Conceptualizing the Development of Personality in Children: An Analysis of Islamic Philosophy and Contemporary Western Psychology

The paper aims to examine the concept of child personality development from the perspectives of Islamic philosophy and contemporary Western psychology. In recent decades, the parental journey associated with the healthy development of children has become increasingly complex and sometimes stressful across all societies and communities of the world. Major world religions and social sciences delineated various aspects and perspectives relating to sound personality development in children. The present article seeks to present the findings of a study that found to give an overview of fundamental principles related to child personality development drawn from Islamic philosophy and contemporary Western psychology. Drawing on these two perspectives, the paper seeks to explain personality development, highlighting both similarities and differences associated with these perspectives. The study employed qualitative content analysis to explore relevant data from the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions, as well as theoretical studies and empirical research of psychology. The research findings predominantly highlight an integrated approach towards child personality development as framed within the perspective of Islamic philosophy and contemporary Western psychological understandings. The paper serves to link Islamic thought to contemporary Western psychological aspects as a means of highlighting the utility of religious wisdom to predominant Western constructs of child development.