Is studying psychology ok?

[Serinity]

Is it?

Allahu alam.

 

[Mustafa16]

I don't see why not. Psychology is based on science and data. It is hard science. It deals with the study of the human mind and with behavior, which are vital to helping society. Also, many people suffer from mental illnesses, and the earliest Muslims recognized that mental illness was just like a physical illness, except it affected the brain, not the rest of the body. Our brain is the place of our thoughts, and thus thoughts function in just like a physical body. Often people get sick in their thoughts and need treatment. Also, psychology can be used to understand behavior to better understand how to get things done, for instance Industrial Organizational Psychology helps to understand how to make workers more productive in management. Social psychology helps to understand group dynamics and the relationship between the individual and the group. There were many Muslim psychologists, and still are. Even Bilal Phillips on his Islamic Online University offers psychology courses. EDIT: @Serinity brother, if you could answer my questions, too, im having trouble. they're still on the list in the homepage i believe.

 

[Serinity]

It is just that I read that on the islamqa.info website that it is haram to study psychology from a kafir, by citing the hadith about the Prophet SAW showing anger when Umar r.a was holding a Torah.. applying the hadith like that seems ridiculuous. Tye hadith afaik only applies to scriptures not paøsychology or the like.

My question is, does it really apply? By that logic studying from a kafir or reading books written by kafirs is haram, which is not true citing that the Prophet forbade taking guidance from the books of the people.

Honestly, I dont think it applies like that.

 

[Mustafa16]

It is just that I read that on the islamqa.info website that it is haram to study psychology from a kafir, by citing the hadith about the Prophet SAW showing anger when Umar r.a was holding a Torah.. applying the hadith like that seems ridiculuous. Tye hadith afaik only applies to scriptures not paøsychology or the like.

My question is, does it really apply? By that logic studying from a kafir or reading books written by kafirs is haram, which is not true citing that the Prophet forbade taking guidance from the books of the people.

Honestly, I dont think it applies like that.

it applies to religion, and the reason why you can't go to a kaafir psychologist is because they may encourage you to try haram methods of healing or to engage in haram when you are vulnerable. for instance, when i talk to my non muslim psychologist who my mother arranges for me to see, he often tells me i need to shave, or that it's ok to date and it's even possible to date without fornicating, and tells me some of what i say is too extreme.

 

[Serinity]

it applies to religion, and the reason why you can't go to a kaafir psychologist is because they may encourage you to try haram methods of healing or to engage in haram when you are vulnerable. for instance, when i talk to my non muslim psychologist who my mother arranges for me to see, he often tells me i need to shave, or that it's ok to date and it's even possible to date without fornicating, and tells me some of what i say is too extreme.

But does it apply to studying psychology?

Psychology in and of itself is not haram. But can the hadith be applied to studying psychology from kafirs?

Cuz it does not make sense. Me personally, I do not see how the hadith applies. And to me it does NOT apply here...

I just want to know, can I study psychology from a kafir? I thought the hadith only applied to religion. I.e. Not reading or taking guidance from other beliefs contrary to Islam.

 

[Mustafa16]

But does it apply to studying psychology?

Psychology in and of itself is not haram. But can the hadith be applied to studying psychology from kafirs?

Cuz it does not make sense. Me personally, I do not see how the hadith applies. And to me it does NOT apply here...

I just want to know, can I study psychology from a kafir? I thought the hadith only applied to religion. I.e. Not reading or taking guidance from other beliefs contrary to Islam.

it only applies to religion. there is much good in learning psychology.

 

[Shahi]

Brother salam,
Rasool (s) told to a sahaba(forgot the name zaid (r) or someone else??) to study hebrew. And he studied it in 15 day (not less) hebrew is a language of jews. And in srilanka majority buddists and we have to study knowledge from them. But we are not studying teir religion.

Your matter,psychology is not about a religion or it is not even magic or cheating process. It is a way of healing. Nowadays mental illness is a very common problem in society. So you have responsibility to do a change.

It is not haram I can suggest it as a farz kifaya. Why as we need doctors in society we need a person what is your goal to be.
So,do not be fear about studying.

 

[Supernova]

Is it?

Allahu alam.

Asalaamualaykum
There is nothing with studying it, provided you do not believe anything that goes against Islam. There are many things in the course that contradict Islam values - but they just make up the content. There is no enforcement that you believe it.

 

[piXie]

Asalaamualaykum
There is nothing with studying it, provided you do not believe anything that goes against Islam. There are many things in the course that contradict Islam values - but they just make up the content. There is no enforcement that you believe it.

How would one know unless they were grounded in Islamic knowledge and sciences.

 

[Serinity]

Well, I disregard anything that sounds disgusting or against Islam. I have to study it, since it will probably count in having a good grade.

And Allah :swt: knows best.

- - - Updated - - -

Well, I disregard anything that sounds disgusting or against Islam. I have to study it, since it will probably count in having a good grade.



And Allah :swt: knows best.

 

[*charisma*]

Assalamu Alaikum,

I think the point when studying anything is to have a strong ground in your Islamic beliefs first before taking on other subjects. I've come across individuals who take certain courses and become doubtful of their faith because they did not even have an understanding of it first. It becomes science vs religion. I think a Muslim psychologist can be very helpful for many muslims especially when you have a strong background in Islamic knowledge. Islamic wisdom in itself can be very therapeutic because it forces one to reflect and make rational decisions based on the teachings of our prophet pbuh instead of to simply react irrationally by our whims. Muslims will feel more comfortable to discuss personal issues with a psychologist who has a similar background than someone who may not understand their culture/religion. I personally find all the sciences quite fascinating and it helps increase my iman because you learn about the intricacies of how this world was created and how every creature is so individual and different it could have only been created by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Also, keep in mind that there are facts and there are theories. Theories aren't facts and should never be taken as such, they've always been just speculation.

