|
submit
articles |
| Principles of Human
Development Derivable from the Qur'ân and Hadith In
the opening chapter of the Qur’ân, the Fâtiha, God declares that He is
the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds: All praises are due to Allah, Lord
of the worlds. (1:2) What this means is that He is the sole
creator of the universe and that He nourishes and sustains it. The
implication is that He is the originator of everything (seen and unseen,
known and unknown) and that everything depends on Him for sustenance,
growth, and development. This interpretation is conveyed in the following
verse of the Qur’ân: God is the creator of all things, and He is
the guardian and disposer of all affairs. (39:62) These
verses provide the background for our discussion on aspects and principles
of human development in the Qur’ân, particularly cognitive development.
In fact, as far as the Qur’ân is concerned, the meaning of these two
verses is the fundamental principle of human development. So, God is the
creator of man, and He is the sole determinant of the pattern and process
of his growth and development. The following paragraphs enunciate this
dominant principle in forms of sub-principles of human development. In
the Islamic perspective of developmental psychology, the following
principles are identifiable. Human
Life (Growth and Development) Is a Gradual Process It is He Who created all things and ordered
them in due proportions. (25:2) This
verse clearly spells out the fact that the life of every thing has been
designed in such a way that every aspect of it is proportionately
graduated. In the case of human growth and development it means that the
various phases mentioned above have been duly proportioned and all humans
have to pass through each stage up to old age and death. That growth and
development do not take place at once but pass through the duly and
proportionately designed phases is what makes them a gradual process. The
following verse clearly mentions that we have been created and caused to
grow in phases, not at once: What
is the matter with you, that you place not your hope for kindness and long
suffering in God? Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse
stages? (71:13-14) Ibn
Kathir reported that Abdullah ibn Abbas (hereinafter referred to as Ibn
Abbas) and others interpreted this verse to mean that man has been created
from a drop of sperm, and then transformed into a clot of blood, then into
a morsel of flesh, and so on. Allah says in the Qur'ân: Ibn
Kathir again reported that 'Ikrimah (one of the disciples of Ibn Abbas)
interpreted this verse to mean that man shall grow from one condition to
the other such that he becomes a toddler after being an infant, old after
being young and strong. The
above verses tell us in general terms that man's growth and development
definitely follow certain stages. These stages are specifically spelled
out in some other verses in the Qur'ân in more elaborate and particular
terms. The Prophet himself enunciated and expounded them in more detail in
some of his traditions. These will be seen in our subsequent discussions.
It is however important to note that the phases through which growth and
development pass are themselves spread over two broad stages. Human
life (growth and development) has been categorized in the Qur'ân into two
broad phases: the prenatal and the postnatal. Each of these phases has
been subdivided into different sub-stages having different terms and
periods. The following Qur'ânic verse succinctly describes the first
phase of human life: He
makes you in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in
three veils of darkness. Such is God, your Lord and Cherisher: to Him
belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are you turned
away (from your true center)? (39:6) In
another verse, the Qur'ân describes the two phases in a precise and
concise manner: The
Qur'ân has also told us that the first phase has a certain fixed and
definite term within which it reaches its apex of development. Then it is
terminated through birth (by delivery). The Qur'ân says: But
in much more elaborate, precise, and detailed terms the following verse
further describes these two broad stages with their respective specific
phases. It reads thus: O
mankind! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then verily, We have
created you (i.e. Adam) from dust, then from a nutfah (mixed drops of male
and female sexual discharges), then from a clot (a piece of thick
coagulated blood) then from a little lump of flesh - partly formed and
partly unformed - that We make it clear to you (i.e. to show you our Power
and ability to do what We Will). And We cause whom We will to remain in
the wombs for an appointed term, then We bring you out as infants, then
(give you growth) that you may reach your age of full strength. And among
you there is he who dies (young), and among you there is he who is brought
back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having
known. (22:5) The
Prophet (S.A.W.) has precisely and accurately described the first broad
stage with fixed time specifications stipulated for each of the phases
within it. The hadith reads thus: The
Qur'ân has also told us that the first broad stage (prenatal) has a
certain fixed and definite term within which it reaches its apex of
development. Then it is terminated through birth. Allah says: Therefore,
the Qur'ân has established that the prenatal period is definite and fixed
(usually 9 months under normal circumstances as enunciated in one of the
Prophetic traditions) and as experienced practically in daily life.
