Human Behavior: Emotions and
Drives
Human Emotions
Humans, like animals, have emotions.
They may be pleasant such as joy or unpleasant such as anger. Emotions
involve both mental and physical aspects. The mental aspects involve the
human intellect, the reception and interpretation of sensory signals and
synthesis of all these into a resultant emotional state. Physical effects
follow the emotional state. One of the physical effects is the way
emotions are expressed. Humans have developed very sophisticated ways of
expressing their emotions using the facial muscles, the eyes, a complex
body language and least of all verbal expressions. Humans are also adept
at hiding or even suppressing their emotions. They can also with some
effort pretend to be in an emotional state that is not true; however the
effort can not be sustained for any measurable length of time.
Animal drives
Humans, like animals, are motivated to
take action by basic drives that are almost instinctual in essence. These
drives are all related to the basic need of survival. The basic drives are
hunger, thirst, sex, self-protection, and security. Surat Quraish
emphasizes food and personal security. The food and sex are the strongest
drives and are necessary for the preservation of the species. The food
drive is so strong that the Prophet recommended eating before prayer (KS
p. 315). The sexual drive in its purely animal form is mere lust, shahwat
(MB # 2110 p 989. There is disagreement whether the basic drives are
innate or are external (elicited by rewards and incentives). Our
preference is for the opinion that they are innate. It appears from many
scientific observations that there is a biologic basis for some of the
drives. The hypothalamus and the limbic system control rage and
aggression. The cortex, the limbic system, the hypothalamus, and the
endocrine glands control sex behavior. Hunger is controlled by the satiety
and feeding centers. The thirst center controls drinking.
Human Drives
Humans have drives more and above the
animal drives described above. These drives are higher and nobler; they
are not elicited by hope for reward or fear of punishment.
The main human drives are:
iithhar (altruism) (Quran 59:9; p
171 12:91, 20:72, 59:9),
iman (faith) (Quran 6:158, 10:100),
taqwah (consciousness of Allah) (Quran
91:7-8),
ridhallah (pleasure of Allah) (Quran
89:27-28),
ilm (seeking knowledge)
appreciation of esthetic beauty, and
self-actualization.
Relation between Drives and Emotions
Drives are from inside but emotions are
from outside. There is a close relation between the two. Drives lead to
and control emotions. Satisfaction of drives is associated with pleasant
emotions. Dissatisfaction of drives is associated with unpleasant
emotions. Many unpleasant emotions may result from conflict between
drives. Unpleasant emotions can also occur when the drive is unattainable
or it is in conflict with results of logical intellectual analysis. A
drive could be satisfied in more than one way. For example the sex drive
could be satisfied through legal marriage (Muslim # 3242) or through
illegal sexual intercourse. The purpose of religion is to direct humans to
correct control of their drives. It is wrong to deny that drives exist or
to try to suppress them. Suppression will be successful for only a short
time. It is better to direct and channel the drives in a positive
direction.
Intentions and actions
Actions are based on and follow
intentions. There are many ambivalent situations when two contradictory
drives are present at the same time. Humans differ from animals in that
they are above to control, their drives. This control is not always
perfect. It depends on the individual and the circumstances. Humans are
rewarded according to how well they control these drives. Rewards are
given for suppressing negative drives or redirecting them such that they
become positive and useful. Punishment is given when positive drives are
not nurtured or are expressed in the wrong context. In His mercy to
humans, Allah rewards them for good intentions and does not punish them
for bad intentions. There is punishment only if a negative intention is
actually translated into a negative action (Muslim #230, 231, 233, 234,
235, 236, 237).
PLEASANT EMOTIONS
Love (hubb)
Love of Allah is the highest level of
love (2:165, 3:31, 5:54, 9:24).
Human love for Allah is reciprocated by Allah's love for humans. Allah's
love is denied to non-believers (2:276, 3:32, 22:38, 30:45).
Love of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) comes next to the love of Allah
(Muslim #70,71). Love of Allah and His messenger are part of faith (iman)
(KS p. 179).
There is love for blood relatives (9:24), children (12:8), and the erotic
love for spouses (12:30).
Sexual love can be a disease if excessive and for the wrong reasons. It
could be positive such as the Prophet’s love for Aisha and negative such
as the love of Aziz’s wife for Yusuf (12:30). Excessive uncontrolled
sexual love/passion (‘ishq) can be a disease treated by marriage or
fasting.
Love is also possible for unrelated people and friends.
Love of the material possessions of the earth, hubb al duniya is the
opposite of the love of Allah (2:165, 2:216, 3:14, 3:92, 3;152, 3:188,
9:24, 14:3, 16:107, 38:31-32, 41:17, 75:20, 76:27, 89:20, 100:8).
Hope (raja, amal)
MB # 2106 p 988. Hope has to do with
good feelings about the future. Tomorrow is better than today. Only those
with iman can have a sense of hope. This is because they have a larger
picture and see a larger reality. Hope is from Allah (Muslim #6875, 6877,
6878, 6880).
Elation (suruur, farah)
The Qur'an has mentioned happiness (suruur)
2:69, 3;120, 3;170, 3;188, 6:44, 9;50, 9:81, 10:22, 40:58, 11:10, 13:36,
19:26, 20:40, 23:53, 25:74, 27:19, 27:36, 28:9, 28:13, 28;76, 30:4, 30:32,
30:36, 33:17, 33:51, 40:75, 40:83, 42:48, 57:23, 76:11, 80:38-37, 84:9).
It is a state of good feeling that is temporary because the challenges of
daily life for adults preclude continuous elation. Elation could be due to
material or even non-material things.
UNPLEASANT EMOTIONS
Fear (khawf):
The Qur'an discussed fear (20:67, 3;151, 8:2, 8:17, 22:35, 23:60, 28:10,
33:10, 33:26, 40:18, 59:2, 59:13). It was also mentioned in the hadith (MB
# 2106 p 988). It is an emotion that arises due to real threats or
sometimes for no reason at all.
Rage and aggression (ghadhab)
Anger, ghadhab al insan (9:58, 21:87,
7:154, 42:37, (KS 415).
A person should be angry only for Allah (7:150, 7:154, 20:86).
Rage and aggression are related to drives and emotions.
Rage is natural (Muslim #6319) and cannot be avoided. What is needed is
self-control to avoid negative side-effects (KS p. 68, Muslim #6311, 6313,
6314, 6316, 6317).
Quarrelling, usually associated with rage, is discouraged (MB#1107).
Other ways of controlling rage are fasting (Muslim #2563) and recitation
of the Qur'an (KS p. 397).
Hate (kurh)
Humans can hate for various reasons
most of the time related to self-interest or one of the diseases of the
heart. It is unfortunate that the emotions of love and hate are closely
related. Humans normally hate those they loved before such as wives (4:19)
or those they are supposed to love such as female children (16:57-59,
16:62, 43:17-18).
SUMMARY
Human behavior in the default state of
fitra will be perfect. The human has both the good and bad drives. In the
natural state the good will dominate over the bad. However humans do not
always live in a natural state. Their upbringing and environment affects
the balance between the bad and the good. The environment can suppress or
reinforce either the bad or the bad.
http://www.iiu.edu.my/medic/islmed/Lecmed/beha98.oct.html
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