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The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar1.
Achmad Khudori Soleh2.
Siti Mahmudah3.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush4 1Universitas Al-Qolam Malang.
Indonesia 2,3Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang.
Indonesia 4Payam University.
Afghanistan 1bedi@alqolam.
id, 2khudorisoleh@pps.
uin-malang.
id, 3mahmudah@psi.
uin-malang.
4ahmadnaweedrahimi917@gmail.
Abstract This article examines the concepts of nr .
and eulmah .
in the thought of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar and their implications for Islamic psychology.
While historical studies of the Islamic soul .
frequently emphasize ontological descriptions and normative ethics, they rarely articulate the functional dynamics through which spiritual components produce moral behavior.
Addressing this gap, this study conceptually reconstructs the operational roles of nr and eulmah in relation to the 'aql .
, barah .
piritual insigh.
, and qalb .
Employing qualitative content analysis, the study systematically unitizes, categorizes, and synthesizes primary textual data from alikam and its authoritative classical commentaries.
The findings indicate that the human psyche is structured by internal faculties interacting with transcendental epistemic inputs .
and egoistic distortions .
Nr manifests in graduated forms .
ntibAh, iqbAl, wiA.
that progressively enhance moral cognition and activate the barah.
Conversely, eulmah operates through base desires that obscure ethical orientation.
Rather than positioning this framework in binary opposition to contemporary psychology, the study places as-Sakandar in constructive dialogue with psychoanalysis and positive psychology, highlighting how Islamic psychology introduces a theocentric dimension to internal conflict and human flourishing.
Ultimately, this study offers a conceptual reconstruction that bridges classical Shadhiliyyah thought with modern discourse on moral development, providing a theoretical foundation relevant to contemporary Islamic educational and therapeutic settings.
Keywords: Islamic Psychology.
Ibn AoaoillAh as-Sakandar.
Nr-eulmah Framework.
Conceptual Reconstruction.
Moral Development.
Corresponding author:
Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar, e-mail: bedi@alqolam.
Article History Received: 26 December 2025 | Revised: 11 July 2.
Accepted: 12 July 2026 | Available online: 31 July How to Cite this Article Basyar.
Soleh.
Mahmudah.
Khamoush.
The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman, 37.
, 409-422.
https://doi.
org/10.
33367/tribakti.
A 2026.
The author.
Tribakti is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.
The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush Introduction The discourse on human psychology in Islamic thought has long been centered on the purification of the soul .
azkiyat al-naf.
In Islamic intellectual history, the study of the soul .
l-naf.
is not merely a philosophical endeavor but a fundamental spiritual necessity.
Classical scholars have extensively debated the nature and components of the human psyche, often categorizing them into ru .
, qalb .
Aoaql .
, and nafs .
oul/desir.
Classical contributions like those of Ibn Zakaria Al-Razi have also laid the foundation for understanding mental health through a combination of medicine and ethics, where the soul is treated as a dynamic entity requiring constant care.
1 Ibn AoaoillAh as-Sakandar .
, a prominent figure in the Shadhiliyyah Sufi order, provides a unique psychological lens through his magnum opus, al-ikam, which delves into the subtle movements of the heart and the constant struggle between spiritual enlightenment and material distraction.
Properly understanding Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's psychospiritual framework requires situating him within his historical and intellectual milieu.
As the third shaykh of the Shadhiliyyah order Ai succeeding Ab al-asan ash-ShAdhil .
and Ab al-'AbbAs al-Murs .
Ai Ibn 'AA'illAh operated at the intersection of Alexandrian and Cairene scholarly culture in the late seventh and early eighth centuries of the Islamic calendar.
The Shadhiliyyah distinguished itself from other Sufi orders of its era through a distinctive epistemological orientation: rather than mandating physical withdrawal from society or elaborate ritual asceticism, it emphasized the integration of inward spiritual refinement .
azkiyat al-bAi.
with active participation in scholarly and communal life.
2 This sociologically grounded Sufism Ai practised amid the intellectual ferment of Mamluk Egypt, where Islamic jurisprudence.
Ash'arite theology, and Sufi spirituality coexisted and contested Ai provided the formative context in which al-ikam was composed.
Crucially, the Shadhiliyyan insistence that spiritual psychology must be lived, not merely theorized, means that Ibn 'AA'illAh's concepts of nr and eulmah are not esoteric abstractions but practical mechanisms for moral formation during worldly engagement.
It is this embeddedness in lived experience that renders his framework particularly relevant for contemporary Islamic psychology and Muslim communities navigating the tensions of spiritual and material life.
However, most classical and contemporary literature focuses more on the ontological nature of the soul rather than its operational dynamics in everyday moral decision-making.