However, the Qur'ân further mentions to us that there are exceptional
cases whereby the prenatal period terminates, before or after the normal
term. And all these happen in accordance with God's Absolute Will and
Decree. The Qur'ân says: This
means that the nature, form, size, and time in which individuals are
created and shaped in the womb may vary according to the will and wishes
of God. Because of this, He affirms that some pregnancies may be delivered
before or after the normal time of delivery. But the knowledge of that
(addition or reduction in time) is His exclusive preserve: God
doth know what every female (womb) doth bear, by how much the wombs fall
short (of their time or number) or do exceed. Every single thing is before
His sight, in (due) proportion. He knoweth the unseen and that which is
open: He is the Great, the Most High. (13:8-9) As
for the postnatal phase of growth and development, the Qur'ân does not
mention any fixed span of life that is generally applicable to all
individuals; it differs from one individual to the other. That is why the Qur'ân
says: But
if the postnatal period is taken in its entirety, Islamic scholars have
divided it into four broad stages, and each stage is itself divided into
short sub-stages. Allah says: In
his commentary on this verse, Gummi (1922-1992) says the following: Some
Islamic scholars have said that man's life (after birth) has four broad
stages. The first stage is the stage of continuous growth and development,
which begins from 0 to 33 years (the end of youth and the age at which an
individual attains full physical and intellectual maturity). The second
stage, from 33 to 40, is the stage of constancy in which increase in
growth and development is hardly noticeable. The age of 40 is usually
considered the stage at which both physical and intellectual ability reach
maturity. The third stage is the stage of mid- or proper adulthood (al-kuhulah).
From 40 to 60 years man begins to decline physically and mentally though
so subtly and steadily that it can hardly be noticed. The last stage, from
60 to the end of life, is the stage of old age and decline (senescence).
In this stage decline becomes more obvious and noticeable.19 According
to the Qur'ân, human growth and development follow one common pattern
which is applicable to every human being. Despite individual differences
this pattern applies to every person. The pattern is that every individual
grows and develops from initial weakness to strength and then to weakness.
In other words, growth and development follow a certain natural inevitable
law of rise and fall. That is to say that when the individual gradually
reaches the apex of his development, whether physical or cognitive, he
then begins to decline gradually. The Qur'ân is very precise about this: It
is God Who created you in a state of (helpless) weakness, then gave (you)
strength after weakness, then, after strength, gave (you) weakness and a
hoary head; He creates as He wills. And it is He Who has all knowledge and
power. (30:54) It
needs to be emphasized here that this single pattern mentioned in this
principle and as demonstrated in this verse is applicable to all human
beings. We are all created in a state of weakness. This refers to the
early stage of our creation right inside the wombs and up to delivery. We
are weak at these early stages both physically and mentally. This weakness
at the onset of our life is also mentioned in another place ( And
Allah has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know
nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight, and hearts that you might give
thanks (to Him). (16:78) In
several other verses this single and common pattern of early weakness that
first characterizes every person's life and then strength in later
development is also clearly indicated. For example: We
have enjoined on kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him,
and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the child (in the
womb) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length when he
reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years he says, O my
Lord? Grant me that I may be grateful for thy favour, which Thou has
bestowed upon me, and upon my parents.20 The
necessary analogical deduction that can be made from this verse is that
each person's life begins in weakness, gradually attains strength, and
then gradually declines, just as the first verse under this principle
clearly states. The decline is the beginning of a second dimension of
weakness that characterizes human life at the end of one's life. And this
has also been stated in this verse and several others. This pattern is
certainly common to all human beings as it is witnessed in our life
experiences. This
principle, it should be noted, does not eliminate the fact of individual
differences. What is actually meant is that, although this pattern is
applicable to all humans, there are always a number of differences among
individuals in terms of specific developmental variables and processes.
