Human civilization in ancient Egypt, Greece, China, and India have been thinking about the study of humans in the same period. Ancient cultures also have been thinking about the nature of the mind, soul, spirit, and so on. Ancient Egyptian society in the notes written on papyrus in 1550 BC have tried to describe about the brain and some speculation about its function.
In addition, the ancient Greek philosopher, Thales, also have elaborated the so-called psuch or soul. Other thinkers of the ancient Greek civilization such as Plato, Pythagoras, and Aristotle also dedicate themselves to study and develop the fundamentals of psychology. Since the 6th century AD, Chinese civilization has developed proficiency tests as part of the education system.
Then how Islamic civilization was instrumental in developing psychology? Actually, long before the West declare the establishment of the discipline of psychology in the 19th century AD, the golden era, Muslim psychologists and physicians has helped develop clinical psychology with the building now known as the psychiatric hospital.
In the era of the Caliphate, psychology evolved in tandem with the rapid achievements in medical science. In its heyday, the Muslim psychologists have developed Islamic psychology or Ilm al-Nafsiat. Psychology related to the study of the nafs or soul review and study humans through qalb (heart), ruh, aql (intellectual), and the will of god (the will).
Contribution of Muslim psychologists in developing and reviewing the psychology is so highly valued. History records, a leading Muslim scholar, Al-Kindi, the first Muslim psychologist who tries to apply music therapy. Other Muslim Psychologists, Ali ibn Sahl Rabban al-Tabari, also acclaimed as the first to apply psychotherapy or al-nafs al-`ilaj.
Muslim Psychologist in the era of the triumph, Ahmed ibn Sahl al-Balkhi, was the first scholar who introduced the concept of spiritual health or al-tibb al-ruhani and mental health sciences. Al-Balkhi believed to be the medical and cognitive psychologists first to clearly differentiate between neuroses and psychoses to classify disorders neurological disease.
Through studies done, Al-Balkhi, also tried to show in detail how rational and spiritual cognitive therapies can be used to treat any disease category. Successful achievement of al-Balkhi inscribed in medieval times it was so brilliantly calculated. Share this post :
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