An Islamic Perspective on Emotional Intelligence (A Thematic Study of the Prophet Muhammad’s Personality)

الملخص

Emotional intelligence has emerged as a critical determinant of personal success, leadership effectiveness, and psychological well-being in contemporary scholarships. While modern psychological frameworks conceptualize EI through constructs such as self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills, Islamic teachings have long emphasized these attributes through the Qur’an and the lived example of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).  This paper explores emotional intelligence from an Islamic perspective through a thematic study of the Prophet’s personality as presented in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and classical Islamic scholarship.
Drawing upon interdisciplinary literature from psychology alongside Islamic primary sources, this study examines key components of emotional intelligence—active listening, empathy, emotional labeling, positive reinforcement, and emotion regulation—within the Prophetic model. The analysis highlights how the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated exceptional emotional awareness, compassion, patience, and restraint in diverse social contexts, offering timeless guidance for personal and communal development. Practices such as ṣalāh (prayer), ṣabr (patience), and muḥāsabah (self-reflection) are shown to function as practical mechanisms for emotional regulation and psychological resilience.
The findings suggest that emotional intelligence in Islam is not merely a social or cognitive skill, but a spiritual and ethical obligation aimed at purifying the soul and nurturing harmonious relationships. By integrating emotional competence with moral consciousness and divine accountability, the Islamic framework presents a holistic model of emotional intelligence that complements and enriches contemporary psychological theories. This study contributes to the growing discourse on faith-based psychology by demonstrating the relevance of Prophetic emotional intelligence for modern challenges in parenting, leadership, and emotional well-being.