Question 584: Define Psychology in Quran? What kind of Psychological Defense Mechanisms have mentioned in the holy Quran?
Answer 584: We believe that the Holy Quran is a guidance and mercy for a people who have faith. The final purpose that the Holy Quran has been sent down for is to continuously nurture the human being to evolve it from a lower to a higher stage of existence. This means that the holy Quran nurture the human being unto perfection.
In the Holy Quran Allah, the Almighty says: “We have sent down the Book to you as a clarification of all things and as a guidance and mercy and good news for the Muslims”[1] The meaning of ‘All Things’ is every affairs that a human needs it to reach at the highest level of perfection. These affairs can be of the following: Material, Spiritual, Social and Individual aspects.
In psychology, ‘How to think’ is one of the things which is considered as the most important guidelines aspects of human life that has been explained completely in the Holy Quran.
According to Quran, there are three different kinds of characteristics can be imagined for the human beings: Momen (believer), Kafir (disbeliever) and Munafiq (hypocrite).[2]
A believer has the three following characteristics: Some of them are those who wrong themselves, and some of them are average, and some of them are those who take the lead in all the good works by Allah’s will.[3]
The characteristic by which we can recognize a Kafir is that they are deaf, dumb, and Blind; thus, they do not understand Anything, due to their shortage of Wisdom.[4]
What the tangible characteristic for the Munafiqs is that there is a sickness in their hearts and when they are told Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say,” We are only reformers! These are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no gain, nor are they the followers of the right direction. Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire, but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness they do not see.
The Quran has also talked about kinds of grief, sorrows and its solutions in order to get rid of it, two types of fears:
Acceptable fear: “The faithful are only those whose hearts tremble] with awe [when Allah is mentioned, and when His signs are recited to them, they increase their faith, and who put their trust in their Lord”.[5]
Unacceptable Fear: “When they came at you from above and below you, and when the eyes rolled] with fear [and the hearts leapt to the throats, and you entertained misgivings about Allah; It was there that the faithful were tested and jolted with a severe agitation.”[6]
Kinds of anger in the holy Quran:
Useful rage: “As for him who endures patiently and forgives that is indeed the steadiest of courses.”[7]
Balanced rage: “Good and evil] conduct [are not equal. Repel] evil [with what is best.] If you do so, [behold, he between whom and you was enmity, will be as though he were a sympathetic friend.”[8]
Destructive rage: 1. “And hasten towards your Lord’s forgiveness and a paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God wary”. [9] 2. “Certainly you were longing for death before you had encountered it. Then certainly you saw it, as you looked on”.[10]
The best solution when you are angry can be found in the following verses of the holy Quran:
- “Those who avoid major sins and indecencies, and forgive when angered”.[11]
- “Let the well-off and the opulent among you not vow not to give to the relatives and the needy, and to those who have migrated in the way of Allah, and let them excuse and forbear. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful”.[12]
In the Holy Quran there has been mentioned three kinds of Psychological Defense Mechanisms as follows:
Psychological projection: “There is certainly a good exemplar for you in Abraham and those who were with him, when they said to their own people,” Indeed we repudiate you and whatever you worship besides Allah. We disavow you, and between you and us there has appeared enmity and hate for ever, unless you come to have faith in Allah alone,” except for Abraham’s saying to his father,” I will surely plead forgiveness for you, though I cannot avail you anything against Allah.”” Our Lord! In You do we put our trust, and to You do we turn penitently, and toward You is the destination”.[13]
Rationalization (making excuses): ”When they are told,” Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say,” We are only reformers!”; Look! They are themselves the agents of corruption, but they are not aware.”.[14]
Reaction formation:
- “Among the people is he whose talk about worldly life impresses you, and he holds Allah witness to what is in his heart, though he is the staunchest of enemies”; “And if he were to wield authority, he would try to cause corruption in the land, and to ruin the crop and the stock, and Allah does not like corruption”[15]
- “When you see them, their bodies impress you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. Yet they are like dry logs set reclining] against a wall [. They suppose every cry is directed against them. They are the enemy, so beware of them. May Allah assail them, where do they stray?!”.[16]
Psychotherapy in Quran: One of the Useful Psychotherapy has been mentioned in the holy Quran is: “O mankind! There has certainly come to you an advice from your Lord, and a cure for what is in the breasts, and a guidance and mercy for the faithful.”[17]
In the Holy Quran Allah (SWT) introduces a Quranic Psychotherapy as follows: “Those who have faith and do not taint their faith with wrongdoing for such there shall be safety, and they are the [rightly] guided.[18]
Also, Allah, the Almighty introduces another Psychotherapy: “Those who have faith, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.” Look! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance!”.[19]
Note: The previous mentioned verses are a few psychological examples have been explained in the Holy Quran.
For further information in this regards, please refer to the following answer:
Index: Good behavior? Refraining from a bad suspicion, answer 580.
[1] . Surah al-Nahl, verse 89.
[2] . Verses 2 to 20 of Surah Baqarah.
[3] . Surah Fatir, verse 32.
[4] . Surah Baqara, verse 171.
[5] . Surah Anfal, verse 2.
[6] . Surah Ahzab, verses 10 and 11.
[7] . Surah Shura, verse 43.
[8] . Surah Fussilat verse 34.
[9] . Surah al-Emran, verses 133.
[10] . Ibid, verse 143.
[11] . Surah Shura, verse 37.
[12] . Surah Noor, verse 22.
[13] . Surah Munafiqun, verse 4.
[14] . Sura Baqara, verses 11 and 12.
[15] . Surahs Baqarah, verses 204 and 205.
[16] . Surah Munafiqun, verse 4.
[17] . Surah Younes, verse 57.
[18] . Surah An’am, verse 82.
[19] . Surah al-Ra’d, verse 28.
