Islamic Psychology & Counselling · Foundational
Addiction and Counseling Practice: Islamic Model
Understand Addictive behaviours through contemporary science and Islamic psychology — with practical approaches for supporting recovery and spiritual healing.
✦ Live scholarly teaching with guided learning support
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● Live online courseCourse overview
About this course
Addiction is one of the greatest health, social, and spiritual challenges facing communities today. While alcohol and illicit drugs remain significant concerns, addictive behaviours such as nicotine use, gambling, pornography, cybersex, and other compulsive habits continue to affect individuals, families, and communities with far-reaching consequences.
Supporting individuals struggling with addiction requires more than understanding the physical or psychological aspects alone. It demands an appreciation of the biological, emotional, social, and spiritual factors that contribute to both addiction and recovery.
This live online programme has been designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to addiction counselling from an Islamic perspective. Drawing upon contemporary addiction science alongside Islamic psychology and psychotherapy, participants will develop a structured understanding of addictive behaviours, evidence-based treatment approaches, and psycho-spiritual interventions that support meaningful and lasting recovery.
Whether you work in counselling, healthcare, education, community leadership, or simply wish to deepen your understanding of addiction through an Islamic lens, this programme provides a strong foundation for informed and compassionate practice.
Why choose this Programme?
Many programmes explore addiction primarily through clinical or medical perspectives, while others focus exclusively on religious guidance. This programme brings both together, enabling participants to understand addiction through evidence-based knowledge while appreciating the ethical, spiritual, and psycho-spiritual guidance offered by Islam.
Designed by one of the pioneers of Islamic Psychology and Psychotherapy, the programme combines academic rigour with practical relevance, helping participants understand not only why addiction develops, but also how recovery can be supported through an integrated Islamic counselling approach.
Key Features
- A balanced exploration of addiction from clinical, psychological, and Islamic perspectives.
- Covers both substance-related and behavioural addictions.
- Introduces contemporary theories, neuroscience, and DSM-5 understanding of addiction.
- Explores pharmacological, psychosocial, and Islamic therapeutic approaches.
- Learn the principles of motivational interviewing and harm reduction.
- Examine Islamic psychotherapy models and psycho-spiritual approaches to recovery.
- Apply learning through practical clinical case studies.
- Delivered live through interactive online sessions with opportunities for discussion and questions.
Course Objectives
This Course aims to:
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of substance-related and behavioural addictions.
- Explore the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of addiction.
- Examine contemporary theories, models, and treatment approaches used in addiction services.
- Introduce Islamic perspectives on addiction, recovery, and therapeutic intervention.
- Explore psycho-spiritual approaches within Islamic psychology and psychotherapy.
- Strengthen participants' ability to analyse addictive behaviours through practical clinical applications.
What You Will Gain
By the end of this Course, you will be able to:
- Explain the nature, causes, and progression of addictive behaviours.
- Understand how addictive substances and behaviours affect the brain and human behaviour.
- Evaluate contemporary theories and models used to explain addiction.
- Recognise the characteristics and impact of common substance-related and behavioural addictions.
- Understand evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial approaches to addiction treatment.
- Explain Islamic perspectives on addiction, recovery, and spiritual healing.
- Appreciate the principles of motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and psycho-spiritual interventions.
- Analyse clinical case studies using Islamic counselling and psychotherapy principles.
Who Should Enroll?
This programme is ideal for:
- Islamic counsellors and therapists.
- Psychologists and mental health practitioners.
- Healthcare professionals.
- Imams, chaplains, and community leaders.
- Teachers, youth workers, and pastoral care practitioners.
- Social workers and community support professionals.
- Students of Islamic Psychology and Counselling.
- Anyone seeking a structured understanding of addiction through both contemporary and Islamic perspectives.
Curriculum
What you will study
A connected sequence from first principles to contemporary questions. Open a unit to preview its lessons.
01Introduction to Islamic Addiction Counselling & Nature Of Addiction
02Historical Perspectives Of Addiction
03Addiction From An Islamic Perspective
04Theories And Approaches To Addiction
05Alcohol – The Mother of All Evils
06Nicotine, Tobacco & Shisha
07Cannabis, Stimulants & Hallucinogens
08Gambling & Cybersex Addiction
09Internet and Social Media Addiction: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
10Pharmacological & Psychological Interventions
11Addiction and Islam – The Disease and Its Cure
12Spiritual Healing: An Islāmic Perspective on Addressing Addiction
13Addiction & Harm Reduction
14Clinical Applications of the Sirāṭ al-Islāmic Psychotherapy Practice Model
15Case Study: Clinical Applications
16Case Study: Clinical Applications / Evaluation of Course
Your learning experience
Designed for serious study, wherever you are
Follow a clear sequence, learn directly from course contributors and revisit your notes as ideas build from session to session.
- Live online learning with scholarly teaching
- A structured path through 16 connected modules
- Learning support from the academy course team
- Study from home with a clear weekly rhythm
Questions about studying online?
The academy team can help with course access and learning enquiries.
Our teachers
Meet our scholars & experts
FAQ
Questions before you register
Al Balagh courses do not provide an externally accredited or recognised qualification. Our own expert team works at the course content. With over 40000+ learners, we are continuously growing and our vision is to make Al Balagh qualifications renowned worldwide through our expert team, without seeking formal accreditation or recognition from external institutional bodies.
Our online course is designed to be flexible and self-paced, featuring high-quality pre-recorded videos along with comprehensive online course materials such as presentations and readings. All course content, including video recordings and presentations, is accessible through our learning portal. You can attempt the assessments whenever you feel prepared, after reviewing and understanding the topics. Throughout the course, our dedicated academic support team is available to provide assistance as needed.
Our online course offers over 20+ hours of high-quality lecture content on average, featuring video presentations from eminent scholars and academics.
Upon successful enrollment, you will get access to ILM Portal (our advanced online learning portal) within 24 hours. (login details and important contact information will be provided on your registered email address)
We understand that having constant access to educational content is important for our students. However, to maintain the integrity and security of our course materials, videos are not available for download directly from the Learning Management System (LMS). We ensure that our LMS is accessible at all times and from various devices, allowing you to study at your convenience, wherever you have internet access. If you have any concerns about accessing the materials or need assistance with the LMS, please do not hesitate to contact our support team for help.
You can interact with your classmates on our WhatsApp Groups exclusive for the course students. To join the official WhatsApp group, log in to your course on https://ilm.albalaghacademy.org/ and access the " Join Official WhatsApp Group '' tab.
Go to Start → Sessions → Welcome Aboard: Course Introduction → Join Official WhatsApp Group and click on the group link to join directly.
Joining the group will allow you to connect with fellow students for course-related discussions and to receive important updates from the team.
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