For the purpose of illustration, let us assume that two identical things
are born at the same moment. This principle applies to both of them in the
sense that they are both helpless, weak, miniature human beings, and both
gradually begin to grow and develop until both attain full strength.
However, it may be noticed that one may be dark in complexion while
another may be light. Again, while one may be fat, the other may be slim.
These are some forms of individual differences. They do not however, like
all other forms, eliminate the fact of the common pattern of development
represented by this principle, just as the principle itself does not wipe
away this very fact of individual differences. A more detailed discussion
on individual differences in development comes later in this article. Human
Development Is a Cumulative and Simultaneous Process Make
trial of orphans until they reach the age of marriage: if then you find
sound judgement in them: release their property to them; but consume it
not wastefully nor in haste against their growing. (4:6) The
mention of age of marriage is a direct reference to physical maturity and
growth while sound judgement directly means mental maturity. The fact of
the simultaneous nature of growth and development in human life is thus
confirmed. However,
the Qur'ân also alludes to the fact that some aspects may develop faster
than others, thus creating intra-individual differences in development.
For example, the individual's physical development may be faster than his
mental development or vice versa. The Qur'ân therefore confirms the
factor of mental retardation. In this situation, the individual may grow
and develop physically but may not grow and develop at the same rate
mentally. Allah alludes to this in the following verse where He prescribes
recording debt contracts: If
the party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable himself to
dictate, let his guardian dictate faithfully. (2:282) Several
other verses mention these cases of abnormal mental development. Another
form of abnormal development has also been mentioned in another verse.
This is abnormal language development, which causes speech impairment. In
a parabolic and euphemistic description of the disbeliever, this factor is
denoted, as it appears in the verse: And
Allah puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them dumb, who has
no power over anything (disbeliever) and he is a burden on his master;
whichever way he direct him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one
(believer) who commands justice, and is himself on the straight path?
(16:76) In
actual sense, since the Qur'ân is not a textbook of psychology, only
through deductions and inferences can we extract psychological facts from
it. This means that it is the apparent significations and connotations of
the verses that are taken into consideration, not necessarily the specific
contingencies or instances upon which the verses were revealed. And this
is an accepted principle in 'Ilmul-Usul. These verses and several others
do confirm that abnormality affects some aspects of a person's
development, just as it can affect it in its entirety. Human
Life (Growth and Development) Transcends Earthly Phenomenal Existence Man
We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop
of) sperm in a place of rest firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a
clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump, then
We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We
developed out of it another creature (or full human being). So blessed be
God, the Best to create! After that, at length ye will die. Again, on the
Day of Judgement, will ye be raised up. (23:12-16) Therefore,
it is clear that for a comprehensive study of man, this aspect of divine
life after death should be incorporated. This is because the fear of death
and what happens beyond it is inherent in every human being and it has a
lot of bearing on man's psychological dispositions and development. Unless
this is done, our knowledge about the nature of man will continue to
remain primitive and partial. Human
Life (Growth & Development) Passes through Certain Critical &
Sensitive Periods The
sensitive nature of the prenatal stage for example can be seen in the fact
that Muslims have been enjoined to pray, by the Prophet, just when they
are about to copulate. This is meant as supplication to Allah for
protection from Satan and a sound offering. Soundness here actually means
protection from all sorts of ailments that may retard the development and
growth of any aspect of the child's life. In the same way, the Qur'ân
enjoins Muslims to keep supplicating to Allah for a good offspring before
and during pregnancy. And when a child is eventually born, the call to
prayer should be made in his ears; it was done and enjoined by the
Prophet. In
actual fact, the primary concern of all these is the sound moral
development of the child. This concern is an indication of the sensitive
and critical nature of this period as the root of the later periods. Over
and above all these, the Prophet has told us that it was at this period
that certain important things of a person's life are decreed by Allah. He
tells us that the angel sent to blow the spirit into the foetus is
commanded by Allah to write its provisions (rizq), deeds (amal), life span
(ajal), and destiny-whether the person will be in goodness or wickedness (sa'Eµd
or shaqiy). This decree then runs through a person's life up to the
Hereafter. This then makes this period even more sensitive and critical
than all the rest since they all depend on it. After
birth, the Prophet enjoins Muslims to be very sensitive and careful with
the upbringing of their children. Numerous hadith have been reported in
this regard. However, another period that is considered very critical and
sensitive is the adolescent period. As a period of transition from
childhood to adulthood it constitutes a turning point in an individual's
life. It is prone to a lot of exuberance, anxieties excitements and
temptations. The Prophet has in a number of his traditions made specific
references to this stage, which allude to its sensitivity and importance.
