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Back to "NLP and Spirituality" Index
Islam and NLP
Part of a series of short articles focusing on NLP's relevance to each of the major world religions.
Orthodox Islam
The relevance of NLP to traditional Islam is controversial.
A cursory overview of Muslim opinion on the web suggests that NLP may not be compatible with orthodox Islamic traditions of spiritual practice, while more liberal branches of Islam may consider it appropriate or useful.
The Case Against NLP
Thomas McElwain (Ali Haydar), an associate professor of comparative religion at the University of Stockholm, classifies NLP as an "illicit" form of spirituality:
"(NLP) is not compatible with Islam, because it leads to a change in behavior which bypasses the conscious decision of the individual based on reason. From an Islamic point of view, that is immoral."
– Thomas McElwain
McElwain's impression of NLP, unfortunately, appears to be misinformed and over-generalized. Using his logic, one might say, "Psychology is about sex," or, "Science leads to toxic waste." That is, while both statements are true in some small sample – with specific individuals and focuses – they do not accurately describe the scope of psychology or science; nor do they correctly characterize the interests, practices, methods, theories, points of view, or results of the work of the vast majority of psychologists or scientists. To characterize psychology and science so narrowly would be, thus, to mischaracterize them. The same can be said of McElwain's characterization of NLP.
While many behaviors of excellence are performed largely unconsciously (for example, the ability to maintain balance on a bicycle once a person has learned how to ride), conscious reasoning is always involved in an individual's decision to make, or decline to make, any change in behavior or functioning when using NLP.
It is certainly true that NLP can be misused, particularly in the area of communication skills for the art of persuasion; but any effective technology can be misused. The same could be said about debating skills, linguistics or electrical engineering.
Nonetheless, while McElwain's understanding of NLP can be easily disputed, his point of view as a moral position in the context of traditional Islam must be acknowledged. He is not alone in his view.
"For Muslims there is no need to borrow from the [sic] NLP as it cannot add anything new to the Muslim behavior. Actually NLP should borrow ideas from Islam. Otherwise it shows that the behavior of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) was deficient to the extent that Muslims have to borrow from NLP. This is an insult to the Muslims."
– Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D., Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine; President, Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc., Louisville, KY
NLP Gaining Wider Acceptance
Yet, despite the objections of some Islamic traditionalists, NLP appears to be gaining wider acceptance in the broader Islamic world community as an aid to business, health, teaching and best practices in communication.
Muslimah Shamsudin, for example, used NLP for two positive purposes: to strengthen her successful training and to facilitate her devout practice of Islam during a visit to Japan.
"NLP is how you make sense of your world and most importantly how to make it what you want it to be. ...Basically, in using NLP, you need to focus on the good things you want to happen. Then, you need to figure out how to achieve these goals, and finally, you follow the steps to achieve them.
"For example, I wanted to be able to pray at the right time wherever I was, so I identified the steps I needed to follow. My first step was to pray to Allah (the All Mighty God) so that my requirement could be performed anywhere and that the people I was making a request of would meet my need. Only after such prayers would I request a praying place.
"I used NLP to achieve my training too. Before starting, I envisioned myself going through a good training and completing it successfully. I planned the things and steps I needed to take. So although I encountered some problems, I managed to get through."
– Muslimah Shamsudin, Manager, Quality Secretariat of Human Resource Department at KTMB (Malaysian Railways). She has a Diploma in Transport from the University of Wales and was an East Japan Railway Culture Foundation trainee in 1997, studying human resources management. – Japan Railway & Transport Review No. 16 (pp.46–47)
Another example of NLP being used by Muslims for business in ways that apparently do not interfere with their spiritual practice of Islam, is that of Shaikh Isam Rajab, Imam of The Islamic Center of New Mexico.
"(He) was twice licensed for memorizing the entire quran. He has a certificate in NLP 'Neuro Linguistic Programming' [as a 'business interest'], and judged quranic competitions in Kuwait 3 times."
– Texas Dawah Annual Convention IV, "The Muslim Future - Challenges and Promises"
NLP is increasingly becoming a part of a liberal education for Muslims interested in the fields of education and counseling.
