Book Review: Chapter 1



Chapter One

Introduction to Psychology


For the chapter one, Dr Aisha stated her purpose why she wrote this book. First, it is to describe some detail the Islamic Perpective on psychology, mental health and well-being.  Second, it is to present some of this contemporary scientific evidence. And last but not least, the third is to remind readers of the petential for self-transformation that Islam offers for each human baing. 

In her explanation about her purpose, i noted one senteces that make me more motivated to study my master degree. Dr. Aisha stated that actually, Islam doesn’t need to be proved. But, in this day and age, when science has been given priority over relevation, it is important to demonstrate the reality of our own discoveries. Well, she is amazing. 

In this first chapter, we can learn what is the differences between Islamic and secular perspective. The basic differences is coming from the object of study. Secular perpective just focus on the seen world like genetics, behavioral, mental process, and social aspects of a human being as an individual. But islam is not only see the seen world like secular perpective, but also the unseen world who encompasses the soul of a human being as an individual. So we can see that psychology in Islam is a study of the soul. 

Furthermore, the other differences between islamic and secular perpective is coming from the sources of knowledge. Secular perspective is based on the empirical experiences and postivism theories. Which is means that secular perspective is just considerate the seen things as the data of all their theories. in short, secular perspective assume that human can do and analyse anything around them. Thats why empirism and positivism is the major sources for them. 

In contradiction, the islamic perspective lies on revelation and the hadiths. The ayat that shows revelation as a sources is 67;13-14, 50;16, and 2;2. Besides, revelation and hadits as a sources encompasses two things; transmitted sources, which is means ayat and hadiths, and also rational sources. Transmited sources can be rationaly justified but independent from rational proof while the rational sources found by reason and need rationaly justified.          

In Islam, there is no separation between the religious and secular, as is found in other systems. The sciences must be treated as a trust should be assessed from the perspective of Islam. If the sciences is correct, it will confirm what Allah swt had revealed to us. If, for some reason, there is a conntradiction, this signifies that an error has entered the scientific process or analysis.

 In addttion, Dr. Aisha also explained the weakness of the secular perspective. Its method and sources who just focus on the physical world will effect to their limitation of observation. They believe that values and beliefs are detemermined entirely by enviromental events, with no room for global truths or moral standards. This theory exclude any notion of freedom of choices or concious, moral decision-making. 


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