Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak Department of Fundamental & Inter-Disciplinary Studies

Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences

Poster

ID: 85

Iqbal’s Theory of Personality: A Contrastive Analysis with Freud

IIUM Research, Invention and Innovation Exhibition 2014

Iqbal’s Theory on Man and Personality To Iqbal, personality is the reflection of the Khudi/ Self of an individual through his mental attitude and behaviour. This reflection is the

outcome of the interaction of an individual’s ego with the environment/ nature, society, and the relationship with God. The dynamic

personality of an individual is the manifestation of one’s ability to realize, assimilate and actualize many of the Godly attributes found

within one’s psyche into his own personality. Iqbal’s theory of personality explains that man who is God’s best creation, needs to

assimilate into his own personality many of God’s attributes mentioned in the Asmā’ Al-Husnā (the Beautiful Names of Allah). Through

this process of assimilation, man can transform himself into a complete individual. What one sees as an end result of this assimilation

of the godly attributes in man is one that has strengthened and solidified his personality. In Iqbal’s view such an individual has

prepared his ego for immortality. According to him, the assimilation of God’s attributes by an individual prepares his ego for a state of

immortality after death. In his theory, Iqbal further stressed that the immortality of an individual’s ego is not a God-given right to him. As

such, in order to achieve the state of immortality of the ego, one has to work hard during this earthly life, performing all actions which

are considered as ego sustaining acts, and at the same time one has to refrain from all ego dissolving acts. Another interesting fact

stated by Iqbal in his theory of personality is that man by assimilating God’s Divine attributes gets closer to God spiritually. The closer

he is to God, the stronger is his personality. On the contrary, the further one moves away from God the weaker becomes his

personality (Iqbal,1983 &1996).

Conclusion The study has indicated that all ideas said by Freud on human nature and personality are centered around his ideas on the human sexuality. His concept on human nature is one that is pessimistic and deterministic at the same time. To him, man is an intellectual beast who is doomed to fail as he is caught between the warring parties of his psychic components. However, Iqbal, who had a strong religious background, promoted many positive ideas on man, and on the latent powers of the human psyche. His theory of personality is not only dynamic in nature but inspires man to sink into his psyche to bring out all that are latent and positive residing in it. Iqbal believed that by actualizing the hidden powers within man, he could transform this world into a better place for the benefit of all humanity. This act, in turn, will bring one in close contact with God. Taken as a whole, his theory on personality gives man a dignified position as the vicegerent of God (Khalīfatullāh fī al-Ard), who is able to create a better world.

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Introduction This study in the area of philosophical psychology is a contrastive analysis on the personality theories that have been showcased to the world by Freud and Iqbal. In analyzing the data pertinent to the study, the researcher has used the historical and content analysis methods. As a prelude to the kernel of the research, the researcher has explored the historical and philosophical developments that have taken place in the areas of human nature and personality in the West and Islamic world. The fact that both Iqbal and Freud believed the inner dimension of man, particularly the ego, which plays a pivotal role in all human behaviours has drawn the interest of the researcher to explore their concepts on the human psyche, and on how personality development takes place in individuals. Through the contrastive analysis, it has come to light that Freud and Iqbal had conceptualized their theories on personality as a response to the demands and challenges of their time. Besides that, factors like their personality, philosophy towards life, education and their travels have influenced directly or indirectly their conceptualization of their theories. Freud’s Theory on Man and Personality As the founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) conceptualized his theory on man in a pessimistic and deterministic manner. According to him, man is driven by two psychological forces otherwise known as Eros (life instinct) and Thanatos (death instinct). This study has indicated that all ideas said by Freud on human nature and personality are centered around his ideas on the human sexuality. To him, man is an intellectual beast who is doomed to fail as he is caught between the warring parties of his psychic components. Freud believed man who has been controlled by his libidinal impulses should be un-socialized and irrational in his behavior. Freud’s ideas on the id, ego and superego gives a clear-cut understanding that man undergoes endless tension, stress, conflict, dilemma, chaos, and a whole range of other psychopathological illness due to the turmoil caused by the forces that reside within the unconscious part of the human psyche. Freud explained that the human personality is empowered by the psychic energy of an individual. Apart from that, he also believed that personality of an individual emanates as a result of the interplay of the three psychological forces that are engaged in mutual rivalry to be the dominant force in the human psyche. The three forces of the human psyche are the id, ego and superego. Freud was convinced through his clinical research that each and every individual in life will be enslaved to his or her psychosexual developments in carving out his or her personality.

This research ‘Iqbal’s Theory of Personality: A Contrastive Analysis with Freud’ was published in March 2013, by Lambert Academic Publishing, Saarbrucken, Germany, 416 pages, ISBN: 978-3-659-33955-4. The book is available on Amazon.com