Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah: Conception of the Soul and Its Relevance to Contemporary Psychology

Abstract

This article explores the intellectual legacy and philosophical contributions of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (1292-1350AD) through the drawing on his major theological, jurisprudential and spiritual writings. Ibn Qayyim's concept of the soul is rooted in the Qur’anic revelation and the prophetic traditions, encompasses ontological, epistemological, axiological and theological dimensions. His three-heart typology, cognitive-behavioural model and spiritual taxonomy constitute a distinct and comprehensive psychology, rooted in divine destiny, ethical accountability and the primacy of the heart. This paper critically analyses the structure, development and stages of the soul as conceptualised in his key works, in particular Kitab al-Ruh, al-Da’ wal-Dawa’ and Miftaḥ Dar al-Sa’adah wa-Manshur Wilayat al-‘Ilm wal-Iradah, and relates these models to contemporary subfields of psychology, including social psychology, cognitive psychology and clinical psychology. Rather than retrofitting his ideas into Western paradigms, this study positions Ibn Qayyim’s thinking as a spiritually grounded framework with transformative potential for moral reasoning, mental health, emotional regulation and well-being. His work invites us to rethink psychology through a Tawhidic epistemology that prioritises revelation, spiritual intentionality and the interdependence of heart, mind and behaviour.