Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Islamic Spiritual and Emotional Intelligence and Its Relationship to Eternal Happiness: A Conceptual Paper

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper discusses the relationship between spiritual and emotional intelligence and eternal happiness, from an Islamic perspective. In Islam, achieving spiritual intelligence first requires a close relationship with God—established, for example, through consistent purification of the soul, repentance, acts of worship, performing good deeds and avoiding evil. Through such action, the light of God—which comes with Divine guidance and the knowledge of truth—touches the hearts of believers, causing them to experience pure contentedness. This study takes a qualitative approach, using the NVivo text analysis tool to analyse texts from 43 references, comprising  31 journal articles and 12 books or chapters. The three most frequently used words were ‘Islamic’, ‘spiritual’ and ‘happiness’, while ‘intelligence’ was the fourteenth most-used. This finding highlights the fear of God due to the love of God as the highest obedience, as it is the purest and sincerest degree of worship (i.e. for God’s sake completely). Spiritual intelligence trains the soul from its prone-to-evil state to become more angelic or serene, thereby increasing emotional intelligence. This will be reflected in a believer’s attitude, emotion and behaviours aligning with the conduct commended in Islam, to whom God promises an afterlife of eternal happiness in Heaven. This paper draws on the Qur’an and Sunnah as well as prominent Islamic scholarship to support the Islamic concepts discussed, enriching our understanding and perspective on the Islamic concept of spiritual and emotional intelligence and its role in attaining eternal happiness in Islam. This study also highlights several key concepts pivotal to Islamic spiritual and emotional intelligence as pre-requisites for obtaining eternal happiness, therefore advancing current knowledge on the subject.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Kitab al- Birr wa's-Salat-i-wa'l-Adab (The book of virtue, good manners and joining of the ties of relationship).

  2. Kitab-ul-Qadr (The Book of Destiny).

  3. Riyadhus-Shalihin, Hadith No. 236.

References

  • Abdullah, F. (2012). Teaching Islamic ethics and ethical training: Benefiting from emotional and spiritual intelligence. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(3), 224–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abrahamov, B. (1993). Al-Ghazālī’s supreme way to know God. Studia Islamica, 77, 141–168. https://doi.org/10.2307/1595793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achour, M., Nor, M. R. M., & MohdYusoff, M. Y. Z. (2016). Islamic personal religiosity as a moderator of job strain and employee’s well-being: The case of Malaysian academic and administrative staff. Journal of Religion and Health, 55(4), 1300–1311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0050-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad, M., & Khan, S. (2016). A model of spirituality for ageing Muslims. Journal of Religion and Health, 55(3), 830–843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0039-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed, H. F. (2019). The alchemy of happiness by Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali, translated by Claud Field. Karachi, Pakistan.

  • Al-‘Akiti, M.A. (1997). The meaning of nafs. Northern Ireland: Belfast Islamic Centre.

  • Al-Baghawi, A. M. A. H. (1993). Ma'alim al-tanzil. Bairut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiah.

  • Al-Attas, S. M. N. (1993). The concept of happiness in Islam. International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Farabi, A. N. (1968). Kitab al-milla, edited by Muhsin Mahdi. Beirut: Imprimerie catholique.

  • Al-Ghazali, A. H. (1979). Kitab aja’ib al-qalb (The book of the mysteries of the heart). Singapura: Pustaka Nasional.

  • Al-Ghazali, A. H. (1986). Ar-risalah al-ladunniyyah. Damsyik: Dar al-Hikmah.

  • Al-Ghazali, A. H. (1993). Ihya ‘Ulumuddin, Juz III. Beirut: Dar ihya al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah.

  • Al-Ghazali, A. H. (2007). Wonders of the heart, trans. W. J. Skellie. Malaysia: Islamic Book Trust.

  • Al-Ghazzali, A. H. M., Daniel, E. D., & Field, C. (2015). The alchemy of Happiness. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Ghazali, A. H. M. (1995). On disciplining the soul, trans. By T.J. Winter. UK: The Islamic Texts Society.

  • Al-Jawziyyah, I. Q. (1973). Al-Fawa’id. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah.

  • Al-Jawziyya, I. Q. (2004). Madarij al-salikin. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya.

  • Al-Qurtubi, A.A.A.M.A. (1996). Al-jāmic li ahkām al-Qur'ān, Cet: ke-2. Jilid 9 dan 15. Al-Qāhirah: Dār al-Hadith.

  • Al-Qusyairî, A. A.Q. (1988). Al-Risalah al-qusyairiyah fi ‘ilm al-tashawwuf. Damascus: Dâr al-Khair.

