Islamic Tradition Meets Social Science: The Case of "Islamic Psychology"

The last few decades have witnessed an increasing number of studies on the relationship between Islam and science in general, and Islam and social science in particular. Some of these studies have focused on the incommensurability between modern Western and classical Islamic understandings of science and knowledge. Others have attempted to produce Islamic versions of modern disciplines by critically engaging with modern knowledges and Islamizing their content. These efforts can be seen in the field of psychology, where proponents of its islamization claim that the relationship between this modern discipline and classical Islamic scholarship is not just possible but urgently needed in modern times. This thesis aims to evaluate the relationship between modern psychology and classical Islamic scholarship in the works of two major scholars, Malik Badri and Rasjid Skinner. Through a close reading of key texts the thesis aims to understand how proponents of "Islamic Psychology" draw on the Islamic tradition and on modern psychology for articulating their projects. The analysis sheds light on the ways in which Islamic psychology is in continuity and in rupture with both the Islamic tradition and modern psychology.