A Comparative Analysis of Marital Paradigms in Islamic Teachings and Psychological Theories
Document Type : review Article
Author
M.A. in Psychology, Institute of Ethics and Education, Qom, Iran.
Abstract
The present study aimed to conduct a comparative and systematic analysis of marital paradigms in Islamic teachings versus Western psychological models (based on the six dimensions of Willoughby Hall’s model). The research method was descriptive-analytical and comparative. Using purposeful qualitative content analysis, religious teachings (Qur’an and Sunnah) were coded according to the six dimensions of Willoughby Hall’s model and aligned with Allameh Misbah Yazdi’s theory of voluntary action to produce a localized systematic framework. The findings of this study demonstrated that the Islamic model encompasses a comprehensive intellectual system that covers all dimensions of the paradigm. The fundamental difference lies in the epistemological foundation: Western models emphasize individualism and attitude-centeredness, whereas the Islamic model highlights divine teleology and the complex interaction of “attitude and inclination” (emotions and moral dispositions). This systematic approach was explained through the tripartite hierarchy of the soul (knowledge, affection, and power), which considers marital stability as the outcome of conscious and devotional will. In comparison, the Islamic model elevates commitment from a conditional contract to a “solemn covenant” (mithaqan ghaliz), prioritizing criteria such as faith-based and moral compatibility over merely material and superficial factors. This comprehensiveness provides an effective response to the crisis of individualism and relativism within the family institution.
Keywords
- Marital paradigm
- Islamic teachings
- comparative analysis
- tripartite hierarchy of the soul
- second demographic transition
- faith-based compatibility
- family stability
Main Subjects
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