Existing scholarship has approached this subject from multiple directions: neuroscientific analyses of the 'aql and its developmental dimensions,3 psycho-ontological reconstructions of Islamic selfhood in clinical contexts,4 philosophical explorations of the soul's metaphysical components and stages of ethical 1 Rizkia Amalia Rahmawati and Achmad Khudori Soleh.
AuKonsep Jiwa.
Kesehatan Mental Dan Psikoterapi Ibn Zakaria Al-Razi,Ay Al-Hikmah: Jurnal Agama Dan Ilmu Pengetahuan 21, no.
: 123Ae33, https://doi.
org/10.
25299/alhikmah:jaip.
2 I.
Nasyrov.
AuIbn AoAtaAo Allah Al-Iskandari and His Sufi Aphorisms (Kitab Al-Hika.
,Ay Islam in the Modern World 14, no.
: 73Ae92, https://doi.
org/10.
22311/2074-1529-2018-14-3-73-92.
John Spencer Trimingham and John O.
Voll.
The Sufi Orders in Islam, 2nd ed (Oxford University Press, 1.
3 Suyadi.
AuLearning Taxonomy of Islamic Education: The Development of Aql and the Brain in Quran from a Neuroscience Perspective,Ay Millah:
Journal Religious Studies.
July 361Ae410, https://doi.
org/10.
20885/millah.
4 Taha Burak Toprak.
AuRethinking Psycho-Ontology in the Context of Ilm an-Nafs .
he Study of Self by Muslim Scholar.
and Clinical Applications.
,Ay Spirituality in Clinical Practice 12, no.
: 238Ae66, https://doi.
org/10.
1037/scp0000390.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush ascent,5 cross-traditional studies of psycho-spirituality within Sufi and broader Islamic frameworks,6 comparative inquiries between Freudian psychoanalysis and Islamic conceptions of the nafs,7 examinations of the soul's moral implications across specific scholarly traditions,8 investigations into the perfection of the nafs toward divine vicegerency .
hilAfa.
,9 and analyses of the integration of reason and revelation in Islamic philosophical discourse.
10 While these studies offer rich foundational insights, the persistent modern psychological crises among emerging adults highlight a pressing need to translate these normative principles into practical, accessible psychospiritual frameworks rooted in Islamic Despite these contributions, a significant gap remains: existing research rarely dissects the precise dynamics through which spiritual illumination .
interacts with the cognitive and moral decisionmaking faculties of the soul.
Most studies operate at the level of ontological description or normative ethics, rather than mapping how these spiritual inputs affect internal psychological components to produce moral behavior.
This article addresses this gap by conceptually reconstructing eulmah as active variables affecting both the affective and cognitive dimensions of moral formation within Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's thought.
This study holds particular significance for understanding living traditions in the Global South, where Shadhiliyyah-affiliated practices remain deeply embedded in the curriculum of thousands of Southeast Asian pesantren and African zAwiyah networks, shaping the moral formation of millions of 12 Despite its widespread lived application, this psychospiritual tradition has rarely been subjected to systematic academic formalization within contemporary psychology.
By organizing the nreulmah framework into a cohesive conceptual model, this study provides a scholarly articulation of an indigenous framework that has long operated underrepresented in broader academic literature.
Consequently, this reconstruction contributes to the decolonial turn in Islamic studies by demonstrating 5 Mahmoud Nazari et al.
AuA Comparative Study on Soul and Life in the Philosophy of Aristotle and Ibn Sina .
ith an Emphasis on the Book De Anima and KitAb al-Nafs from al-ifaA.
,Ay Philosophy Journal, 2021, 113Ae25, https://doi.
org/10.
21146/2072-0726-2021-14-4-113-125.
Mohd Manawi Mohd Akib and Sharifah Basirah Syed Muhsin.
AuPerbahasan Potensi Jiwa Menurut Ibn Sina Dan Al-Ghazali,Ay Jurnal Akidah & Pemikiran Islam 21, no.
: 85Ae110, https://doi.
org/10.
22452/afkar.
6 Emilio Tornero Poveda.
AuEn Los Lymites Del Islam.
La Naturaleza Del Hombre a La Luz Del Espyritu.
Ru.
Corynico.
Segyn Algazel,Ay Anaquel de Estudios yArabes.
November 14, 2024, 1Ae22, https://doi.
org/10.
5209/anqe.
7 Hanna-e-Kalbi and Dr.
Tahira Basharat.
AuA Comparative Study of the Personality Formulates of Ghazali and Freud,Ay Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization 10, no.
, https://doi.
org/10.
32350/jitc.
8 Asiye Aykit.
Auehrezyry Dyyncesinde Nefsin Kuvvelerinin Ahlyky Tekymyle Tesiri,Ay Cumhuriyet lahiyat Dergisi 26, no.
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AuAlevi nancnda Can.
Ruh Kavram ve Nefsin Eitimi,Ay Uluslararasi Kibris Universitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakultesi.
January 1, 2021, 105, https://doi.
org/10.
22559/folklor.
