This study examines the application of humanistic psychology in modern Islamic education, departing from the issue that educational practices remain predominantly mechanistic and deterministic, thereby providing limited space for freedom, meaning, and the optimal development of students’ innate potential (fitrah). This condition calls for an alternative approach that is more oriented toward learners as active subjects in the educational process. The objective of this study is to elaborate on the development of humanistic psychology, starting from its philosophical roots, the classical phase (the ideas of Maslow and Rogers), to its contemporary phase (positive psychology, third-wave CBT, and neuroscience), as well as to formulate its practical implications for designing Islamic education that is relevant to current needs. The subject of this research consists of key literature on humanistic psychology, existentialism, phenomenology, and various contemporary writings in the field of Islamic education. The findings indicate a strong alignment between humanistic principles and the fundamental concepts of Islamic education, such as human dignity, fitrah, responsible freedom, and holistic character development. Classical humanism emphasizes empathetic and learner-centered educational relationships, while modern developments provide an empirical foundation for examining well-being, self-awareness, and character strengthening. It is concluded that integrating humanistic psychology with Islamic values has the potential to produce a more humanistic, dialogical, contextual, and transformative model of Islamic education.
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