One example is the hadith in which the Prophet specially mentions seven
categories of people that shall be comforted under the shade of the
Glorious Throne of Allah. One of them is a young (adolescent) man who
grows up in devotion and commitment to the worship of Allah. This hadith
alludes to the critical nature of the adolescent period in the sense that,
having been full of temptations and exuberance, a young person who resists
these temptations deserves to be especially comforted among those who
shall attain felicity on the Day of Judgement. Besides
the troubles that characterize the adolescent period, some other reasons
that make it a critical and sensitive period in an individual's
development are its transitional nature and the fact that it marks the
beginning of taklif (legal responsibility). From the time the individual
attains puberty he shall be held responsible for all his deeds. If he
commits any sin it shall be recorded against him. This is indicated in
many Prophetic traditions, one of which is: Whatever
can be said regarding the critical and sensitive nature of the adolescent
period is summed up in this hadith. In a real sense, from the Islamic
perspective, an individual's later life (growth and development) is made
or marred at this period. Factors
That Influence Development: The Islamic Perspective So,
the alternation of day and night, hot and cold seasons, rainy and dry
seasons, life and death, the germination of seeds, the blowing of winds,
in fact everything is caused by Him and happens by His permission and
will. But
in spite of this, God has created temporal causes and effects. He governs
and directs the universe in accordance with these causes and effects. For
example, rain has been made to be one of the causes of seed germination,
copulation between male and female has been made to be the cause of
pregnancy, hunger has been made to be the cause of eating (eating itself
causes satisfaction while eating bad food causes ill health). So, in this
phenomenal existence things happen by means of other things. But as far as
the Qur'ân is concerned, these myriads of causes and effects are part of
God's will. In this regard, the degree, rate, magnitude, and level at
which a particular cause brings about an effect is something which
absolutely depends on God's will. Thus, the effectiveness of a cause in
precipitating a certain result or effect is determined by God's will. On a
similar note, therefore, the magnitude of the result of a particular cause
itself is determined by God's will. This point is precisely enunciated by
Rahman: The
foregoing analysis has been made as background to the discussion on
factors that influence development. And in the light of it (the analysis),
it can be seen that Islam recognizes to certain extents the two important
factors which fundamentally influence the growth and development of man,
namely, heredity and environment. Numerous textual evidences from the Qur'ân
and Hadith establish the influence of hereditary and environmental forces
on an individual's overall development. But it needs to be emphasized here
that the hereditary and environmental influences on the development of a
person are themselves subject to the will of God. This means that Islamic
psychology does not look at man as a being who is simply subjected to
hereditary and environmental forces (i.e., left at their mercy). Islam
looks at man as one being among others, who is primarily governed,
sustained, guided, and controlled by God's infinite power and will. The
forces of heredity and environment which influence man's development are
secondary and are, therefore, only mere mediums through which God disposes
His Will on man's overall growth and development. For
the purpose of clarity, some textual proof from the Qur'ân and Prophetic
traditions that confirm the influence of heredity and environment on man's
development are given below. After that, some other textual proofs that
also establish beyond reasonable doubts the Divine control of man's life
and development are also given. Textual
Proofs of the Influence of Heredity on Development 1.