9 Fahad Khan and Asma Nisa.
AuPsychospiritual Conceptualization of Nafs from the Perspectives of Muhammad Iqbal,Ay Journal of Muslim Mental Health 18, no.
, https://doi.
org/10.
3998/jmmh.
10 Achmad Khudori Soleh and Erik Sabti Rahmawati.
AuThe Strength of Ibn RushdAos Integration of Religion and Philosophy: An Islamic Historical Discourse,Ay Articles.
Journal of Al-Tamaddun 18, no.
: 173Ae87.
11 Siti Mahmudah et al.
AuThe Efectiveness of Solution Focused Brief Therapy Training to Increase Psychological Wellbeing of Santri,Ay in Proceedings of the First Conference of Psychology and Flourishing Humanity (PFH 2.
, 728, ed.
Abdul Fattah et al.
Advances in Social Science.
Education and Humanities Research (Atlantis Press SARL, 2.
, https://doi.
org/10.
2991/978-2-38476-032-9_20.
12 Zamakhsyari Dhofier.
Tradisi pesantren: studi pandangan hidup kyai dan visinya mengenai masa depan Indonesia.
Cet.
8 rev (LP3ES, 2.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush that classical Sufi thought is not merely a historical artifact, but a living source of theoretical innovation capable of expanding contemporary discourses on human psychology.
Method This study employs a qualitative research approach grounded in library research, a methodological tradition well-established in Islamic intellectual studies for examining classical textual sources.
This approach is suited to interpreting the internal logic and conceptual structures of classical Sufi psychological concepts, enabling rigorous engagement with the nuances of the primary texts.
The primary data source of this study is al-ikam by Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar, using the edition prepared by Muuammad 'Abd al-RaumAn as-Syaghl .
l-Maktabah al-Azhariyah li alTurAth, 2.
, selected for its philological reliability and wide scholarly acceptance within the Azhari tradition.
Supporting primary data are drawn from as-Sakandar's TAj al-'Ars al-Aw liTahdhb al-Nufs (DAr al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah, 2.
Secondary sources consist of four authoritative classical and modern commentaries .
on al-ikam, selected based on three criteria: .
their recognized authority within the Shadhiliyyah intellectual lineage.
their thematic emphasis on the psychospiritual dimensions of the text, particularly concepts related to qalb, 'aql, and barah.
their representativeness of diverse periods and scholarly traditions Ai namely, al-ikam al-'AA'iyyah Sharu wa Taull by al-Bouti .
odern Syrian-Egyptian traditio.
Ib'Ad alGhumAm 'an IqAe al-Himam by Ibn 'Ajibah .
lassical Moroccan-Shadhili traditio.
Sharu alikam al-'AA'iyyah by as-Syarwani .
lassical Syrian traditio.
, and ShifA' as-SaqAm wa Fatu KhazA'in al-Kalim by al-Kindi.
The analytical method employed is qualitative content analysis, which involves systematic reading, categorization, and interpretation of textual data to identify underlying conceptual structures and their relational dynamics.
15 The analytical procedure is operationalized in four sequential stages.
First, unitizing: relevant textual passages containing the key concepts Ai nr, eulmah, qalb, barah, and 'aql Ai are identified and extracted from the primary and secondary sources as raw textual codes.
Second, categorizing: these codes are systematically grouped using open and axial coding based on their conceptual functions.
This distinguishes between definitional passages .
ature of the facultie.
, dynamic-functional passages .
ow inputs alter cognitive state.
, and normative-prescriptive passages .
ehavioral outcome.
Third, inferencing: relational patterns between categories are analyzed to reconstruct the internal logic of as- framework Ai specifically, how nr and eulmah interact with the soul's internal components to produce moral behavior.
Fourth, synthesis: the final codes are integrated into a cohesive conceptual reconstruction that maps the interaction between transcendental inputs and internal faculties.
13 Abdullah Saeed.
Islamic Thought: An Introduction (Routledge.
Taylor & Francis Group, 2.
Walter D.
Mignolo.
AuEpistemic Disobedience.
Independent Thought and Decolonial Freedom,Ay Theory.
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7Ae8 .
: 159Ae81, https://doi.
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1177/0263276409349275.
14 John W.
Creswell and Cheryl N.
Poth.
Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches.
Fourth edition (SAGE, 2.
15 Klaus Krippendorff.
Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology.
Fourth Edition (SAGE, 2.
Satu Elo et al.
AuQualitative Content Analysis: A Focus on Trustworthiness,Ay Sage Open 4, no.
: 2158244014522633,
https://doi.
org/10.
1177/2158244014522633.
16 Kimberly A.
Neuendorf.
The Content Analysis Guidebook.
Second edition (SAGE, 2.
Philipp Mayring.
AuQualitative Content Analysis,Ay Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research Vol 1 (June 2.
: No 2 .
