Behavioural Revival of Arabs through Psychological Trait ‘Shaping’:  An Analytical Discourse

Muhammad Atif Rao Rao; Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor; Saqib Muhammad Khan

doi:10.32350/jitc.112.14

Muhammad Atif Rao Rao https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8877-5382
Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor Department of Islamic History and Civilization, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6521-4603
Saqib Muhammad Khan Department of Islamic Studies, Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.112.14

Keywords: shaping, psychological conditions, history of mankind, behavioral revival, Pre-Islam Arab

Abstract

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In pre-Islamic era, the Arabs practiced many vices and abominable acts which were extremely harmful for the individuals as well as the society. The evil practices and habits were a direct result of the Arabs’ polytheistic beliefs which had cast negative impact on every aspect of their lives and collective behaviour. The abominations were so deeply entrenched in their psyche that it was next to impossible to break their habits within a short span of time and replace them with new and better ones. So, the Qur’ān and Prophet’s shariah adopted gradual approach to reform the character of entire Arabia and this approach is called ‘shaping’ in modern psychology. It is a process of learning a certain behaviour in a gradual manner through a series of reinforcements. Thus, the Arabs did not quit all their vices at once just after a single order; it took a certain period of time as the Qur’ān gradually revealed instructions as per the recipients’ psychological preparedness and finally brought about a revival which was unprecedented in the history of mankind. This article explains the conditions, habits and difficulties found in pre-Islam Arabs’ lifestyle and how the Qur’ān and shariah exercised ‘shaping’ to reform them.

Keywords: Shaping, Psychological conditions, History of mankind, Behavioral revival, Pre-Islam Arab

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