Review of: ISLAMIZATION

OF PSYCHOLOGY: FROM
ADAPTATION TO
SUBLIMATION by Louay M. Saf
Siti Inarah Hasim

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH WESTERN

SECULARIZATION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES?
- Emphasizes on empiricism based on experimentation and observation
(something that can be seen) to guide the way of life
- Since unseen elements (moral, metaphysical, transcendental matter) related
closely with religion (based on holy scripture), it is denied thus the
secularization of knowledges.
- Denial the connection between the different field of knowledge/disciplines economy and ethics/moral
All of this excessive empiricism and lack of morality/ethics leads to society of
materialism and of hedonistic value.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH WESTERN

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES?
Psychoanalysis (Freud) - Human behaviors are guided largely by his/her
unconscious mind and personality majorly based on childhood experiences.
Behaviorism (Skinner) - Actions as a result of environment or external stimuli
(reward and punishment). Unseen mental elements is considered insignificant in
understanding behavior.
Both schools delineated the facts that either behaviors resulting from the outside
(Behaviorism) or from the inside (Psychoanalytic) stimuli, both occur
spontaneously (unconscious) thus denying the elements of values, belief and
morality in guiding the actions.

WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS OF WESTERN

PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES?
Humanistic School (Rogers and Maslow)
-Rogers believe that human internal goodness are manifest in the presence of
continuous improvement of quality of human species, parallel with evolutionary
theory. Thus suggesting people of olden times lack of intrinsic goodness as
compared to modern mankind.
-Maslow overlook the cruciality of human will/volition in determining ones
character rather than the environment alone.

DO WE NEED AN ALTERNATIVE?
YES
By looking at the way of life, societies today.
Although Western view may provide us with certain important insight, they are still
lacking and unable to give a comprehensive, a more meaningful idea.
This is where Islamic approaches can be applied as an alternatives.
There are a lot of early classical writings by the Muslims scholars discussing the
psychological aspects based on the divine scripture.
One main reference is written by Al-Ghazzali: Ihya Ulum Al-Din

AL-GHAZZALI : IHYA ULUM AL-DIN

Al qalb (Intrinsic element that constitute human being):
1.Spiritual (ruhi) - where human knowledge and volition combined in guiding
behavior.
2.Cognitive (latifa alima) - for perception and learning, thinking
3.Physic (nafsi) - feelings and emotions
4.Biological (ismi) - to actualize the other 3 elements into real world
So it can be seen that the unseen non-empirical element of spirituality (ruhi) is
taken into account from the Islamic perspective.

AL-GHAZZALI : IHYA ULUM AL-DIN - 4 MENTAL STATES

4 Mental states precede human actions:
1. Alkhatir (impression) - an image/thought appear in mind
2. Al-mayl (disposition) - it is in the form of urge or desire to do the action
3. Hukm (judgement) - self evalution of the planned action based on deep
seated value
4. Al-ham (volition) - the planned action is to be executed unless prevented by
external circumstances.
Therefore based on these states human actions are not spontaneous as
discussed per western view before.

AL-GHAZZALI : IHYA ULUM AL-DIN - FROM

ADAPTATION TO SUBLIMATION
The proposed method is to substitute adaptation (mainly used in psychotherapy)
to sublimation
Adaptation technique in psychotherapy focuses on overcoming the feeling of guilt
associated with ones failure (reconciliation with weakness)
Sublimation (Tazkiyah) - the profound transformation of ones personality and
character by using the concept of Tawbah (repentance) as proposed by a Muslim
psychologist Al-Zubair Bashir Taha. This method involved that apart from being
aware of the evil/wrongdoing action, one should compensate his/her behavior by
committing positive behaviors to reinforces his/her commitment .

THANK YOU