: Qualitative Methods in Various Disciplines I: Psychology, https://doi.
org/10.
17169/FQS-1.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush To ensure interpretive validity and guard against misrepresentation of the primary text, triangulation is applied across the four selected commentaries.
Where interpretations converge across multiple commentators, the reading is treated as having strong textual warrant.
Where divergences emerge, the researcher explicitly notes the range of interpretation and privileges the reading most consistent with as-Sakandar's own explicit statements in al-ikam and TAj al-'Ars.
This intra-traditional triangulation is especially important given the layered, aphoristic nature of alikam, where individual passages are susceptible to varying degrees of esoteric interpretation.
Finally, a comparative analysis is also conducted with Freud's psychoanalytic framework and Seligman's Positive Psychology, using the mechanism of moral behavior formation as the tertium comparationis Ai not to reduce Islamic psychology to Western categories, but to locate asSakandar's conceptual reconstruction within a broader contemporary conversation.
Result The Concept of Nr and eulmah in as-SakandarAos Thought In as-Sakandar's psychological framework, nr and eulmah are not merely metaphorical terms but represent transcendental epistemic inputs and psychological distortions that actively condition the psyche.
Nr is specifically defined as divine knowledge ('il.
bestowed by Allah upon the human intellect ('aq.
to enable true understanding Ai distinguishing it from rational or sensory knowledge in that it serves exclusively as divine guidance to discern good from evil.
19 This nr is also referred to as wArid .
piritual arriva.
, received and held by the 'aql.
20 Recent empirical studies confirm that high spiritual intensity strengthens the heart's resilience against worldly stress,21 corroborating as-Sakandar's assertion that the presence of nr compels the individual toward God.
As-Sakandar categorizes nr into three graduated forms: Nr al-IntibAh (Light of Awakenin.
, which transitions the soul from negligence .
to repentance.
Nr al-IqbAl (Light of Orientatio.
, which reorients the soul toward God by sidelining worldly attachments .
and Nr al-WiAl (Light of Unio.
, which opens the soul's direct connection with God, enabling the individual to experience the transience of all things beside Him.
Conversely, eulmah represents ego-centered desires .
awA al-naf.
and satanic influences that obscure the heart's vision.
As-Sakandar uses the mirror analogy: the heart reflects divine light when pure, but becomes covered by the rust of worldly attachment, clouding the 'aql and disorienting the moral compass.
23 eulmah manifests in multiple forms Ai weak conviction, ignorance of the self, egoism, blind fanaticism, and satanic whispers Ai and functions as the antithetical army to nr within the psychic system.
17 Mahmoud M.
Ayoub.
QurAoan and Its Interpreters, vol.
1 (State University of New York Press, 1.
18 Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Oliver Leaman, eds.
History of Islamic Philosophy.
Routledge History of World Philosophies, v.
1 (Routledge, 1.
Hanna-e-Kalbi and Dr.
Tahira Basharat.
AuA Comparative Study of the Personality Formulates of Ghazali and Freud.
Ay 19 Ibnu Athaillah as-Sakandari, al-Hikam, 1st ed.
, ed.
Muhammad Abdurrahman as-Syaghul .
l-Maktabah alAzhariyah li At-Turats, 2.
Ahmad bin Muhammad Ibnu Ajibah.
IbAoad al-Ghumam an Iqadz al-Himam, 1st ed.
(Dar Kutub Ilmiah, 2.
20 Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, 1st ed.
, vol.
2 (DAr al-Fikr alMuAir, 2.
21 M.
Ahim Sulthan Nuruddaroini et al.
AuThe Effect of Religiosity on Psychological Well-Being with Intensity of Taklim Assembly Recitation as a Mediator,Ay Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman 35, no.
: 263Ae80, https://doi.
org/10.
33367/tribakti.
22 Ibnu Ajibah.
IbAoad al-Ghumam an Iqadz al-Himam.
23 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush Within this framework, barah serves as the faculty of spiritual decision-making, activated only in the presence of nr Ai just as the physical eye cannot function without light.
24 The qalb .
, in turn, functions as the projector of barah's decisions into external behavior, perpetually oscillating between iqbAl .
nclination toward goo.
and idbAr .
nclination toward evi.
depending on whether nr or eulmah holds dominance at a given moment.
25 Thus nr serves as the energetic vehicle for both barah and qalb Ai enabling the former to see and the latter to act morally.
Figure 1.
The Nur-Zulmah Framework The Operational Mechanism of Nr and Barah First, the mechanism of nr.
As-Sakandar posits that divine assistance .
is not dispensed arbitrarily, but is contingent upon human preparation Ai as suggested in Surah al-A'raf verse 56:
"Indeed.
Allah's mercy is near to those who do good.
"26 This preparation operates on two dimensions.
Psychologically, it requires cultivating iftiqArAithe profound sense of absolute need for GodAi alongside Aouzlah .
for tafakkur .
