Allah (swt)- our Creator, Master and Sustainer. These words always seem to rattle off the tongue without pausing but have we taken in the enormity of the situation? We so arrogantly claim science to be our own invention, medicine to be our own creation and psychology to be our own understanding of the human mind. Surely these discoveries cannot have taken place without the will of our own Maker. It is our arrogance that makes the creation deny the Creator and leads men to bow before their own invention instead of the Almighty Originator.

I liken it to the understanding that a mother has of her own child and even if you have the greatest teacher and psychologist sitting in front of that child ready with clipboard and pen to scribble down notes to observe and understand the child’s’ behaviour, it is still the mother who will have the greatest understanding of her child. It was the mother who cared for that child in her womb and then with her hands, heart and soul. Similarly, we may have been provided with the phrases and theories of Freud and Jung in modern times but the behaviour and the thinking of the human mind must come from Allah (swt); there is simply no other source. Take for example the foundation of Freud’s theory on human behaviour. Doctor Freud argues that within all humans, there is an ‘id’, ‘ego’ and ‘super-ego’. Put simply, the ‘id’ represents all of our primitive desires and the ‘super-ego’ acts as the defence mechanism which opposes the ‘id’ to maintain an equilibrium which is socially acceptable behaviour. This classic tussle between good and evil has roots dating back to our existence and indeed is the very reason we are here in this continual test for the ultimate reward or doom.

Since the start of Man and the age of civilisation there has been a struggle between knowing the truth and believing in it. What makes the creation deny the Creator? Why does man submit to all things that are man made instead of the deity that made man? The arrogance and ignorance stem from our own intelligence, which gives birth to the denial of our own Creator. We choose a path that involves small goals and ambitions, giving us momentary satisfaction but still claim we have believed and follow Allah (swt). This psychology of self-interest and material gain cannot exist for long, in fact we need more and yet never look further than our eyesight allows us to.

The human mind is a complex phenomenon, an area where all the scientific research and development have failed to understand and grasp. The role of human psychology in Islam is the same role of the major denominator in any equation.

Allah (swt) has left His creation to judge between the Right and Wrong, the good and bad and the permitted and forbidden. The rules have been established, the teacher has come and delivered his practical and theory and now we are left to apply and succeed. Allah (swt) has all the divine power to make us all believers. He can make us submit and even replace us with another race better than us. So why are we being allowed to transgress all limits, ignoring the orders of our Creator and living our life without remembrance and worship? The answers were given with the creation of the first man; Hasrat Adam(as). The angels asked Allah (swt) the reason why He had created man as the angels were in complete submission and worship of Allah (swt). The All-Knower responded that this creation would be of the highest and most complete in practice. Allah (swt) gave us a choice and enabled us to understand the difference between right and wrong.

We must understand that Allah (swt) has all knowledge and everything comes from Him, therefore He knows the path we will choose. This does not mean our free choice has already been ordained on us, rather the decision we make is already encompassed within the knowledge of Allah (swt). Human behaviour psychology is the sense and thought process by which we live and our decisions and instincts are based on basic characteristics that exist in all of us. These basic instincts are governed by the two players. A game of chess is being played out; the two players are seated: we are the pawns being used to establish the winner- the winner has to be Allah(swt). All that remains to be seen is how many of us fall into the fire with the Devil- the other doomed player.