

Foundations of Islāmic Psychology: From Classical Scholars to Contemporary Thinkers examines the history of Islāmic psychology from the Islāmic Golden age through the early 21st century, giving a thorough look into Islāmic psychology’s origins, Islāmic philosophy and theology, and key developments in Islāmic psychology.

In tracing psychology from its origins in early civilisations, ancient philosophy, and religions to the modern discipline of psychology, this book integrates overarching psychological principles and ideas that have shaped the global history of Islāmic psychology. It examines the legacy of psychology from an Islāmic perspective, looking at the contributions of early Islāmic classical scholars and contemporary psychologists, and to introduce how the history of Islāmic philosophy and sciences has contributed to the development of classical and modern Islāmic psychology from its founding to the present. With each chapter covering a key thinker or moment, and also covering the globalisation of psychology, the Islāmisation of knowledge, and the decolonisation of psychology, the work critically evaluates the effects of the globalisation of psychology and its lasting impact on indigenous culture.

This book aims to engage and inspire students taking undergraduate and graduate courses on Islāmic psychology, to recognise the power of history in the academic studies of Islāmic psychology, to connect history to the present and the future, and to think critically. It is also ideal reading for researchers and those undertaking continuing professional development in Islāmic psychology, psychotherapy, and counselling.

This book provides academic and clinical institutions for developing their educational programmes in psychology, psychotherapy, and counselling from an Islāmic paradigm.

Examining the educational approach in the decolonisation of psychology curricula, the book proposes a vertically and horizontally integrated, embedded curriculum model. This model meets the changing needs of practitioners, incorporating indigenous cultural aspects and emerging technologies to reflect new and creative ways of thinking about delivering education in the post Covid-19 era. The chapters also demonstrate how curriculum development, based on the principles of Islamic education, helps institutions to establish purpose, define activities, and guide decision making in educational development. A series of steps for implementing this need-driven educational programme has been suggested.

This practical, concise, and evidenced-based text will be a key resource for educators and trainers. It will help them understand how to re-design or suggest changes to curriculum structure, shape, and content in Islāmic psychology, psychotherapy, and counselling for undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing professional development levels of education.

The book provides an authoritative and comprehensive account of the psychology of health from an Islamic perspective. The contents of the book focus on core areas such as concept of health and the individual, stress and coping, nutrition and eating, exercise and activity, addictive behaviours, mental health and Jinn possession, and health promotion and disease prevention. In addition, the book will cover the specific problems and issues regarding cardiovascular disease, diabetes, smoking, hypertension and HIV & AIDS & Blood-Borne Viruses.Wide coverage of the health psychology discipline.Multidisciplinary and International in focus.Responding to the needs of the Muslim patients.It exemplifies the understanding of the relationship between health psychology and cultural and religious factors.Provide activities – enable the readers to undertake reflective practices on the issues an problems faced when managing Muslim patients

They ask you concerning wine and the game of hazard. Say: “In both there is great sin and also some advantages for men; but their sin is greater than their advantage”. And they ask you what they should spend. Say: “what you can spare.” Thus does Allah make His commandments clear to you that you may reflect. “(Al Baqarah, 2:220, interpretation of the meaning).

Alcohol is a universal phenomenon that is now regarded as a major public health problem. During the past few decades, Muslims have not been immune in the use of alcohol. Though, Muslim majority countries have the lowest alcohol consumption rates per capita in the world, they also have a higher proportion of unreported alcohol consumption. Many Muslim alcohol users have been left to suffer in silence because addiction are taboo and the stigma attached to alcohol use. The Qur’ān, Sunnah and Islamic jurisprudence provide clear and unwavering values in the importance of keeping our minds and bodies from being befogged by the harms caused by alcoholic beverages. It is by reverting back to the Qur’ān and Hadith that we remind ourselves of the importance of preserving our physical, mental and spiritual health. The book is about a basic understanding of alcohol from an Islamic perspective. The primary aim of the book is to synthesise the body of knowledge of alcohol addiction and Islamic perspective. It also aims to foster awareness of knowledge and understanding of alcohol addiction required to respond effectively to Muslim clients that Islamic psychotherapists and counsellors encounter in their clinical practice.

Addiction is a universal phenomenon that is now regarded as a major public health problem. The term addictive behaviours are used in many contexts to describe an obsession, compulsion, or excessive physical dependence or psychological dependence, such as: alcohol addiction, drug addiction, and tobacco and shisha addiction, gambling disorder and cyber addiction.

During the past few decades, Muslims have not been immune in the use of alcohol, drug, tobacco, and shisha smoking. In addition, Muslims have been involved in gambling and cybersex addiction. Islam views the use of intoxicants and gambling as the ‘Mother of all evils’ and, hence, categorically prohibits their use and their involvement in addictive behaviours. Islamic countries including Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan have a high prevalence of opiate use and injection drug use with an increasing prevalence of HIV infection. Many Muslim addicts have been left to suffer in silence because addictive behaviours are taboo and the stigma attached to those diseases.