, a thirst for goodness, and sincerity .
27 Practically, it is reinforced through prayer, recitation of the Quran, and invocation of Crucially, as-Sakandar clarifies that Aouzlah does not necessitate physical isolation, but rather a psychological and mental distancing from worldly distractions: "Nothing is more beneficial to the heart than uzlah, which enters the realm of contemplation.
"29 This inward orientation Ai cultivated through tafakkur Ai functions as the condition of receptivity through which divine nr enters and activates the barah.
This process seeks to immerse the self in obscurity and simplicity .
, strengthening the roots of consciousness before venturing into social life.
By embracing khuml, the individual 24 al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
Abdul Majid as-Syarwani.
Syarah Hikam al-Athaiyah, 2nd (Dar Ibnu Katsir, 1.
25 al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
as-Syarwani.
Syarah Hikam al-Athaiyah.
26 Ibnu Athaillah as-Sakandari.
Taj Al-Arus al-Hawi Li Tahdzib an-Nufus (Dar Kutub Ilmiah, 2.
al-Bouti, alHikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
27 al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
28 al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
29 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush focuses on the unseen cultivation of the spirit, ensuring that moral actions are rooted in genuine conviction rather than social performance.
Tafakkur during this phase acts as the transformative process that converts divine nr into actionable wisdom, allowing the barah to see clearly through the darkness of the ego.
Without this deep-rooted inwardness, outward moral behavior remains fragile and susceptible to eulmah.
Figure 2.
The Mechanism of Nr Second, the mechanism for suppressing eulmah.
Even when barah arrives at a virtuous decision, the qalb does not automatically project it into behavior, as it remains contested by the base impulses of the lower self .
awA al-naf.
and satanic whispers.
The lower self is described as breath upon a mirrorAiits persistent influence gradually obscures the heart's clarity.
30 Against hawA al-nafs, as-Sakandar prescribes three deliberate resistance strategies: detecting signs of egodomination, actively opposing its apparent choices, and cultivating a dual relationship with God through fear .
and longing .
31 As-Sakandar notes a specific sign of ego-domination:
"One sign that you follow your base desires is your haste in performing recommended .
good deeds while being sluggish in performing obligatory ones.
"32 To counteract this, one must choose the path that feels heavier or more difficult for the ego.
This internal discipline is sustained through divine awe, as he notes:
"Nothing can control the desires within the heart except a great fear of God and a powerful longing for God.
"33
Regarding the whispers of Satan, the primary defense is to constantly seek refuge in God.
As-Sakandar advises, "If you know that Satan will not forget you, then do not forget the One who holds your "34 Al-Fasi interprets this refuge as a form of trust and faith.
Satan is unable to disturb those who possess strong trust and faith in God, based on Surah An-Nahl verse 99: "Indeed, there is no authority for him over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord.
"35 Furthermore, as-Sakandar views the presence of Satan not merely as a source of destruction, but as a divine instrument for spiritual When a servant feels the pressure of satanic whispers, it triggers an immediate psychological shift from self-reliance to absolute dependence on the Creator .
As the heart 30 al-Bouti, al-Hikam al-Athaiyah Syarah wa Tahlil, vol.
as-Sakandari.
Taj Al-Arus al-Hawi Li Tahdzib an-Nufus.
31 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
32 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
33 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
34 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
35 Ibnu Ajibah.
IbAoad al-Ghumam an Iqadz al-Himam.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush becomes saturated with the awareness of God's presence, the cognitive resonance of these distractions fades, allowing the barah to maintain its focus on the divine light.
Figure 3.
The Mechanism of Dampening eulmah Operationally, this dual mechanism Aithe cultivation of receptivity to nr and the suppression of eulmahAi forms a psychospiritual feedback loop: moral actions generated under nr invite further illumination, refining the heart's mirror for clearer perception, while repeated submission to eulmah deposits rust that progressively dims the barah.
The resulting model positions nr not merely as a theological concept but as a functional cognitive-spiritual catalyst whose presence or absence materially determines the quality of moral behavior.
Discussion Dialogue with Modern Psychology The conceptualization of the soul in as-SakandarAos thought presents a generative alternative to the classical psychodynamic model proposed by Sigmund Freud.
This dialogue highlights distinct ontological foundations concerning the nature of human existence and the origins of psychic motivation.
37 While Freud views the psyche through a deterministic lens of biological instincts and social conditioning, as-Sakandar emphasizes an existential-spiritual dimension that extends beyond material causality.
Freud identifies three primary components: the Id .
nconscious drive.
, the Ego .
he rational min.
, and the Superego .
nternalized social standard.
38 In Freud's view, the psyche operates as a closed psychological system centered on biological survival and social adaptation.
39 Rather than standing in binary opposition, as-SakandarAos framework expands this structural topography.
His frameworkAiconsisting of Aoaql .
, barah .
piritual insigh.