Bukhâri and Muslim report on the authority of Anas bin
Malik the following: His mother (Anas's mother) Umm
Sulaym (one of the female companions of the Prophet) asked the Prophet
about a woman seeing a wet dream in her sleep like a man. He answered,
"If the woman sees that she should take the obligatory (janabah)
bath." Then Umm Salmah (the Prophet's wife who was present) asked
shyly, "Does that happen?" The Prophet replied, "Of course
it does! Then how does (hereditary) resemblance come about (if it does not
happen)? Man's sperm is a white and thick liquid while the woman's egg
cell is a thin yellowish liquid. Whichever of the two overcomes the other,
the offspring shall resemble him/her." (This version as reported by
Muslim.) 2.
Muslim reports on the authority of Thauban, that a Jew came
and asked the Prophet numerous questions (in an attempt to challenge the
truth of his Prophethood). Among other things, he asked him a question
which he (the Jew) claimed nobody could know its answers at that point in
time except a true Prophet. The question was about sex determination,
i.e., how does it take place? The Prophet gave him the following answer: The male sperm is white and the
female ovum is yellowish. If they meet (get fertilized) and the male sperm
cells overcome the female's egg cell, the offspring shall bear a male sex
by God's permission. And if the female egg cell overcomes the male
spermatozoon the offspring shall bear a female sex by God's permission. After the Prophet answered the Jew
told him that he spoke the truth and that he is truly a Prophet. Ibn al-Qayyim
expounded this hadith further: At the moment of conception
(fertilization) two things are involved. These are foremostness and
overcoming. The two can happen consecutively, and they can also occur
differently. In this regard, if the male sperm cell becomes foremost and
still overcomes the female ovum, the offspring shall be male and shall
resemble the father. But if the reverse is the case, the offspring shall
become female and shall resemble the mother. If, however, one becomes
foremost but the other overcomes it, the offspring shall resemble the
foremost one and its sex shall be the same with the overcomer, either male
or female. Ibn al-Qayyim, however, cautioned
that this sexual determination (and any other thing that goes with it)
should not be thought of as merely caused by nature. It is an affair which
purely depends on God's will. That is why the Prophet said in another
authentic hadith that the Angel sent to blow spirit into the foetus asks
Allah: O my Lord! Should the sex be male or female? . . . Then God
determines it according to His Will and the Angel records it. 3.
It is reported that Lian (one of the Prophet's companions
Hilal ibn Umayyah) accused his wife of committing adultery with Shuraikh
ibn As-Sahma. The Prophet instructed in the following way: Allow her to deliver, if the child
bears so and so traits then he belongs to the accused man. But if the
child bears so and so traits the child is then the son of her legitimate
husband. The
textual evidence leaves no doubt that hereditary endowment takes place.
But the ultimate decision of everything depends on God. Heredity,
therefore, can influence a person's intellectual development to a certain
extent. Textual
Proof of the Influence of Environment on Development 1.
A famous evidence in this regard is a hadith in which the
Prophet tells us how parents influence the religious, moral, and general
psychological socialization and development of their children. This is one
of the most glaring textual proofs of environmental influence upon a
person. The hadith reads: There is not a newborn child who
is not born in state of fitrah (divinely endowed natural disposition of
Islam). His parents then make him a Jew (if they are Jews), a Christian
(if they are Christians), or a Magian (if they are Magians), just as an
animal is born intact. Do you observe any among them that are maimed (at
birth)? 2.
In another hadith, the Prophet showed how companionship
influences a person's behavior, character, and overall conduct. In a
parable, the Prophet said: The similitude of a good companion and a bad
companion is like the possessor of musk perfume and a blacksmith. As for
the owner of the perfume, he may either give it to you, or you purchase it
from him, or at least you may get a pleasing odor from him. But as for the
blacksmith, he may either burn your clothes or you get from him a bad
displeasing odor. In
a metaphorical sense, the Prophet tells us how good companionship
influences a person's character to goodness and how bad companionship
induces a person to bad conduct. Environment, therefore, really influences
a person's overall psychological development, including, of course,
cognitive development. Textual
Proof of God's Will There
is substantial evidence that shows that heredity or environment per se do
not in themselves determine an individual's pattern of development;
ultimately, everything depends on God's will. The most striking example of
this is the story of Jesus, son of Mary. God made him talk in his cradle.