  • Al-Suhrawardī, Š. (1999). The philosophy of illumination. Brigham Young University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amin, W. M. A. M., Ahmad, M., & Rahim, A. A. (2018). Islamic spirituality and its impact on life as a Muslim. Al-Itqan: Journal of Islamic Sciences and Comparative Studies, 2(2), 63–78. https://doi.org/10.31436/al-itqan.v1i1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anwar, M. A., Gani, A. M. O., & Rahman, M. S. (2020). Effects of spiritual intelligence from Islamic perspective on emotional intelligence. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 11(1), 216–232. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-10-2016-0123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • At-Tirmidhi, A. E. M. E. (2007). Jaami at-Tirmidhi, translated by Abu Khaliyl. Riyadh: Darussalam

  • Ashy, M. A. (1999). Health and illness from an Islamic perspective. Journal of Religion and Health, 38(3), 241–258. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022984718794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baharuddin, E., & Ismail, Z. (2013). Hubungan kecerdasan rohaniah warga tua dengan amalan agama di rumah kebajikan. Islamiyyat: International Journal of Islamic Studies, 35(1), 19–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bahmani, F., Amini, M., Tabei, S. Z. & Abbasi, M. B. (2018). The concepts of hope and fear in the Islamic thought: Implications for spiritual health. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(1), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0336-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bergh, Z. (2011). Introduction to work psychology. Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowering, G. (1980). The mystical vision of existence in classical Islam: The Qur'anic hermeneutics of the sufi Sahl al-Tustarí (d. 283/896). Walter de Gruyter.

  • Briki, W., & Amara, M. (2018). Perspective of Islamic self: Rethinking Ibn al-Qayyim’s three-heart model from the scope of dynamical social psychology. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(3), 836–848. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0414-0

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chaffee, J. (2011). Who are you? Consciousness, identity, and the self. In The philosopher’s way: Thinking critically about profound ideas (3rd ed.). Pearson Publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chism, N. V. N., Douglas, E., & Hilson Jr, W. J. (2008). Qualitative research basics: A guide for engineering educators. Rigorous Research in Engineering Education, NSF DUE-0341127.

  • Chittick, W. C. (1989). Ibn Arabi’s metaphysics of knowledge: The Sufi path of knowledge. State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornell, V. J. (2014). Applying the lessons: Ideals versus realities of happiness from Medieval Islam to the founding fathers. Journal of Law and Religion, 29(1), 92–10. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2013.7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A. (2000). Is spirituality an intelligence? Motivation, cognition, and the psychology of ultimate concern. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327582IJPR1001_2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enha, I. S. (2013). Laduni quotient: Model kecerdasan masa depan. Yogyakarta: Kaukaba Dipantara.

  • Fariddanesh, M., & Rezaei, A. M. (2019). Predicting the happiness of adolescents based on coping styles and religious attitudes. Journal of Religion and Health, 58(2), 537–553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0497-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gaur, A., & Kumar, M. (2018). A systematic approach to conducting review studies: An assessment of content analysis in 25 years of IB research. Journal of World Business, 53(2), 280–289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2017.11.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Habib, D. G., Donald, C., & Hutchinson, G. (2018). Religion and life satisfaction: A correlational study of undergraduate students in Trinidad. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(4), 1567–1580. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0602-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hanefar, S. B., Sa’ari, C. Z., & Siraj, S. (2016). A synthesis of spiritual intelligence themes from Islamic and Western philosophical perspectives. Journal of Religion and Health, 55(6), 2069–2085. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0226-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hermansen, M. K. (1988). Shāh Walī Allāh’s Theory of the subtle spiritual centers (Laṭāʾif): A Sufi model of personhood and self-transformation. Journal of near Eastern Studies, 47(1), 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huda, M., Sudrajat, A., Muhamat, R., Teh, K. S. M., & Jalal, B. (2019). Strengthening divine values for self-regulation in religiosity: Insights from Tawakkul (trust in God). International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 35(3), 323–344. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-02-2018-0025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibn Arabi, M. (1972). Kitab al-futuhat al-Makkiyya. Bibliotheca Arabica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibn 'Arabi, M.A.D (1946). Fusus al-hikam, ed. A. A. 'Afifi. Dar Ihya al-Kutub al-'Arabiyya.

  • Ibn 'Arabi, M.A.D. (1999). Al-Futuhat al-Makiyyah, vol. IV. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyah.

  • Ibn Arabi, M. A. D. (2000). Al-itrah al-zakiyah fi al futuhat al-makkiyah. The Open School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibn Arabi, M. A. D. (2004). Divine saying: Mishkat al anwar [The niche for lights] (S. Hirtenstein & M. Notcutt, Trans.). Anqa Publishing.

  • Ibn Kathir, I. (1999). Tafsir al-Quran al-azim. Madina: Dār al-Tayba.

  • Ibn Manẓūr, M. (2003). Lisan al-Arab. Dār Ṣāder.

  • Ibn Sina, A. A. A. (2005). The metaphysics of the healing, translated by Micheal E. Marmura. Brigham Young University Press.

  • Isgandarova, N. (2019). Muraqaba as a mindfulness-based therapy in Islamic psychotherapy. Journal of Religion and Health, 58(4), 1146–1160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0695-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Junaid al-Baghdadi. A. Q. (1988). Rasâil al-Junaid, (ed.) Ali Hasan Abdul Qadir. Bura`i Wa Jaddawi.

  • Leaman, O. (1980). Ibn Rushd on happiness and philosophy. Studia Islamica, 52, 167–181. https://doi.org/10.2307/1595366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundation, basic procedures and software solution. Sage. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-395173.

