The Sufi Path to Inner Healing: A Psychotherapeutic Perspective on Humanity in Islam
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Abstract
The Sufi Path to Inner Healing: A Psychotherapeutic Perspective on Humanity in Islam explores the dimensions of inner healing within the Sufi tradition through an Islamic psychotherapeutic framework that emphasizes the integration of spiritual, emotional, and psychological aspects of the human being. This study is based on the Islamic understanding that humans consist of body, intellect, and soul, and that true well-being can only be achieved through purification of the heart (tazkiyat al-nafs) and closeness to God. In the modern context, this approach is increasingly relevant as an alternative to conventional psychotherapy, which often neglects individuals' spiritual dimension. Using a qualitative method with textual analysis of classical Sufi works such as Ihya’ Ulum al-Din by Al-Ghazali, Masnavi by Jalaluddin Rumi, and contemporary texts on Islamic psychology, this research identifies three major stages in the Sufi path to inner healing: self-awareness (muraqabah), heart purification through remembrance (dhikr) and introspection (muhasabah), and spiritual transformation toward a tranquil state (nafs al-mutmainnah). This process functions not only as spiritual therapy but also incorporates principles found in modern psychotherapy, such as mindfulness, acceptance, and emotional balance. Thus, Sufism can be viewed as an integral therapeutic system that unites moral, spiritual, and psychological dimensions to achieve holistic mental health. The findings indicate that Sufi healing is not limited to personal well-being but extends to social and ethical dimensions, promoting empathy, compassion, and human responsibility as reflections of divine closeness. This article concludes that Sufism holds significant potential to be developed as a humanistic and transpersonal psychotherapeutic model within the Islamic context and contributes to a more holistic and spiritually grounded cross-cultural psychology.
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