, and qalb .
Aifunctions as an open system receptive to transcendental epistemic inputs .
While the Freudian ego relies on pragmatic rational logic to navigate reality, the as-Sakandaran intellect functions by receiving divine light to discern ontological truth.
Here, barah acts as a spiritual decision-maker that evaluates options not merely based on internalized social taboos .
ike the Supereg.
, but on spiritual reality.
Consequently, what Freud terms as irrational unconscious drives (I.
can be understood within this framework as the psychospiritual pressure of eulmah .
awA al-naf.
This structural convergence allows Islamic psychology to engage Freud not through wholesale rejection, but by reinterpreting biological drives within a wider cosmological battlefield.
This comparison is summarized in the following table:
36 Mahmudah et al.
AuThe Efectiveness of Solution Focused Brief Therapy Training to Increase Psychological Wellbeing of Santri.
Ay 37 Hanna-e-Kalbi and Dr.
Tahira Basharat.
AuA Comparative Study of the Personality Formulates of Ghazali and Freud.
Ay 38 Sigmund Freud.
Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis (Norton, 1.
39 Yijun Yang.
AuThe Origin of Morality: From Behavioral Synchronization to Moral Norm Internalization,Ay Journal of Education.
Humanities and Social Sciences 8 (February 2.
: 256Ae63, https://doi.
org/10.
54097/ehss.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush Table 1.
The Comparative Paradigm As-Sakandari and Sigmund Freud Aspect Primary Components External/Metaphysical Influences Functional Role Components External/Dynamic Energy As-Sakandari Aql, barah, and qalb Nr (Divine Ligh.
and eulmah (Darknes.
Aql receives nr as truth.
barah chooses based on nr.
qalb projects Nr guides moral differentiation.
eulmah drives vice.
Sigmund Freud Id .
Ego .
Superego .
No metaphysical or spiritual Id seeks gratification.
Ego manages Superego acts as internalized social norms.
Purely subconscious drives .
libido, thanato.
without spiritual Beyond psychoa nalysis, the nr-eulmah framework holds significant relevance to the Positive Psychology discourse on human flourishing, particularly Martin SeligmanAos PERMA model.
40 Both as-Sakandar and Seligman share a core concern for cultivating human virtues and optimal However, a major epistemological distinction lies in their directionality.
Seligman adopts a bottom-up approach, where character strengths are viewed as inherent human traits developed through autonomous cognitive and behavioral effort.
41 In contrast, as-Sakandar offers a top-down perspective where sustainable virtue .
can only be fully realized through the stabilizing catalyst of divine illumination nr.
As Rassool argues, the Islamic paradigm of the soul is inherently theocentric, anchoring human well-being to the actualization of the firah.
From a Global South perspective, this distinction is crucial.
Positive Psychology emerged from a Western secular tradition that locates the ultimate source of flourishing within the autonomous self.
43 For Muslim communities whose well-being is fundamentally anchored in theocentric meaning-making, relying solely on secular frameworks risks an epistemic limitationAi subordinating indigenous ways of knowing to external academic categories.
44 As-Sakandar's framework offers a balanced counter-position: not a rejection of empirical positive psychology, but a recognition that secular constructs like self-efficacy can be enriched by adding the spiritual Concurrently, this dialogue reveals an internal limitation within classical Islamic psychology itself: while textually rich in mapping the metaphysical mechanics of the soul, classical frameworks often lack the standardized, empirical psychometric tools found in modern Positive Psychology to measure these behavioral outcomes.
Therefore, articulating this framework is not a retreat from modern science, but a precondition for an equal intellectual exchange where both traditions address the cross-cultural complexities of human flourishing.
The following table summarizes the comparative analysis between as-SakandarAos Psychospiritual Model and SeligmanAos Positive Psychology:
40 Shivangi Pandey and Anubhuti Dubey.
AuConfluence of Triguna and PERMA Model: An Empirical Validation,Ay Mind and Society 10, nos.
03Ae04 .
: 43Ae49, https://doi.
org/10.
56011/mind-mri-103-420215.
41 Christopher Peterson and Martin E.
Seligman.
Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification (American Psychological Association.
Oxford University Press, 2.
Julie Butler and Margaret L.
Kern.
AuThe PERMA-Profiler: A Brief Multidimensional Measure of Flourishing,Ay International Journal of Wellbeing 6, no.
: 1Ae 48, https://doi.
org/10.
5502/ijw.
42 G.
Hussein Rassool.
Islamic Psychology: The Basics, 1st ed.
The Basics (Routledge, 2.
43 Alan S.
Waterman.
AuThe Humanistic PsychologyAePositive Psychology Divide: Contrasts in Philosophical Foundations.
,Ay American Psychologist 68, no.
: 124Ae33, https://doi.
org/10.
1037/a0032168.
44 Mignolo.
AuEpistemic Disobedience.