  • Mat Akhir, N. S. (2008). Al-Ghazali and his theory of the soul: A comparative study. Penerbit USM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miskawayh. A.A. (1966). Tahdhīb al-akhlaq, translated by C.K Zurayk. American University of Beirut.

  • Mitha, K. (2019). Sufism and healing. Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, 21(3), 194–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/19349637.2018.1464423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muhammad, D. S. (2004). QQ membentuk kecerdasan daripada Quran. Hikmah.

  • Nasr, S. H. (2014). Happiness and the attainment of happiness: An Islamic perspective. Journal of Law and Religion, 29(1), 76–91. https://doi.org/10.1017/jlr.2013.18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nasr, S. H. (1979). Intellect and intuition: Their relationship from the Islamic perspective. Studies in Comparative Religion, 13(1), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ngamaba, K. H., & Soni, D. (2018). Are happiness and life satisfaction different across religious groups? Exploring determinants of happiness and life satisfaction. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(6), 2118–2139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0481-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nizamie, S. H., Katshu, M. Z. U. H., & Uvais, N. A. (2013). Sufism and mental health. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55, S215–S223. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.105535

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nursi, S. (2001). The letters, translated by ŞükranVahide. Istanbul: Sözler

  • Nursi, S. (2011). Isharat al-i’jaz fi madhan al-ijaz. Syarikat Sozler.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nursi, S. (1999). Epitomes of light: Mathnawi al-nuriya: The essentials of the risale-i nur, translated by Hüseyin Akarsu. Kaynak.

  • Omar, M.N. (2003). Christian and Muslim ethics: A study of how to attain happiness as reflected in the works on Tahdhib Al-Akhlaq by Yohya Ibn ʿAdi (d. 974) and Miskawayh (d. 1030). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

  • Quasem, M. A. (1975). Al-Gazali’s conception of happiness. Arabica, 22(2), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.1163/157005875X00552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qutb, S. (1967). Fi dhilal al-Qur’an. Darr Al-Ihya’Al-Turots Al-Araby.

  • Quraish, S.M. (2005). Logika agama: Kedudukan wahyu dan batas-batas akal dalam Islam. Lentera Hati.

  • Rajagopalan, A., Jinu, K. V., Sailesh, K. S., Mishra, S., Reddy, U. K., & Mukkadan, J. K. (2017). Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions. Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine, 8(1), 11–15. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-9668.198350

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rizvi, M. A. K., & Hossain, M. Z. (2017). Relationship between religious belief and happiness: A systematic literature review. Journal of Religion and Health, 56(5), 1561–1582. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0332-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rothman, A., & Coyle, A. (2018). Toward a framework for Islamic psychology and psychotherapy: An Islamic model of the soul. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(5), 1731–1744. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0651-x

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sarif, S.M., & Ismail, Y. (2012). The effects of Islamic spirituality paradigm in developing human capital programs for social enterprises, in Seminar Pembangunan Modal Insan ke-4, 1–2 October 2012, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan.

  • Shaari, S., & Matore, M. E. E. M. (2019). Emphasizing the concept of spiritual intelligence from Islamic and Western perspectives on multiple intelligence. Creative Education, 10(12), 2815–2830. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.1012208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siddiqi, M. H. (1993). Salvation in Islamic perspective. Islamic Studies, 32(1), 41–48. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20840106

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinkovics, R. R., Penz, E., & Ghauri, P. N. (2005). Analysing textual data in international marketing research. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 8(1), 9–38. https://doi.org/10.1108/13522750510575426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweeney, M. J. (2007). Philosophy and jihād: Al-Fārābī on compulsion to happiness. The Review of Metaphysics, 60(3), 543–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tasmara, T. (2001). Kecerdasan ruhaniah. Gema Insani.

  • Waly, K.M. (1994). Hakikat hikmah tauhid dan tasawwuf (al-hikam). Pustaka Nasional.

  • Wacker, J. G. (2004). A theory of formal conceptual definitions: Developing theory-building measurement instruments. Journal of Operations Management, 22(6), 629–650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2004.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Windle, P. E. (2010). The systematic review process: An overview. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 25(1), 40–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2009.12.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yasien, M. (1998). Human nature in Islam. AS Noordeen.

  • Zainuddin, Z. I. (2017). Aligning Islamic spirituality to medical imaging. Journal of Religion and Health, 56(5), 1605–1619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0074-x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zamir, S. R. (2010). Descartes and Al-Ghazālī: Doubt, certitude and light. Islamic Studies, 49(2), 219–251.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) under the Bridging Grant Scheme No. 304/PMGT/6316199.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia

    Mastura Ab. Wahab

Authors
  1. Mastura Ab. Wahab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mastura Ab. Wahab.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by the author.

Informed Consent

Because this article does not contain any studies with human participants, informed consent is not relevant.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wahab, M.A. Islamic Spiritual and Emotional Intelligence and Its Relationship to Eternal Happiness: A Conceptual Paper. J Relig Health 61, 4783–4806 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01485-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01485-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation