Modern Psychology and Characteristics of Religious Experience

Abstract

This article explores the characteristics of religious experience in light of modern psychology, emphasizing the integral role of moral integrity and the heart in achieving authentic spiritual experiences. Allama Iqbal’s perspectives serve as the foundation for understanding religious experience as a phenomenon that transcends mere intellectual inquiry, highlighting its metaphysical nature and tangible impact on the physical world. Iqbal underscores that the essence of religious experience lies not in the intellect but in the heart, which enables a deeper, more intuitive connection with the Divine. Drawing from Islamic principles and contrasting Western psychological theories, the article discusses key aspects of spiritual experience: immediacy, indivisible wholeness, connection with the Absolute Ego, incommunicability, and its transient yet impactful nature. Iqbal challenges the views of Western psychologists, particularly William James, on the nature and communicability of mystical experiences, asserting that religious consciousness carries cognitive and intellectual significance. The article further explores the empirical and philosophical standards for validating spiritual experiences, distinguishing prophetic experiences from those of mystics. Iqbal argues that religious experience cannot be fully comprehended or validated through conventional scientific methods, as it transcends the confines of rational thought. Ultimately, the article illustrates Iqbal’s assertion that religious experience, despite its emotional foundation, is deeply intertwined with cognition and has profound implications for human life and understanding of the Divine.