There are major challenges facing the Muslim world in relation to pharmacological or non-pharmacological addictions. Muslims are a heterogeneous group with varying values, attitudes and customs that influence the nature and patterns of addictive behaviours. The Qur’an, Sunnah (words, actions and practices of the Prophet Mohammed () and Islamic jurisprudence provide clear and unwavering values in the importance of keeping our minds and bodies from being befogged by the harms caused by psychoactive substances. The challenges are to take steps towards reversing the addiction trends we are now witnessing in our communities. However, Islam can also play a pivotal role in addiction prevention, treatment, rehabilitation therapy and recovery of Muslim addicts.

The book is about a basic understanding of addictive behaviours from an Islamic perspective. The primary aim of the book is to synthesise the body of knowledge of the psychology of addiction and Islamic perspective. It also aims to foster awareness of knowledge and understanding of addictive behaviours required to respond effectively to Muslim clients that Islamic psychotherapists and counsellors encounter in their clinical practice.

Implicit in the title of the book is an exploration of the themes of the Science of the Soul, better known as Islamic Psychology. Human nature and the process of behaviour and emotions are inherent holistic processes that integrate the physical. psychological, social and spiritual dimensions. Accordingly, the Islamic nature of the human being is whole, comprehensive and complete according to the Qur’ān and Sunnah. In essence, “Islam provides a balanced focus between universal principles of human behaviours (with its universal laws and Shar’iah or divine laws) and individual differences. The universal laws may include biological, social, psychological and economic dimensions based on empirical research. The Qur’ān and Hadith provide guidance and basis to the laws of human nature. These laws can be used as the foundation to develop theories about human nature based upon the writings of Muslim scholars and contemporary research findings.”[1]

The concept of this book, reflected in the context and scope, attempts to address some themes in Islamic psychology and focuses the evolution of Islamic Psychology, the development of the science of the soul from classical Islamic scholars to contemporary thinkers. It examines the concepts of the Fitrah, nature and nurture, the Nafs (Soul), the Aql (Intellect), the Qalb (Heart) and Ibn al-Qayyim’s types of hearts. Other themes include models and approaches in Islamic psychology, spiritual motivation, spiritual capital, ethical intelligence, Tawbah and the process of change, learning theories and spiritual modelling: an Islamic perspective, altruistic or helping behaviour, obsessive-compulsive disorder and scrupulosity: spiritual or pathological?, de-colonising psychotherapy and counselling, and religious coping in an Islamic context.

This book examines the intersection of Islāmic spirituality and psychotherapy, analyzing how Islāmic principles can be integrated into therapeutic practices to foster mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Through a comprehensive exploration of Islāmic teachings and contemporary psychological theories, it aims to offer valuable insights for both practitioners and students of Islāmic psychotherapy.

The book starts by analyzing the convergence of Islāmic spirituality and psychotherapy, discussing the importance of decolonizing psychological knowledge and presenting the foundations of Islāmic psychotherapy. Next, it analyzes various psychological approaches – such as psychoanalytic therapy, client-centred therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy – and discusses the congruences or dissonances of each approach with Islāmic spirituality. Finally, the book examines the relationship between emotion and mental health from an Islāmic perspective and reflects on the integration of Islāmic spirituality in psychotherapy, providing practical strategies and tools for Islāmic psychotherapists.

Exploring the Intersection of Islāmic Spirituality and Psychotherapy: Healing the Soul will be an invaluable resource for mental health practitioners such as counsellors and psychotherapists, as well as for scholars and students, interested in learning how to bridge the gap between Islāmic spirituality and psychotherapy, offering insights and guidance for those seeking to integrate these domains and developing a deeper understanding of Islāmic psychotherapy.

Islamic Psychology: The Basics is a jargon-free and accessible introduction that explores psychology from an Islāmic perspective, and provides a foundation level overview of the fundamental principles and practices of Islāmic psychology. The book introduces concepts, models, approaches, themes, and theories you need to know to study the mind, soul, and behaviour based on Islāmic scripture.

Offering an overview of Islāmic psychology and what Islāmic psychologists do, chapters address key topics including the history of the evolution of the science of the soul, and the psychology of human behaviour and experiences. Rassool examines the concepts of the Fitrah, the Nafs (Self), the Aql (Intellect), the Rūḥ (Soul) the Qalb (Heart), and the concept of Islāmic healing and spiritual interventions. Other themes include the Qur’an and psychology, models and approaches in Islāmic psychology, interpreting Islāmic psychology for modern times, and the contemporary scope of the practice of Islāmic psychology.

Outlining the challenges and solutions of the development of Islāmic psychology and potential future trends, and including features to aid learning, this is the ideal introductory book for students in Psychology, Islāmic Psychology, and Islāmic Studies, as well as professionals including counsellors and therapists, and anyone interested in psychology from an Islāmic perspective.