Islamic Concept of Faith and Human Development
Abstract
The current psychological theory of faith proposes that faith is not restricted to belief. Rather, it is a way of being in this world incorporating all cognitive, emotional, and spiritual aspects of human life. Furthermore, faith is developmental in nature. The current article takes this developmental approach to faith, comparing its Islamic concept with the current Western paradigm. Undertaking an analysis of the concept of faith in the Qur’ān and ḥadīth, the discussion proceeds to discuss the stages of faith in Islam namely islām, īmān, and iḥsān. The cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions of human faith are discussed within Islamic paradigm with their implications for moral judgment and unique spiritual pathways for the individual. The article emphasizes how the integrative principle of tawḥīd binds all these dimensions together for a coherent and balanced human self.
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