We are going to discuss about Muslim Philosophers Research in Mental Health Muslim Philosophers presented concise and clear ideas about the types actions and functions of human nature. A child is born pure. He has both the positive and negative forces, but they are not at conflict at that time and are in complete harmony. Man has been given the ability to differentiate between good and bad.
Imam-Razi (850-925 Ad)
• A person maintains sentimental attachment with the physical/material object and When he has to part away from the object he becomes frustrated and a mental patient due to the sentimental attachment with the mortal things
• He keeps on increasing his attachment with these things until it become more Important than “necessary”
• Believed that person should love others through God. These physical things are granted by God and He takes them back whenever He wants
AL-FARABI (870-950 AD)
• Philosopher and poet
• According to him, Man is composed of two elements; body and soul
• Believed in dualistic nature of Man
• He was of the view that there exists no relationship between body and soul
Ibne- Muskavia (930-1030 Ad)
• “Man is a compound of body and soul”
• ‘Rooh’ is the main factor that controls our actions and maintains them
• If ‘soul’ rules over the body then person remains mentally healthy but if body rules over the soul then the person becomes mentally ill
Ibn-E-Sina/Avicenna (980-1037 Ad)
• A physician, scientist and a philosopher
• Considered as the great physicians of ‘Middle Ages’
• Gave importance to the ‘sentiments’ of the individual
• He said,” When man is away from God’s love, he is also away from man’s love”
• Gave the systematic account of kinds of mind and its faculties
According to him, there are three kinds of mind:
• Vegetable Mind
• Animal Mind
Imam-Ghazali (1058-1111 Ad)
• Believed that ‘self’ which is called ‘Qalb’ is the essence of Man.
• It is the spiritual entity residing in the human body which controls the organic and physical functions of an individual
• ‘Self’ is the center of personality from which all the psychological phenomena Originate
• He classified the behavioral mal-adjustments into the bodily and spiritual disorders
According to him there are SIX powers of “Self”:
• Anger
• Impulse
• Apprehension
• Intellect
• Appetite
• Will
o Anger is the ‘beastly power’ and ‘intellect’ is the ‘Devine power’.
o His method of treatment is called “contradictory treatment” i.e., illiteracy is treated with literacy.
o The therapist was named ’Sheikh’ and patient called ‘Mureed’.
Ibne Arabi (1165-1240 Ad)
•Believed in the idea of “WAHDAT- UL WAJOOD” which means that Man is the part of God himself.
•Because Man is created by God, so for mental health, it is essential that he should perish himself in the “ZAAT” of God.
Mujadad Alfsani (1564-1625 Ad)
•Supported the idea of “WAHADT -UL-SHAHOOD” means “REFLECTION OF GOD” which means that the God’s reflection can be seen in the things, which have been created by God.
•A person who is complete in his self and a follower of Shariat and Tareequat is mentally healthy.
•Believed that God does not finish the individuality of human beings and it is not necessary that man should finish his self and amalgamate into the zaat of God.
Shah Wali Ullah (1703-1762 AD)
•Mentioned about two forces:
I. Beastly Force or Baheemi
II. Ar-Rabbani or Devine.
•Both are contradictory forces and are always struggling. This struggle is called “TAJAZUB”.
•When there is no struggle between these forces, then the individual’s condition is called
“ISTALLAH”(mentally healthy and well balanced).
•But when they are struggling and have conflict, then it is called “ALLAHIE TAJAZUB (tendency towards mental illness).
