At the Intersection of Islamic Thought and Modern Psychology: Readings in ‘Ilm al-Nafs

Organized by our University’s Department of Psychology, the event series titled “A Perspective on Daily Life Challenges from the Framework of Ilm al-Nafs” presented a unique viewpoint combining classical Islamic philosophy and modern psychology.

Held every Wednesday morning between May 14 and June 4 in ITBF Amfi, the series concluded by exploring solutions to psychological difficulties encountered in daily life through the perspective of the Ilm al-Nafs tradition.

Under the direction of Assist. Prof. Taha Burak Toprak, the events revisited the relationships among the dimensions of the self (nefs), heart, mind, and soul within the framework of ancient sources and contemporary questions.

In the series, Toprak emphasized that Ilm al-Nafs scholars highlight the psychological difficulties experienced by individuals not only as reflections on the body and mind but assert that the root of the problem lies in heart ailments, stressing the importance of concepts such as tafakkur (reflection), muhasabah (self-reckoning), tawbah (repentance), and tawakkul (trust in God).

According to Ilm al-Nafs scholars, humans are beings responsible for deciding among ideas, emotions, impulses, inspirations, and principles that reach them, exercising their free will. Toprak also evaluated the possibilities and limitations of a new “psycho-ontology” within the science of modern psychology.

Thus, the event established an intellectual bridge between classical tradition and contemporary psychological approaches, offering participants a profound field of understanding.