Islamic psychology: conceptual foundations and problems of methodology

Abstract

The article is devoted to the conceptual foundations and problems of the methodology of modern Islamic Psychology, which, on the one hand, is a fairly new phenomenon in Islamic thought and world psychology, and on the other hand, historically has its roots in the works of medieval Muslim scholars, and then - in the primary sources of Islam – the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The author undertakes a brief overview of the historical path of development and the current state of Muslim psychological thought, and also analyses approaches to the definition and subject of Islamic Psychology. It has been revealed that the common matter in the considered definitions is a reference to the religious nature of Islamic Psychology and the subject of research - the soul and other components of the inner world of man and the mental processes and behaviour determined by them. The author underlines the controversial nature of the Islamic Psychology methodology issues, which is typical for Islamic epistemology problematics in general. The article raises main methodological issues of Islamic Psychology and paves the ways to solve them, particularly through the implementation of the Integration of Knowledge approach and Maqasid methodology. It is substantiated that true integration in understanding the inner world of man and his behaviour  is possible provided that the efforts of Islamic psychologists and Islamic theologians combine on the basis of affined religious beliefs and similar interpretations of Islamic provisions, and consideration of psychology and its individual topics through the prism of religious (Islamic) knowledge, and understanding of Quranic verses and hadiths containing “psychological” provisions through the prism of scientific, evidence-based psychology.