---------- Forwarded message ----------
Subject: Psychology & Spirituality


Question:-
Islam is concerned mainly with the human soul and it has been asserted
that
the
Quran can be regarded from one point of view as a work in Psychology
and yet
it has
many instructions that relate to physical or social matters..
What is the difference or relationship between the spiritual, the
psychological and the physical?
Is psychology merely a modern name for the spiritual?

Answer:-

The word "psychology" is used in different ways by different people.
It is sometimes regarded as the science of behaviour and sometimes as
a science of the mind - of experiences and sometimes it is simply a
branch of philosophy.

When speaking of Psychology I understand the various mechanisms and
processes that relate to the mind - i.e. to thought, emotions
(motives,
feeling) and voluntary action as distinct from the physical structure
and
processes
the physiology and biology of a person.

When speaking of spirituality I mean things connected with the soul -
that
is, with
consciousness, conscience and will (self-control) and connected
impulses such as love, faith and hope.

However, the psychology of a person is affected
by both the physical nature of the person, and the spirituality
of the individual to various degrees.
There is a degree of inter-dependence between the three.
So we cannot wholly exclude these when speaking of someone's
psychology.

The behaviour of most human beings most of the time, unfortunately,
does
not involve spirituality - consciousness, conscience or will. That is
people behave (in thought, emotion and action) in an automatic manner
driven by (i) inherent genetic factors and (ii) factors acquired
through
experiences in the physical, social and cultural environment. But it
is perfectly possible for us to behave in third manner - (iii) in a
deliberate conscious way.
That is what Islam is mainly concerned with, hence the emphasis on
truth.
But this requires certain preconditions that the physical nature of
the
person
and the environment, the society, culture and ideology provide -.
So religion is also concerned with these.

There are several levels of consciousness from the unconsciousness of
death and what is regarded as dead matter, to the sub-consciousness of
sleep, the pre-consciousness of sopor and reverie, waking
consciousness, concentrated consciousness, self-consciousness,
objective consciousness, to cosmic consciousness. One could think of
these as concentric circles of light so that any previous area is a
small part of the next. The area of darkness is greater in the
previous level. The world seen from these different consciousnesses
would be different. There are, therefore, as many levels of existence
and of experience and understanding as there are levels of
consciousness.

For ordinary human beings, by far the most processes take place in the
unconscious, subconscious and preconscious regions. We are unaware of
most of what affects us, and what goes on in the environment, in our
bodies or minds and what we do or what the causes and effects of our
actions are. We have little control and from a religious point of view
we are "asleep" or even "dead" and need to "wake up" and be
spiritually "resurrected".

"Is he who was dead and We have quickened him (given him life), and
made for him a light, wherein walks amongst men, like him whose
likeness is one walking in utter darkness whence he cannot emerge?
Thus is their conduct made seemly to the disbelievers." 6:123

"Allah is the patron of those who believe, He brings them forth from
darkness into light. But those who disbelieve, their patrons are false
deities; these bring them forth from light to darkness. Such are
fellows of the Fire, they will dwell therein." 2:257

"Say: I exhort you only to one thing that you awake for Allah's sake
in twos or singly, then ponder. There is no madness in your companion
(Muhammad); he is only a Warner to you before a severe doom." 34:46

The narrowing down of consciousness, also called the Fall of Man, is
attributed to mental addictions, obsessions or attachments to sense
objects, including the body, and, therefore to egotism, pride,
sensuality, greed, lust, envy and so on and the fear and hate and
conflicts which these engender. These are the main diseases that
afflict mankind and that Islam came to cure.

"O mankind! There has come to you guidance from your Lord, and a
healing for the disease in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy
for believers." 10:58