Independent Thought and Decolonial Freedom.
Ay Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush Table 2.
The Comparative Model between As-Sakandari and Seligman as-SakandarAos SeligmanAos Positive Comparison Point Psychospiritual Model Psychology Sa'Adah (Spiritual Felicit.
Well-being (Flourishin.
through Concept of Flourishing through Divine Connection.
PERMA.
Nr (Divine Ligh.
as a catalyst Character Strengths & Virtues Source of Virtue for moral action.
nternal potentia.
IftiqAr (Profound need for Go.
Autonomous Self-Regulation & Human Agency & Tawakkul.
Self-Efficacy.
MushAhadah (Vision of Engagement in activities matches The "Goal" of Flow Truth/Go.
one's strengths.
View on Negativity as an obstacle to be eulmah as a test to return to the Suffering/Darkness reframed through optimism.
Divine.
Theistic-Revelatory (Intuition Empirical-Humanistic (Scientific Epistemology guided by Ligh.
study of human potentia.
This epistemological divergence becomes highly consequential when examined within the context of Muslim societies, where well-being is inextricably anchored in theocentric meaningmaking and communal spiritual practices.
Positive Psychology, however empirically robust, emerged from a predominantly Western secular tradition that locates the ultimate source of human flourishing within the autonomous self.
45 Applying this framework universally without contextual adaptation presents an epistemic limitationAisubordinating indigenous ways of knowing to secular academic categories.
As-SakandarAos framework offers a balanced counter-position: not a wholesale rejection of empirical inquiry, but a recognition that secular constructs like self-efficacy can be enriched by integrating transcendental dimensions.
By establishing the firah and its relationship to divine nr as foundational categories, this model suggests that Islamic psychology requires its own first principles before it can engage constructively with Western frameworks on equal terms.
Concurrently, this dialogue reveals an internal limitation within classical Islamic frameworks: while textually rich in mapping metaphysical mechanics, they often lack the standardized, empirical psychometric tools found in contemporary Western psychology to measure behavioral outcomes.
Therefore, articulating this framework is not a retreat from global scientific dialogue, but a necessary precondition for genuine, symmetrical intellectual exchangeAione where Islamic psychology actively contributes theoretical innovations rather than merely absorbing Western Integrative Model of Psycho-Spiritual Dynamics The dynamics of human personality represent continuous interaction between internal faculties and transcendental inputs.
Nr enters through the Aoaql and illuminates the barah, which then guides the qalb to produce moral actions.
48 Conversely, eulmah acts as a psychological distortion that dims the intellect's perception.
Operationally, this interaction forms a self45 Waterman.
AuThe Humanistic PsychologyAePositive Psychology Divide.
Ay 46 Mignolo.
AuEpistemic Disobedience.
Independent Thought and Decolonial Freedom.
Ay 47 Rassool.
Islamic Psychology.
48 as-Sakandari, al-Hikam.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush reinforcing feedback loop: ethical choices made under the clarity of nr refine the heart's mirror, enhancing future spiritual perception.
49 On the contrary, repeated submission to eulmah creates a habituation of ethical desensitization, clouding the barah in subsequent choices.
This predictable psychospiritual momentum provides a solid theoretical foundation for practitioners in Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP).
Keshavarzi and Haque emphasize that the TIIP framework requires a multidimensional approach to clinical care.
51 In this context, nr-eulmah shift from abstract concepts into clinical variables: therapeutic intervention is operationalized as tazkiyah .
he systematic removal of egoistic distortions from the client's cognitive processe.
, while the practitioner functions as an active catalyst whose own spiritual grounding helps facilitate the client's transition from cognitive willpower to receptive surrender .
Practical Implications in Islamic Psychology and Education The findings of this research have significant practical utility for both Islamic counseling and the broader field of education, introducing what can be termed a Pedagogy of Light.
Within this framework, education transitions from a mere transfer of cognitive information to the active cultivation of the barah .
piritual intuitio.
Character building is monitored through an internal spiritual barometerAithe clarity of the qalbAiand behavioral remediation .
uch as addressing bullyin.
is treated by diagnosing spiritual negligence .
rather than relying solely on behaviorist punishments.
52 Furthermore, the educatorAos role shifts from a mere instructor to a spiritual guide whose own internal state serves as an exemplary catalyst for students, an approach that strongly aligns with classical Islamic pedagogical foundations such as Abdullah Nashih UlwanAos Tarbiyatul AulAd f al-IslAm.
53 By integrating contemplative practices like reflection .
and mindfulness .
into daily school routines, students are helped to quiet the cognitive noise of eulmah to enhance both academic and moral pursuits.
Ultimately, the resonance of this framework is most directly manifested within the Southeast Asian pesantren system.
This traditionAicharacterized by structured spiritual discipline .
iyAsa.
, continuous mentorship by the kiai, and communal devotionAiconstitutes a living laboratory where the nr-eulmah dynamic is already operationalized.
