The Origins of Modern Psychology : Prominent Advancements in the Islamic Golden Age
In recent centuries, psychology has become an increasingly valuable and popular field of research, and a big part of modern life and public discourse. Many institutions, organizations and families are taking a serious and meaningful approach towards increasing awareness and showing extensive consideration of mental health. Throughout history, people realized that the complexities of human thought and emotion must be studied to understand why certain individuals tend to exhibit certain behaviors or possess certain characteristics.
During the Islamic Golden Age, the approach to every field of research and study was completely and entirely holistic. The method in which each science was approached, why it was considered, and how it was considered was wholly because of religious belief and faith. Islamic scholars recognized that the commandments of Allah (God), the pillars of Islam, and knowledge of the Quran, intertwined with much scientific research and proved to be full of wisdom and benefit. Many Islamic theologians were logicians, mathematicians and scientists who primarily turned to science to strengthen their already existing belief in Islam by studying and exploring the signs of God as it was the Quran that encouraged logical thinking and searching for truth as seen in Surah (41: 53). “We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Quran) is the truth.”
Hence, proving that science was because and not despite of religion for Muslims.
Mental Illness
When it comes to mental illness, Muslims historically had a more compassionate approach compared to many other religious traditions. While some religions, particularly in the Christian tradition, often viewed individuals with mental illness as being struck by the devil, possessed by demons, or inhabited by spirits, Islam adopted a more empathetic perspective. Unlike Christianity, which includes the concept of "Original Sin"—the belief that medical and mental ailments stemmed from inherited sin—Islam lacks this notion. Instead, Islamic teachings, as exemplified in the Quran, emphasize care, understanding, and support for those who are mentally ill, challenged, or suffering from insanity.(the word of God) in Surah 4:5:
"Do not give your property which God assigned you to manage to the insane: but feed and clothe the insane with this property and tell splendid words to them."
Mental illnesses were believed to have stemmed from spiritual and psychological imbalances. This is because the approach to mental illness was also completely holistic. It is believed that the mental, spiritual and the physical must be sound for an individual to have healthy emotions, behaviors, and thoughts. The Islamic revivalist theologian, philosopher, and logician Imam Al-Ghazali in many of his works such as the Alchemy of Happiness and The Revival of the Islamic Sciences explains that the heart, the intellect, the spirit, and the self are the four bases of the soul that play a role on the in the inner workings of the conscious and subconscious, and that disruption in their balances through lack of connectivity to God results in irregularities. While Ibn Sinna or widely incorrectly called “Avicenna,” father of modern medicine, philosopher, and physician, in his erudite works such as the “The Book of Cure” (Kitab al-Shifa) and his encyclopedia of medicine “Qanun al-Tibb” (Law of Medicine), included descriptions of mental illnesses and disorders while also proposing philosophy-based treatments.
Be-yoot Al Shifa: Houses of Healing
Bimaristans or Houses of healing i.e., hospitals were first established during the Islamic Golden Age in the Umayyad caliphate in the early eighth century in Damascus, Syria. Although it was mostly for the blind and the lepers (a leprosarium), the idea was eventually developed even further during the Abbasid Caliphate by the physician Jibril Ibn Bukhtishu under the patronage of the Caliph Harun al-Rasheed. These bimaristans were funded by the government through subsidies, donations and endowments called Awqaf (things, usually money, given purely for the sake of God) thus, providing free healthcare regardless of religion or race. Contrary to most parts of the world at the time, where formal schooling, especially in the medical field, was only accessible to clergy and monks, people of all levels in Muslim society were theoretically able to access education had they willed.
During the Islamic golden era, bimaristans included many treatment wards, facilities, and departments within them such as libraries, lecture halls, prayer rooms and pharmacies. Hence, why sources suggest the existence of treatment wards which are specified in treating mental illnesses within these bimaristans. In places such as Morocco, separate Bimaristans were built solely as a sanctuary to for those suffering from mental disorders and depression.
The structure of the bimaristans was also profoundly contemplated upon. This is because Muslim physicians believed that the environment played a huge role in the patient’s recovery therefore, most bimaristans deliberately included pools and water fountains within them to cool the gardens and provide an aesthetic sense. Patient rooms were decorated with flowers and built around gardens with lots of windows to allow natural sunlight and increase air flow and ventilation.
Treatments
Psychotherapy
Muslim scholars engaged exceedingly early on in developing psychotherapeutic methodology. In fact, Abu Bakr Al-Razi or “Rhazes,” a Muslim philosopher, physician, and alchemist is believed to be one of the first practitioners of psychotherapy. Alongside scholars such as Ibn ‘Imran, a Muslim physician, who believed that clinical diagnosis and treatment should be developed after clinical observation and through comparison of patient's behavior before and post illness. Much of his work in the Treatise of Melancholia is built on the works of Galen and his theory of the four humors. Al-Balkhi, a Muslim polymath, geographer, mathematician, physician, and psychologist is the said to have been the first to discuss the interrelationship of physical and mental wellbeing as well as pioneer in talk-therapy. In an article in the National Library of Medicine (NLM), “(Al-Balkhi) also developed approaches that we would now view as cognitive and talking therapy. Indeed, he instructed individuals to keep helpful cognitions at hand during times of distress; employed persuasive talking, preaching, and advising.” It has also been argued that Al-Balkhi understood the gravity of the effect the environment, nutrition and exercise have on mental wellbeing.