As we all know, language development is an integral part of cognitive
development. Under normal circumstances children begin to talk around the
age of two by rattling and in that way they continue to develop
vocabulary. That Jesus talked in his cradle reveals God's power. It was
not actually a hereditary endowment, neither was it a product of an
"intellectually stimulating" environment. It was simply a
manifestation of God's Wisdom, His infinite power, will, and ability to do
all things. The Qur'ân narrates this incident in several verses. First of
all the Qur'ân narrates to us how Mary was foretold that her son would
talk in his cradle. The verse reads: He
shall speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood and he shall be
one of those brought near (unto Allah). (2:46) And
while narrating the full story, the Qur'ân says: In
a hadith reported by various hadith reporters including Bukhari, the
Prophet has told us that this kind of miraculous incident did not only
happen in the case of Jesus alone. He said it happened to two other
persons, who also spoke in cradle. He said, "three people talked in
their cradle." He first of all mentioned Jesus. And then he mentioned
the rest of the two. One of them was also a newly born baby who spoke to
exonerate a saint (Juraiju) who was mischievously and falsely accused of
impregnating a whore, the result of which was the birth of that very
child. The child spoke and said his father was the cattle rearer who used
to rear his cattle around a mountain close to Juraiju's sanctuary. Another
child who spoke in his cradle was the child who spoke in response to the
prayer of his mother when she prayed that God would make her son to be
like one gorgeously dressed, arrogant rich man and that the child not be
like one wretched, destitute lady who was falsely accused of theft and was
also mischievously molested as a result of the false accusation. Both of
them passed by her while she was breast feeding the child. In the first
case the child turned his head and looked at the man then he said, "O
God! Make me not like him." Also in the second case, he turned his
head and looked at the woman and he said, "O God! Make me like her. What
these verses teach us is that, while heredity and environment are
indisputable factors that influence man's development, a third, more
significant and dominant factor exists. This is the factor of God's
infinite will and power. It is the factor which monitors and polices the
extent to which the nature-nurture forces influence man's life and
development. This is applicable to all aspects of development. The
examples given above are specifically relevant to cognitive development.
Thus, cognitive development is neither merely a product of genetic
inheritance per se, nor a product of environment per se. It is primarily a
product of God's will and power. In this regard, hereditary and
environmental forces are simply the medium through which God disposes the
pattern of an individual's development. Therefore, these two factors
have certain limitations in their influence on a person's overall
psychological disposition. Such limitations themselves are predetermined
by God. It
is necessary to recognize this factor in psychological studies. A lot of
things do happen in man's life which cannot be attributable or ascribable
to either heredity or environment (like the above examples). Therefore,
such things cannot be explained within the confines of material or
empirical investigations and explanations. Unless psychologists widen the
horizons of their approach to the study of man by recognizing the factor
of God's Divine will and omnipotence upon everything, including human
psychological development, psychological research will remain incomplete
and our knowledge about ourselves will remain equally incomplete. The role
of God's Will in determining an individual's development as recognized by
the Islamic approach will help in understanding or explaining the process
of development better than the Western approach in a number of ways. Some
of them are: a.
That not all psychological constructs and tendencies can strictly
be attributed to the mere influences of heredity and environment. b.