"Manal Soliman attended the American University in Cairo where she majored in Mass Communication and minored in Economics. After her graduation in 1987, she went on to complete a TESOL certificate from Trinity College UK, a counseling course at Aberdeen College, Scotland, obtained a Facilitator of Parenting Groups certificate from Parentline Plus UK and obtained lately a NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) diploma from the International NLP Training Association.
"An active member of the community, both at home and abroad, Manal was responsible for coordinating and running the Arab Women Religious Education Circle, Spital Mosque, Aberdeen, Scotland from Jan 2001 to June 2003.
"She has delivered many talks to non-Arab Muslims and converts on various topics in Islam, as well as sessions in a program for Muslim girls in Aberdeen, Scotland on various issues that concern Muslim teenagers living in the west. She also took part in the organization of many women and children Muslim activities and parties in Aberdeen as well as Cairo."
– IslamOnline.net, "Live Dialog"
NLP's health benefits are also increasingly recognized in the Muslim world:
[Bahrain]: "TWENTY-ONE girls suffering from hereditary blood diseases such as sickle cell anaemia, Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) and beta thalassaemia say a new scheme launched earlier this year has made a vast improvement to their lives.
"The one-year scheme got underway in January and is being spearheaded by the Bahrain Women's Society (BWS)....
"'We have gradually brought their girls closer together. Now whenever any of them gets sick they all go to visit. This created stronger bonds between them.'
"Activities are conducted by a number of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) trainers, psychiatrists and nutritionists, who have volunteered to co-operate on the project. The hope is that mothers and children on the scheme will now pass on their new knowledge to the rest of the community.
"...Mrs Al Saleh [the mother of a 12-year old girl enrolled in the programme] has attended a number of workshops and seminars organised under the new project.
"The last of those was a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) workshop, Six Step Life Re-framing, by NLP trainer Mohammed Al Hamad.
"Thirty women, including society officials and guests, attended the event that specifically targeted mothers. It taught them ways of "re-programming" the way they think when dealing with their children.
"'The aim is to help them acquire a more positive attitude in dealing with their children's disease,' said Mr Al Hamad."
– The Gulf Daily News, Vol XXVIII NO. 181 Saturday 17 September 2005
NLP practitioner courses are often attended by, as well as trained by Muslims from around the world to learn and teach the skills of NLP for business, parenting and education.
While I would not presume to advise any Muslim on moral questions regarding NLP as it relates to Islam, clearly for some Muslims NLP is considered appropriate when used in a supporting role for their spiritual and/or secular practices.
Sufism and NLP
Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam. It originated in the 8th Century and focuses on “Fath Rabani" (Divine Awakening).
"In contrast to the legal-minded approach to Islam, Sufis emphasized spirituality as a way of knowing God."
– Ahmad S. Dallal
"O Lord, I, a beggar, ask of Thee more than a thousand kings may ask of Thee. Each one has something he needs to ask of Thee; I have come to ask Thee to give me Thyself."
– Abdullah Ansari of Herat (1006-1089)
Sufism was initially declared heretical by orthodox Islam but was eventually tolerated more widely so long as its adherents abided by Islamic laws.
In the words of Sufi teacher, Philippe de Vos, Sufism embraces approaches which "help to ease the pains of the heart and put us more in touch with the reality of our essence... Our disorders themselves are the raw material of our recovery."
In much the same way that NLP is compatible with other spiritual traditions, NLP can be useful in removing obstacles on the path to a greater spiritual connection. NLP facilitates self-discovery and aids focus during prayer or meditation. Fundamentally, NLP shares with many mystical traditions the observation that our internal processes have a great deal to do with our experience of the "outside" world and our interpretation of events in our lives.
"Whatever we perceive in the world around us tends to reflect who we are and what we care about most deeply, as in the old saying, 'When a thief sees a saint, all he sees are his pockets.'"
– Robert Frager, Heart, Self & Soul, The Sufi Psychology of Growth, Balance and Harmony
I hope you have found these few quotes and comments helpful in considering NLP in the Islamic context.
Please feel welcome to call me and discuss how NLP training, coaching and therapy can help you.
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