Music therapy
Although music therapy was pioneered by the Ancient Egyptians and practiced by the Chinese, Greeks, and Romans, it was also considered by several Muslim physicians and psychologists during the Islamic golden era. In article published by Intechopen, the definition of music therapy in the Islamic era is defined by Al-Faruqi as “the art and science of combining sounds or voice tones or instrumental sounds to form various expressions that satisfy emotions, aesthetics and structure of the basis for belief system held.” Popular instruments used at the time were the oud or lute, harps, pan flutes and pipes as well as dulcimers and kemences (small violins).
Singing was also part of music therapy, with meaningful lyrics, certain pitches and tones intentionally sung to be aesthetically captivating and soul elevating. Aesthetics and nature were holistically considered to be therapeutic. Beauty is nature; and nature is healing. Contrary to previous civilizations, the Islamic approach to music therapy was not limited to popular instrumentals but it also included Quran recitation, the Athan (the call to prayers), and sounds of nature to relieve stress, increase spirituality, and calm the self. The vibrations of the Athan and the tone of Quran recitation were believed to be healing. It has been argued, however, that music therapy was not an independent therapeutic methodology but a complementary treatment alongside talk-therapy, aromatherapy, and physical therapy. It is still important to keep in mind that music is a sensitive area of debate between Islamic scholars. Nevertheless, music therapy was also suggested as a treatment by respected scholars such as Ibn Imran to combat melancholia and by Ibn Sinna to combat insomnia, lovesickness, and mental disorders.
Aromatherapy
Perfumery has always been a significant part of Arab culture and tradition. In comparison to Western fragrances that tended to be light, sweet and alcohol based, Arab perfumes tended to be stronger and richer; comprising of ingredients such as musk, sandal wood, oud, saffron, jasmine, the Arabian rose, and were mostly oil based. Perfumery had an enormous impact on many aspects of Arab culture, especially in the fields of literature and medicine.
In an article published by Healthline, aromatherapy is defined as “a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being” going further to say that it is “thought of as both an art and a science.” Islamic psychologists and physicians associated aromatherapy with Galen’s theory of the four humors. While Ibn Sinna linked aromatics to brain function and the sensoria, scholars like Ibn al-Jazzar and al-Kindi linked the temperance of the humor to the natures of fragrances and their provocation of certain emotions and psychological effects.
In an article by the Natural Perfumery Blog “Abu Yusuf Al Kindi, an eminent Arab Muslim physician and chemist, described more than 100 recipes for making aromatic waters, fragrant oils, and substitutes of costly drugs in his book “Book of the Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations”. Moreover, in an article published by Taylor and Francis Online, “Ibn al-Jazzār explains that the hot aromatics are suitable for those possessed of cold tempers, while the cold aromatics are suitable for those with hot tempers. In this way the appropriate balance would be maintained.” Here, we can see that aromatics were primarily employed to balance the human body's temperance and achieve an equilibrium between the humors.
In Summary
Scholars of the Islamic Golden Age looked at scientific study, medical research, and treatment of the ill primarily as a religious duty. They built intricately engineered sanctuaries, or houses of healing for the ill, to shelter them and provide the optimum conditions for their recovery. They deeply considered the causes of mental illness, invented and innovated treatment methods such as psychotherapy, aromatherapy, and music therapy. All of which have proven to be helpful throughout previous centuries and are still used as effective methods of treatment today.
References:
(Ludwig Deutsch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Mitha K. (2020). Conceptualising and addressing mental disorders amongst Muslim communities: Approaches from the Islamic Golden Age. Transcultural psychiatry, 57(6), 763–774. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363461520962603
By Robert Prazeres - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83877728
Sidik, R., Fahimi Kamaruzaman, A., & Jailani Abdullah, M. (2022). Music Therapy in Medicine of Islamic Civilisation. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.98707
"Rhazes and Arabic Medicine, from "The History of Medicine"; Robert Thom". https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-umhs.9/umhs.9.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 26, 2023.
(Ludwig Deutsh, The Shaik Gabr Collection, East-West: The Art of Dialogue, https://naturalnicheperfume.com/blog/arabic-perfumes/ https://www.eastwestdialogue.org/about/the-paintings/the-shafik-gabr-collection/)
Minhajul Alam (2021) Arabic Perfumes https://naturalnicheperfume.com/blog/arabic-perfumes/
Anya King (2022) Medieval islamicate aromatherapy: medical perspectives on aromatics and perfumes, The Senses and Society, 17:1, 37-51, DOI: 10.1080/17458927.2021.2020606
(Gowasaleslive Arabian Bakhoor and Incense — Bukhoor, the luxurious scent of Arabia https://gowsalesvs.live/product_details/37898018.html)
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