54 The kiai figure functions precisely as the integrated spiritual guide described in TIIP literature: an individual whose internal state serves as an exemplary catalyst for the moral development of students.
Formalizing this lived tradition provides a systematic vocabulary that bridges classical Shadhiliyyah thought with contemporary psycho-educational counseling.
This ensures that Islamic academic institutions can evaluate moral development using frameworks generated from within their own intellectual lineage, rather than 49 sa Yalyn.
AuLeo Schaya Balamnda Tasavvufta ysel Dynyym,Ay TSBS Bildiriler Dergisi, no.
3 (August 2.
, https://doi.
org/10.
55709/TSBSBildirilerDergisi.
50 Carrie York Al-Karam.
Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy: Uniting Faith and Professional Practice.
Spirituality and Mental Health, v.
3 (Templeton Press, 2.
51 Hooman Keshavarzi et al.
, eds.
Applying Islamic Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care: Introducing Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (Routledge.
Taylor & Francis Group, 2.
52 Ahmadi Ahmadi.
AuThe Implementation of Islamic Character Education in Overcoming Bullying Behavior in Islamic Primary Schools,Ay Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman 36, no.
: 291Ae306, https://doi.
org/10.
33367/tribakti.
53 Almuhajir Almuhajir.
AuConcept Analysis of the Tarbiyatul AulAd F Al-IslAm Abdullah Nashih Ulwan:
ChildrenAos Social Education Paying Attention to the Rights of Others in Forming Independent Character,Ay Tribakti:
Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman 32, no.
: 205Ae22, https://doi.
org/10.
33367/tribakti.
54 Dhofier.
Tradisi pesantren.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush relying on models imported wholesale from secular traditions.
55 Consequently, personal growth and mental recovery are achieved not through isolated cognitive-behavioral modifications, but by strengthening the foundational connection that enlightens the entire human personality.
Conclusion This study concludes that as-SakandarAos concept of nr and eulmah provides a sophisticated framework for understanding the operational dynamics of the human soul.
The primary findings indicate that the interaction between internal faculties (Aoaql, barah, qal.
and transcendental influences .
r, eulma.
forms the core of Islamic moral psychology.
Nr acts as an external cognitive and spiritual catalyst that illuminates the barah, enabling individuals to transcend sensory limitations and choose paths aligned with divine truth.
Conversely, eulmah represents the internal and external obstaclesAibase desires and egoistic darknessAithat obscure spiritual vision and drive immoral behavior.
The major contribution of this research lies in shifting the discourse of Islamic psychology from a static-ontological description to a dynamic-functional model.
By mapping the mechanics of spiritual illumination, this study bridges classical Sufi wisdom with contemporary psychological needs, offering a top-down model of character development that prioritizes spiritual receptivity .
over mere cognitive willpower.
Practically, this contributes to a solid theoretical foundation for a Pedagogy of Light in education and a spiritually integrated approach in psychotherapy (TIIP), where clinical intervention focuses on cleansing the heart to receive guidance.
Beyond its theoretical contributions, this study responds to a broader epistemological imperative within Global South Islamic scholarship.
The nr-eulmah framework is not merely a historical reconstruction of classical Sufi thoughtAiit is a living theoretical resource generated from within the Islamic intellectual tradition, capable of serving as a foundation for an indigenous Islamic psychology that engages modern frameworks from a position of symmetrical autonomy.
articulating this framework in academic terms, the study demonstrates that classical institutions such as the pesantren have long been practicing a sophisticated psychospiritual pedagogy that deserves formal recognition in contemporary psychological and educational discourse.
This contribution aligns with the broader decolonial movement in Islamic studies, which seeks not to reject global scientific advancements but to establish that Muslim intellectual heritage constitutes an autonomous source of theoretical innovation.
Despite these contributions, this study has several limitations.
First, as a qualitative content analysis, the findings are primarily theoretical and interpretative, based on classical texts.
Second, while it provides a robust conceptual model, the research lacks direct empirical testing through clinical case studies or psychological experiments to measure quantifiable shifts in cognitive behavior following tazkiyah practices.
Third, the study focuses specifically on as-SakandarAos thought, which represents only one school of Sufi psychology.
Future research should explore empirical applications of this model in diverse clinical and educational settings and conduct comparative studies with other Sufi psychological traditions to further validate and refine this integrative psychospiritual framework.
55 Keshavarzi et al.
Applying Islamic Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care.
Tribakti: Jurnal Pemikiran Keislaman Volume 37.
Issue 2.
July 2026 The Nr-eulmah Framework in Islamic Psychology: A Conceptual Reconstruction of Ibn 'AA'illAh as-Sakandar's Thought Achmad Beadie Busyroel Basyar.
Achmad Khudori Soleh.
Siti Mahmudah.
Ahmad Naweed Rahimi Khamoush
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