 

[Zzz_]

I don't see why not. Psychology is based on science and data. It is hard science.

Actually it's a pseudo (fake) science. It's not hard science, chemistry and physicist is hard science based on facts. Psychology is assumptions and labels given based on observation of behavior.

The reason many are rightfully skeptical about its status is found in the body of scientific knowledge—psychology has failed to produce a cumulative body of knowledge that has a clear conceptual core that is consensually agreed upon by mainstream psychological experts. The great scholar of the field, Paul Meehl, captured this perfectly when he proclaimed that the sad fact that in psychology:

theories rise and decline, come and go, more as a function of baffled boredom than anything else; and the enterprise shows a disturbing absence of that cumulative character that is so impressive in disciplines like astronomy, molecular biology and genetics.

Another great scholar of the field, Kenneth Gergen, likened acquiring psychological knowledge to building castles in the sand; the information gained from our methods might be impressive, but it is temporary, contextual, and socially dependent, and will be washed away when new cultural tides come in.

psychology teaches you that all kids have Oedipus complex, meaning kids wants to kill their daddy and marry their mommy like oedipus did in their fairytale history.

It is just that I read that on the islamqa.info website that it is haram to study psychology from a kafir, by citing the hadith about the Prophet SAW showing anger when Umar r.a was holding a Torah.. applying the hadith like that seems ridiculuous. Tye hadith afaik only applies to scriptures not paøsychology or the like.

My question is, does it really apply? By that logic studying from a kafir or reading books written by kafirs is haram, which is not true citing that the Prophet forbade taking guidance from the books of the people.

Honestly, I dont think it applies like that.

That reference was about the early Muslims wanting to read the bible and the torah. It was shunned because those books contain falsehood and the Prophet :saws: said why do you read those when Allah has given you something better than that. So that reference was only in the context of religious books.

As mentioned previously, you have to be well grounded in your islamic knowledge before you study any or at least some majors so you can navigate through them in the context of your deen. This is so you can dismiss ludicrous claims of Oedipus complex, understand some psychological issues are supernatural based and need deeni intervention, or in medical field that you can say that you will not be performing abortions needlessly.

 

[Serinity]

Well,Idk, can I just study it, and shun every single theory of Psychology?

I have already shunned some that sound ridiculuous, and I have shunned Freud's. And Oedipus.

They sound so ridiculuous I question the intellect and morals of the ones who believe it.

 

[Mustafa16]

Actually it's a pseudo (fake) science. It's not hard science, chemistry and physicist is hard science based on facts. Psychology is assumptions and labels given based on observation of behavior.

The reason many are rightfully skeptical about its status is found in the body of scientific knowledge—psychology has failed to produce a cumulative body of knowledge that has a clear conceptual core that is consensually agreed upon by mainstream psychological experts. The great scholar of the field, Paul Meehl, captured this perfectly when he proclaimed that the sad fact that in psychology:

theories rise and decline, come and go, more as a function of baffled boredom than anything else; and the enterprise shows a disturbing absence of that cumulative character that is so impressive in disciplines like astronomy, molecular biology and genetics.

Another great scholar of the field, Kenneth Gergen, likened acquiring psychological knowledge to building castles in the sand; the information gained from our methods might be impressive, but it is temporary, contextual, and socially dependent, and will be washed away when new cultural tides come in.

psychology teaches you that all kids have Oedipus complex, meaning kids wants to kill their daddy and marry their mommy like oedipus did in their fairytale history.




That reference was about the early Muslims wanting to read the bible and the torah. It was shunned because those books contain falsehood and the Prophet :saws: said why do you read those when Allah has given you something better than that. So that reference was only in the context of religious books.

As mentioned previously, you have to be well grounded in your islamic knowledge before you study any or at least some majors so you can navigate through them in the context of your deen. This is so you can dismiss ludicrous claims of Oedipus complex, understand some psychological issues are supernatural based and need deeni intervention, or in medical field that you can say that you will not be performing abortions needlessly.

Physics also has theories (namely by Stephen Hawking) that the universe has always been in existence. does that mean we should abandon Physics? Biology has the theory of evolution, but does that mean we should abandon biology? different scholars have different opinions within each field, so it's important to learn all of them in order to gain a well rounded education of how the field and its methodology developed and how it should be further developed. one can not ignore an entire discipline because of one theory. also, economics has marxism.

 

[Zafran]

there is a big debate if psychology is a hard science or not and as said before some people believe it has Pseudo Science elements - especially some of Freud stuff. Saying that Muslims should study every subject for the sake of Knowledge - ultimately to take the good from it and leave the bad.

 

[Mustafa16]

Well,Idk, can I just study it, and shun every single theory of Psychology?

I have already shunned some that sound ridiculuous, and I have shunned Freud's. And Oedipus.

They sound so ridiculuous I question the intellect and morals of the ones who believe it.

some of Freud's theories are actually not harmful, for instance the idea of the id, the ego, and the superego. basically, freud said we have powerful urges, whether it be for mating, food, drink, security, etc, and left unchecked by morality or punishment these were the id, and the ego is what the psyche uses to gain things in a realistic manner, and the superego is the voice of morality and reason we gain through parents, religion, society, and our own personal beliefs reflected controlling it even further into gaining things in a moral manner. for instance, i like to joke about this theory ("If you listen to your id, you just grab your friend's drink of water and drink it. if you listen to your ego, you hassle him about the drink, saying he owes you. if you listen to your superego, you just let him enjoy his drink in peace") EDIT: I added a link, haven't read it though, so I don't know if there are details with kufr or haram, but the general idea is ok, i guess: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego_and_super-ego