Laaibah Niazi
Western psychology is often perceived as the universal truth when it comes to issues related to mental health. This is despite the fact that Western psychology itself has European roots and, in its Eurocentric context, has an implicit secular bias. However, this can be mitigated by adopting an open mind towards promoting inclusivity from different cultural perspectives and diverse research.
Western psychology includes various domains like biomedical, cognitive-behavioral, and reductionist. This means that it interprets any mental health disorders as a cause of biological processes in the body, which gives way for it to also resort to treatment in pharmacology, including medication, drugs, etc. Historically, this field was brought from analyzing the bacteria: general paresis, which affects the brain, leading to cognitive and psychological decline. The field of biological research has grown ever since, in which diagnosis is more focused towards biological mechanisms. Reductionism, as the term suggests, is a similar concept in which psychological phenomena are understood in simple terms, limited to brain functions and neurotransmitters. However, this way of treatment has faced criticism, implying that the oversimplification of physiological matters leads to neglect of an individual’s subjective experience and overlooks the social factors that are of paramount importance. It focuses heavily on individuals rather than on a wider social context, and that over-individualisation can weaken the social fabric. Overall, critics argue that Western psychology is over-pathologizing because it tends to medicalize struggles like grief or spiritual crisis.
Therefore, it is important to recognise that mental health is influenced by factors other than psychology. Factors such as an individual’s spiritual beliefs, ethics, and social connections also need to be considered to create a holistic approach. The inclusion of a spiritual dimension makes strategies like coping or finding purpose easier, thereby facilitating the mental well-being process. Having strong community support is also essential as it provides resilience and a sense of belonging. Additionally, people with diverse backgrounds may perceive their mental health differently, and it is also equally important to prioritize their preferences in strategizing it, too.
Islamic psychology offers a multi-dimensional paradigm of human nature which includes qalb (heart), nafs (self), ruh (spirit), and aql (intellect). Mental health is not merely the absence of illness, but alignment with fitrah (innate disposition) and connection to Allah. For example, it brings about inner peace and contentment by focusing on the Qalb (heart)through a connection with God. There is also a strong emphasis on numerous mindful practices, such as prayer, meditation, dua, Quranic recitation, gratitude, and zikr (the remembrance of Allah), to reduce stress and anxiety. This contradicts the limitations imposed by Western psychology, which overlooks spiritual importance and focuses solely on the brain or mind. Moreover, Islamic psychology highlights the need for a strong social community and meaningful relationships, thereby perfectly balancing inner and outer factors.
In modern settings, there are ways to integrate Islamic psychology and Western therapy holistically. For instance, combining spiritual practices with CBT or using mindfulness as muraqabah (mindfulness of God). For example, someone who is suffering from depression can take therapy as well as reconnect with prayer. Overall, there should be some space for integrating Islamic psychology as the bare minimum. Mosques that are integral to Islamic social systems can provide counseling services from the Quran with deeply rooted Islamic psychology as well as modern strategies. Islamic psychology should also be highly integrated into the curriculum in educational institutions that train Muslim therapists. In a nutshell, Islamic psychology should reach more recognition instead of being dismissed as ‘religious’ rather than scientific. This would not only provide progressive healthcare for Muslims but also pave the way for incorporating the ideas of other culturally enriched societies at large to form strong, compassionate, and healthy communities.