More than 100 participants from Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Bangladesh, Australia and various parts of India are attending the conference
AMN / ALIGARH
Three-day International Conference on ‘Islamic Psychology: Theory, Research and Application’ began at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) today. Inaugurating the seminar AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor said: “”Islam teaches us to be in positive state of mind and it controls our thought processes in a positive manner. We can increase the effectiveness of prayers and relieve ourselves from anger, depression and anxieties,”.
Conference is organised by the Department of Psychology in collaboration with International Association of Muslim Psychologists, Indian Council on Islamic Perspective in Psychology (New Delhi), Centre for study and Research and Training (Hyderabad), Al Barkaat Islamic Research and Training Institute (Aligarh) and Al Mustafa International University (Tehran).
Prof Mansoor further said that Muslims should look forward to new developments and models of Muslim majority countries like Malaysia and Indonesia should be followed. “Malaysia and Indonesia have been hailed as models of how countries can provide its people with positive successful economic and social reforms based on tolerance, pluralism and equality,” said the Vice Chancellor.
On the occasion, the Vice Chancellor also released ‘Contemporary Trends in Islamic Psychology’, edited by Prof Akbar Husain and ‘Contemporary Human Issues in Islamic Perspective’ authored by Dr Abdul Majid Khan.
Dr Bagus Riyono (President, International Association of Muslim Psychologists-IAMP, Indonesia) pointed out that Islamic Psychology movement, which was started by Prof Malik Badri in the 1970s has been going on for several decades.
Elaborating the future of Islamic Psychology, Dr Riyono said that the next step for Islamic Psychology is to build psychological theories based on Islamic teachings and carry intensive researches for providing scientific foundations of these theories..
“It is hoped that this conference will become a productive platform for the academic community as a significant step for the development of Islamic Psychology,” said Dr Riyono.
“Applications of Islamic Human sciences with all its different divisions in the realm of sociology, law, psychology, political, ethical and social sciences is imperative in the modern human life which faces spiritual vacuum,” said Dr Mohammad Reza Saleh (Special Representative, Al Mustafa International University, Tehran) adding that we need to generate rational way of comprehensions of religion and to create a unique methodology to extract religious ideologies from original sources.
Prof Akbar Husain (Director of the Conference and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences) emphasised, “It was Al-Ghazali, who recognised this branch of knowledge as Ilm al Nafsiyat and Ilm al Muamlat (Study of Mind and Behaviour),” said Prof Husain adding that Islamic psychology explains that when a man undergoes spiritual purification by subduing his evil urges, he actualises the angelic attributes.
He delineated how Islamic Psychology is integrated in religion, Al Tibb, spirituality and theology. “Muslim scholars such as Abu Yusuf Ya’qub Ibn Ishaq, Abu Zahid Al Balkhi, Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakaria Al Razi, Abu Nasr Muhammad, Shah Waliulla and Ashraf Thanvi among others have left an indelible impression on the natural and social sciences for which the world will ever remain indebted as they integrated Islamic perspectives with existing knowledge of their times,” said Prof Husain.
While welcoming the guests, Prof Roomana N Siddiqui (Organising Secretary) said that Islamic Psychology is grounded in the preaching of Quran and history is replete with evidence of its contribution in the growth of psychology.
Prof Naved Iqbal (Organising Secretary) proposed the vote of thanks, while Dr Fouzia Alsabah Shaikh conducted the programme.
More than 100 participants from Sudan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Bangladesh, Australia and various parts of India are attending the conference. Over 100 research papers will be presented in the conference and 12 invited lectures are also scheduled before the valedictory function on November 12.