All too often, the psychological study of religion is explored by methods that need not take into consideration the differences between religious and scientific worldviews in general or attended to what may be sui generis about a specific religion. Mohammad Khodayarifard and his co-authors are competent psychologists of faith who present the case for a new paradigm for the psychology of religion. The paradigm does justice to both scientific and religious worldviews, but most important it presents what is sui generis about the new paradigm, Islamic psychology.
Part of the justification for the new paradigm is that modern psychology demands theoretical and methodological exclusion of the transcendent. It confines itself to the constraints of natural science. While experimental methods, operationalization, and measurement serve the physical and other natural sciences well, this scientific positivism is inadequate to a psychology of religion in general and to the Islamic paradigm in particular. Islam has never been opposed to science but neither has it succumbed to a psychology that denies the spiritual nature of individuals nor their creator. Terms as amal, fitrah, nafs, and wahy cannot be reduced to definitions that exclude transcendence. The inclusion of transcendence demands a dialogue between a psychology open to the transcendent and to ontological realities inherent in religious worldviews. This proposal for an Islamic paradigm takes its ontological claims seriously. It also demonstrates the rich diversity that is possible within this new paradigm.
The absolute sui generis truth claim fundamental to the Islamic paradigm is that Qurʾanic truth is eternal and unchanging. However, it does not follow from this absolute truth claim that diversity is not possible within this new paradigm. Qurʾanic truth must be interpreted and understood. This is a uniquely human act. Factual truths of the natural world have long been accepted in Islam as capable of empirical investigation. One would be foolish not to accept as true the best approximation to reality that science can provide. However, the collective scientific understanding unfolds over time. While Qurʾanic truth does not change, our scientific understanding of the scientific truths does as humans advance in their understanding of the created world.
A second point is crucial to a proper understanding of the diversity possible within the proposed new paradigm. Transcendent truths are always open to interpretation. Persons have wide freedom in interpretation and can dialogue and debate differences of sincerely held opinions within the new Islamic paradigm. Since interpreted truths are not absolute, their discussion further justifies reference to the diversity possible within Islamic psychology.
Finally, there exist what can best be described as pragmatic truths. These include instinctive human concerns with ethics, the use of technology, and the economic and political organization – all, which represents lived human existence. These involve truth claims either derived from scientific (factual) or from transcendent truths and thus exhibit great diversity among the faithful in Islam that nevertheless remain unified in terms of one absolute sui generis Qurʾanic truth.
The authors are respectfully mindful that other paradigms have been proposed based upon different faith traditions such as Buddhism and Christianity. How could we not welcome this call for an Islamic psychology?
Ralph W. Hood Jr