Baseer Maroof, LCSW · Raleigh, NC · Adults 21+
The field today
From one psychologist’s challenge in 1979 to clinics, training and research.
How the field grew
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From 1979 to today
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Where the field is
Theory and modelsWell developedRothman, TIIP.
Well developed (Rothman, TIIP).
Training programsGrowingUniversity and clinical.
Growing; university and clinical.
Outcome researchEarlyA few trials and outcome studies.
Early: a few trials and outcome studies. Good practitioners are honest about that.
Separating faith from culture in studiesStill a gapA known gap.
Still a gap (Walpole 2013).
Finding a good fit
A faith-integrated therapist should…
Read more, and questions to ask
- Hold a license (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, psychologist or psychiatrist). Faith training is an addition to clinical training, never a substitute.
- Let you lead on faith. They ask what role faith plays for you and never push practices on you.
- Use evidence-based treatment, like CBT, ACT, DBT or ERP for OCD, and explain what they’re doing.
- Know their lane. They don’t issue religious rulings; they refer you to a scholar for those.
- Refer when needed, including to psychiatry for medication.
Questions to ask in a first call: “How do you include faith in therapy?” “What would you do if I didn’t want to?” “What’s your training?”
Who’s who
Tap a name.
Malik Badri (1932–2021)The founder figure
Sudanese psychologist, author of The Dilemma of مسلم Psychologists (1979), and founding president of IAIP. Often called the father of modern علم النفس الإسلامي. He also translated and annotated al-Balkhī’s Sustenance of the Soul. (IIIT obituary; al-Balkhī trans. Badri)
IAIPProfessional association
The International Association of علم النفس الإسلامي is a professional body for clinicians, researchers and scholars. Dr. Abdallah Rothman is its president. (IAIP)
Khalil Center and TIIPA clinic and a model
Founded by Dr. Hooman Keshavarzi, Khalil Center offers faith-integrated outpatient therapy. Its model, TIIP, was laid out in a 2021 book; a 2025 study reported early outcomes for 107 outpatients. (Keshavarzi & Haque 2013; Keshavarzi et al. 2021; Khan 2025)
Dr. Abdallah RothmanA model of the soul
Psychotherapist and researcher who developed a model of the soul for therapy, leads the psychology programme at Cambridge مسلم College, and founded Dar al-Shifaa, which teaches the Shifaa Method. (Rothman & Coyle 2018; Dar al-Shifaa) A page on Dar Al Shifa is coming soon.
Cambridge مسلم CollegeTraining
Offers a postgraduate programme in psychology and the tradition, led by Dr. Rothman. I studied Sufi Psychology there. (Cambridge College)
A gentle note: education, not rulings or diagnosis
These pages are education, written to be welcoming whether you practice, are questioning, or simply curious. They are not religious rulings (fatwas) and not a diagnosis. For questions of what is permitted or required, ask a qualified scholar. For your health, see a licensed clinician. Often the best care involves both.
Sources
All sources, linked13 references⌄
- IIIT. Obituary of Dr. Malik Badri (1932–2021), author of The Dilemma of مسلم Psychologists (1979). iiit.org
- International Association of علم النفس الإسلامي. About. IAIP website
- Khalil Center. About the center and its TIIP model. khalilcenter.com/
- Keshavarzi H, Haque A. Outlining a psychotherapy model for enhancing مسلم mental health within an إسلامي context. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 2013;23:230–249. doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2012.712000
- Keshavarzi H, Khan F, Ali B, Awaad R (eds). Applying إسلامي Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care: Introducing Traditional إسلاميًا Integrated Psychotherapy. Routledge, 2021. doi.org/10.4324/9781003043331
- Khan F, Keshavarzi H, Ahmad H, Ashai S, Sanders P. Application of Traditional إسلاميًا Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP) and its clinical outcome on psychological distress … Spirituality in Clinical Practice 2025;12(2):147–160. doi.org/10.1037/scp0000350
- Rothman A, Coyle A. Toward a framework for علم النفس الإسلامي and psychotherapy: an إسلامي model of the soul. Journal of Religion and Health 2018;57:1731–1744. doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0651-x
- Rothman A. Developing a Model of علم النفس الإسلامي and Psychotherapy: إسلامي Theology and Contemporary Understandings of Psychology. Routledge, 2021. doi.org/10.4324/9781003104377
- Cambridge مسلم College. Psychology programme (led by Dr. Abdallah Rothman). College website
- Dar al-Shifaa. The Shifaa Method (homepage). dar-al-shifaa.com/
- Haque A. Psychology from an إسلامي perspective: contributions of early مسلم scholars and challenges to contemporary مسلم psychologists. Journal of Religion and Health 2004;43:357–377. doi.org/10.1007/s10943-004-4302-z
- Walpole SC, McMillan D, House A, Cottrell D, Mir G. Interventions for treating depression in مسلم patients: a systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders 2013;145:11–20. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.06.035
- Abu Zayd al-Balkhī. Sustenance of the Soul: The Cognitive Behavior Therapy of a Ninth Century Physician (Maṣāliḥ al-Abdān wa al-Anfus). Translated and annotated by Malik Badri. IIIT, 2013. doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvh4zfhk
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