That as a result of the above reason, individuals sometimes
exhibit certain tendencies that clearly defy explanations in terms of
hereditary or environmental influences. The case of the speech of Jesus
and others in their cradles is a clear testimony to this. In this regard,
if this is not attributed to the Will of God, only conjectures would be
used to explain this fact. The
Qur'anic View on Individual Differences in Development O
man! What has seduced thee from thy Lord, Most Beneficent? Him Who created
thee, fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias. In
whatever form He wills, does He put thee together. (82:6-8) He
it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases; there is no god but He,
the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (3:6) These
verses denote that since every individual is fashioned in his mother's
womb by God in a peculiar and unique form, individuals are bound to be
different in all their physio-psychological dispositions. This is the
basic factor behind individual differences among people. Furthermore,
and in clearer terms, God has told us in the Qur'ân that we are different
from one another in our traits, characters, behaviors, and conduct: Say! Every
one acts according to his own disposition. But your Lord knows best
who it is that is best guided on the way. (17:84) This
verse means that every single individual has a unique disposition. Such
uniqueness may be manifested in terms of physical, cognitive, emotional,
moral, and social characteristics. The Qur'ân, therefore, recognizes that
there are individual differences among men not only in terms of cognitive
development but also in other aspects of development. Because of this
recognition, one finds that individual differences are perfectly taken
care of, even in some Qur'ânic commands and exhortations toward obeying
God's injunctions and also in the discharge of His obligations. A typical
example is the verse in which God exhorts us to obey His rules, as far as
we can, both individually and collectively: In
the above verse, God addresses us both individually and collectively. Each
individual or group of individuals is expected to fear God and obey Him as
far as he can bear it individually. This is the meaning that is conveyed
by the following verse: Commenting
on the above verse, Zaydan and Hash-Shash said, "This verse is a
divine indication to the prevalence (existence) of individual differences
among mankind.34 So, Islam treats every individual in his own unique and
distinct disposition. This establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that
there are bound to be differences among individuals in all aspects of
their psychological traits and characteristics. This invariably includes
cognitive characteristics. But the verse in which Allah clearly alludes to
individual differences among people is the following verse. Such
differences include intellectual disparities, among others. The verse
reads: And
We raise some of them (mankind) above others in ranks, so that some may
command work from others. (43:32) According to Ibn Kathir, God explains in
this verse that He created disparities among His creatures (mankind) in
terms of what He has endowed them with-wealth, intellect, understanding,
and the like-which pertains to both the outward and the inward abilities. In
practical terms, the Prophet used to take care of individual differences
among his companions through his interactions with them by teaching,
responding to questions, and in general dealings with them. He used to
assign responsibilities to people according to their respective
suitabilities to such responsibilities. He considered such differences in
almost everything, including prayers. For example, with regards to leading
people in prayers the Prophet used to instruct his companions to take into
cognizance the differences which exist among people. He used to instruct
them in the following way: If
anyone of you leads a people in prayer he should shorten it. For among
them there are the young, the old, the weak and the ones disturbed by the
call of nature. But if he prays alone, then let him pray as he wishes
(according to his capability). With
regards to teaching people, the Prophet used to take care of their
peculiarities. He used to take care of their level of intellectual and
social development. In that way he instructs or teaches a person according
to his mentality and social background. The following are very good
examples of this Prophetic method of teaching: 1.
'Aisha, one of the Prophet's wives, was reported as having
said that the Prophet did not speak superfluously and carelessly as other
people do. He used to talk to people in a careful manner, repeating the
points which needed to be repeated or emphasized so that every listener
understood him. 2.
The Prophet considered people's social and intellectual
background when he addressed them. It is reported that a delegation came
to him from 3.
The Prophet used to react or give answers to individuals in
accordance with their intellectual and social dispositions. He would give
different answers to seemingly similar questions and would react
differently to the seemingly same action done by different people. For
example, a Bedouin came into the Prophet's mosque and urinated. His action
showed that he had a low intellectual and social development. The
Prophet's companions became harsh with him and started shouting at him.
But considering his peculiar intellectual and social background, the
Prophet cautioned them saying: (Deal with him) gently. You have been sent
to be lenient with people and not (indiscriminately) harsh. The Prophet
then ordered that water be poured on the place urinated on. After that,
the Prophet called him and explained to him gently in accordance to his
mentality. The man became extremely pleased by the Prophet's treatment of
him. So much so, that when he prayed and was supplicating, he said,
"O Allah! Have mercy on me and Muhammad, and do not have mercy on any
other person besides us." The Prophet smiled at him and said,
"O! You have narrowed that which is wide." When the man went
back to his people, he said, "I have come to you from the best of
mankind. 4.
