Qur’anic Concepts of Human Psyche Lahore, Pakistan. Sha‘ban 25 1409/April 3, 1989

Abstract

During the recent past a number of Muslim psychologists in Pakistan
as well as other countries have attempted to develop a greater understanding
of basic Islamic sources for an alternate view of human psyche. This is an
approach which is quite new for psychologists in Muslim countries who have
been trained in the Western intellectual tradition, and have depended on Western
sources for their methods, models and content areas of research.
Since the Qur’an is the basic source of Islamic thought, it is not surprising
that a number of Muslim psychologists have turned to the Qur’an in order
to develop an alternate perspective of understanding the human psyche.
It was therefore proposed that the IIIT should help in consolidating the
efforts being made in this respect by sponsoring a seminar for psychologists
interested in this area.
Objectives
The seminar aimed at giving the Pakistani psychologists interested in
the application of Islamic concepts in understanding human psyche an opportunity
to meet and exchange ideas, and to present their views and findings
to each other and to teachers and advance students of psychology.
The Seminar
The seminar was organized by the IIIT, Pakistan in collaboration with
the Department of Psychology, Government College, Lahore. This department,
which is the oldest institution of post-graduate teaching and research
in psychology in Pakistan, has a strong tradition of interest in Muslim
Psychology. They offer an optional course in Muslim Contributions to
Psychotherapy also. The local organizer was Dr. Azhar Ali Rizvi, Chairperson
of the above department.
The seminar was held on April 3, 1989 in Falleties Hotel, Lahore. In
all, 21 persons attended the delibemtions. They included eminent psychologists,
social scientists and some scholars of the Holy Qur‘an. Apart from the kkhtani
participants, two psychologists from Dhaka University, Bangladesh read their ...