Psychic disorders: Islamic perspective
MENA Dubai 2003 Abstract
Author Ali Saeed Ahmed Al-Tariq
Copy Psychic disorders hinder individuals' progress towards pleasure and contentment. Of course, the untidy disordered ones do not only bring harm to themselves, they also bring insecurity to society at large. To solve this problem, the specialized persons and institutions are doing their best to regulate those who behave in a disorderly manner, or at least alleviate their problems.

Indeed, most of the techniques and approaches used today world-wide in treating psychic cases are almost all based on theories concluded by diverse schools of psychology particularly those in the Western World. However, the success of Western methods in treating disorders is still limited to some cases, whereas many other cases remained untreated by the same methods.

Guidance and counseling used today in treating psychic disorders depends entirely on Western society which follows the methodology of empirical evidence disregarding the affective religious aspects of human life.

Tendencies toward empiricism are widely accepted in Western societies in parallel with secular culture predominating there. Unfortunately, the Muslim World adopted this methodology without questioning its validity in their homeland, and with no regards to their religion which comprised a profound influence on character and behavior of Muslims.

Can Muslims refer to their religion to find recourse and a platform for their own guidance and counseling, and then create an effective course of action to help those experiencing disorders? Presumably, the existing practices associated with this action in the Muslim World are too remote from such perspective.

From this predisposition, this paper is trying to address the issue of psychic disorders from the Islamic point of view with respect to the following:

  1. Taxonomy of people in terms of beliefs and behavior.

  2. Classification of human psyche types and states of mind.

  3. Factors leading to psychic disorders and determinates to develop psychological health.

  4. Religious (spiritual) counseling and psychotherapy.

  5. Contribution of Muslim Scholars in the field of psychology.