Whenever the Prophet wanted to send some of his companions
to teach people in other places, he would give them some advice which has
some bearing on individual differences. For example, he used to say: Be
lenient with people and do not be harsh. Encourage (and do not) discourage
or dismiss people. 5.
Finally, it was reported that the Prophet used to advise his
companions in the following way: Speak to men according to their mental
capacities, for if you speak all things to all men, some cannot understand
you, and so fall into errors. It
is also pertinent to specifically address the issue of differences between
the psychological development of male and female children. The Qur'ân has
certainly told us that males and females are not the same: The
difference referred to in this verse is of a wide range. Essentially it
refers to the differences in biological postures and psychological
tendencies. There is no doubt that men and women have different biological
postures and traits that create a number differences in their respective
developmental patterns. The growth spurt of girls in the adolescent stage
has been discovered to be faster than that of boys. In another dimension
there is certainly a very strong relationship between biology and
psychology. Biological processes do really affect and influence
psychological tendencies. As long as males and females have certain
variant biological components and postures, variation in their
psychological tendencies and dispositions is inevitable. Conclusion An
attempt has been made in this paper to reveal some of the fundamental
differences that exist between the Islamic approach to developmental
psychology and the Western secular approach. Beginning with a critique of
the epistemological and methodological paradigms and frameworks of Western
social and behavioral sciences in general, the distinctive Islamic
paradigm, which is based on the Tawhidi episteme, was propounded. Based on
this epistemological framework an attempted exposition of the basic
principles of Islamic developmental psychology was made. With sufficient
references from the Qur'ân and Sunnah as the Muslim's Absolute Reference
Frame, 39 the fundamental differences between the Islamic and Western
approaches were clearly expounded and illustrated. In a similar manner,
other important issues related to development like the factors, which
affect it, and the phenomenon of individual differences were discussed and
analyzed. This attempt has certainly suggested a marked deviation from the
conventional approach. A
very important element in this Islamic approach which more than any other
thing makes it differ from the dominant Western approach is the fact that
in the former case God's Will is the central and dominant factor in human
development. In the latter case everything is explained within the limited
confines of the nature-nurture (hereditary and environment) paradigm. This
latter approach in view of the Islamic model is certainly reductionist and
cannot lead to perfect understanding of human nature and development. Because
there are sharp contradictions between the Islamic and Western models,
primarily due to Muslim belief in the indispensability of the Qur'ân and
Sunnah, and finally due to the differences between Muslim and Western
societies, it must be concluded that it is grossly inappropriate to use
Western development theories in Muslim societies. It is also futile or
even absurd to keep upholding the Western theories with all their glaring
weaknesses, inadequacies, and incompatibilities. It therefore becomes
necessary and imperative to propound a more comprehensive adequate and
accurate approach. The Islamic approach is certainly one for it can
assuredly redeem mankind from misery occasioned by the mechanistic and
materialist view of man. It will actually widen our scope of understanding
of human developments without any claim of perfection. Footnotes
1. G. R. Lefrancois, Of Children: An
Introduction to Child Development (Belmont: Wadsworth, 1973). 12. Ibid. 20. Surah al-Ahqaf (46:15). Other chapters
and verses in which this attainment of full strength after weakness is
mentioned are 40:67; 22:5; 17:34; 28:14; and 12:22. 21. See note (18) above. 22. That is the Science of Jurisprudence in
Islam. The Principle referred to here is that which says: "Al-Itibar
bi Umum al-Lafz la bi khusus al-ma'ana," i.e., Consideration can be
made in juristic decisions to general meaning and implications of phrases
or statements, in addition to their specific connotations. 23. A hadith reported by both Bukhari and
Muslim on the authority of Abdullahi ibn Abbas. 24. See Surah al-Ahqaf (46), verse 15 25. A hadith reported by Abu Dawud,
Tirmidhi, and Hakim, on the authority of Abu Rafi. 26. See note (19) above. Source: http://www.islamic-world.net/psychology/psy.php?ArtID=178 |