SPIRITUAL EDUCATION FOR BUILDING RESILIENCE: INSIGHTS FROM AL-GHAZALI AND IBN ATAILLAH

Abstract

The issue of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury has garnered global attention, including within the educational context. This challenge calls for a more comprehensive intervention approach, particularly within an education system increasingly emphasizing students’ holistic well-being. Traditional psychological approaches often focus on behavior modification and coping mechanisms as intervention strategies. However, these approaches sometimes overlook the spiritual dimension, which plays a critical role in helping individuals manage inner conflicts more holistically. In Malaysia, the integration of spiritual and moral values has been a key component of the national curriculum through subjects such as Islamic Education, Moral Education, and co-curricular programs, including spiritual activities such as motivational talks and spiritual camps. This study aims to explore the spiritual approaches introduced by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Ataillah in fostering individual resilience, particularly in addressing self-injury behaviors. Through a systematic methodology encompassing contemporary research and references to classical texts, this study integrates Islamic spiritual approaches within the context of mental health. The findings reveal that spiritual approaches anchored in ten core elements: repentance, fear of God, asceticism, patience, gratitude, sincerity and truthfulness, reliance on God, compassion, acceptance of God's decree, and remembrance of death. All these elements can significantly contribute to the development of strong resilience and provide a holistic framework for addressing self-injury conflicts. In the context of Malaysian education, the findings suggest the integration of these elements into student development programs, teacher training, and mental well-being modules in schools and higher education institutions. This approach has the potential to significantly strengthen emotional regulation and individual resilience, thereby extending the concept of holistic education toward achieving a balance between psychological and spiritual development. This study contributes to the advancement of holistic mental health interventions aligned with the objectives of Malaysia’s education system, which aspires to produce individuals who are intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically balanced.