The Role of Malaysian Islamic Educational Institutions in Promoting Psychological Wellbeing: A Maqasid-Based Approach

Muneer Ali Abdul Rab; Hamidin Bin Awang; Abdul Manan Ismail; Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin; Syaryanti Hussin; Baidar Mohammed Mohammed Hasan

doi:10.21154/cendekia.v24i2.14547

Authors

Muneer Ali Abdul Rab Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Hamidin Bin Awang Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Abdul Manan Ismail Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Ahmad Syukran Baharuddin Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Syaryanti Hussin Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan
Baidar Mohammed Mohammed Hasan Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21154/cendekia.v24i2.14547

Keywords:

Islamic educational institutions, psychological well-being , maqasid al-shariah, sustainable communities, preventive psychiatry

Abstract

This paper addresses a conceptual and operational gap in Malaysian Islamic educational institutions, where administrative practices tend to prioritize narrow academic performance over psychological resilience and support. The study grounds student wellbeing within Maqasid al-Shariah, specifically the preservation of life (hifdh al-nafs) and intellect (hifdh al-aql). It proposes a Structural Maqasidic Wellbeing Framework for institutional application. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical design, the study combines document analysis of educational policies with thematic interpretation of Shariah principles. The findings indicate that sustainable student wellbeing requires an integrated system comprising regulatory policies, educational empowerment, and preventive psychological support. The framework helps educational institutions move beyond purely academic measures toward a broader conception of human flourishing, positioning Islamic educational institutions as preventive environments that support student resilience and align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.

References

Abdel-Khalek, Ahmed M., and Mustafa Tekke. “The Association between Religiosity, Well-Being, and Mental Health among College Students from Malaysia.” Revista Mexicana de Psicología 36, no. 1 (2019): 5–16.

Abdul Rab, Muneer Ali, Abdul Manan Ismail, Hamidin Awang, Mohammad Zaidul Hoque, Naji A. Aljabri, and Ali A. S. AlShibli. “Alternatives for Psychological Illness Treatment and Prevention in Malaysia from the Perspective of Shariah.” Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law 12, no. 3 (2024): 633–651. https://doi.org/10.33102/mjsl.vol12no3.927.

Abu Nawas, I Gusti Ngurah Darmawan, and Nina Maadad. “Beyond Universal Models: Contextual Pathways Linking Student Psychological and Social Well-Being to English Learning in Indonesia’s General and Islamic Schools.” Psychology in the Schools 63, no. 7 (2026): 1132–1146. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.70155.

Akbayram, Hatice Tuba, and Hamit Sirri Keten. “The Relationship between Religion, Spirituality, Psychological Well-Being, Psychological Resilience, Life Satisfaction of Medical Students in Gaziantep, Turkey.” Journal of Religion and Health 63 (2024): 2847–2859. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-024-02027-2.

Al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Beirut: Dar Tawq al-Najah, 2001.

Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad. Al-Mustasfa. Edited by Muhammad Abd al-Salam Abd al-Shafi. 1st ed. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1993.

Ali, Zuraimy, Noraini Ismail, Azizi Abu Bakar, and Khadher Ahmad. “The Importance of Hisbah in Managing Mental Health Issues from the Perspective of Maqasid Shariah.” Russian Law Journal 11, no. 3 (2023): 122–130. https://doi.org/10.52783/rlj.v11i3.1115.

Al-Najjar, Abdel-Majid. Maqasid al-Shariah bi-Ab‘ad Jadidah [Maqasid al-Shariah with New Dimensions]. 2nd ed. Beirut: Dar al-Gharb al-Islami, 2008.

Al-Shatibi, Abu Ishaq. Al-Muwafaqat. Edited by Mashhur ibn Hasan Al Salman. 1st ed. Cairo: Dar Ibn Affan, 1997.

Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din Abd al-Rahman. Al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir fi Qawa’id wa Furu’ Fiqh al-Shafi’iyah [Analogies and Precedents in the Rules and Branches of Shafi’i Jurisprudence]. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 1983.

Amzat, Ismail Hussein, Saidah Na’ilah Masrum, Talatu Salihu Ahmadu, Alyahmadi Hamed, and Sarah Najwa Mohd Amirrudin. “Principal Leadership Style and Teacher Commitment Mediated by Teacher Wellbeing in Islamic Schools in Malaysia.” Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Management 11, no. 2 (2023): 32–49. https://mojem.um.edu.my/index.php/MOJEM/article/view/43139.

Dias, Pedro, Lurdes Veríssimo, Alexandra Carneiro, and Raquel Duarte. “The Role of Socio-Emotional Security on School Engagement and Academic Achievement: Systematic Literature Review.” Frontiers in Education 9 (2024): 1437297. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1437297.

Erdem, Cahit, and Metin Kaya. “The Relationship between School and Classroom Climate, and Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis.” School Psychology International 45, no. 4 (2024): 435–461. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343231202923.

Fauzi, Muhamad Restu, and Muhammad Chirzin. “Epistemology of Islamic Education in the Qur’an and Its Urgency in the Development of Islamic Education.” Nadwa: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam 17, no. 1 (2023): 74–91. https://doi.org/10.21580/nw.2023.17.1.15069.

Ibn Abd al-Salam, Izz al-Din Abd al-Aziz. Qawa’id al-Ahkam fi Masalih al-Anam [Rules of Judgments Regarding the Interests of Mankind]. 2 vols. Cairo: Maktabat al-Kulliyat al-Azhariyah, 1991.

Ibn Jama’ah, Badr al-Din Muhammad ibn Ibrahim. Tadhkirat al-Sami’ wa al-Mutakallim fi Adab al-Alim wa al-Muta’allim [Memorandum of the Listener and the Speaker on the Etiquette of the Scholar and the Learner]. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, 2004.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Abu Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr. Ighathat al-Lahfan min Masayid al-Shaytan [Rescue of the Sorrowful from the Snares of Satan]. Edited by Muhammad Uzair Shams. Cairo and Mecca: Dar Alam al-Fawa’id, 2011.

Khamida, Ah Yusuf, Rizki Fitryasari, Siti Nur Hasina, and Riza Ayu Tohari Putri. “The Relationship of Spiritual Well-being with Subjective Well-being Students in Islamic Boarding School.” Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences 19, no. SUPP8 (2023): 93–98.

Lee, Jia En, Mei Ling Goh, and Sook Fern Yeo. “Mental Health Awareness of Secondary School Students: Mediating Roles of Knowledge on Mental Health, Knowledge on Professional Help, and Attitude towards Mental Health.” Heliyon 9, no. 3 (2023): e14512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14512.

Ly, Vi, and Dianne A. Vella-Brodrick. “Effects of School-Led Greenspace Interventions on Mental, Physical and Social Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.” Educational Psychology Review 36, no. 4 (2024): 133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09963-1.

Madrid-Cagigal, Alba, Carmen Kealy, Courtney Potts, Maurice D. Mulvenna, Molly Byrne, Margaret M. Barry, and Gary Donohoe. “Digital Mental Health Interventions for University Students with Mental Health Difficulties: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Early Intervention in Psychiatry 19, no. 3 (2025): e70017. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.70017.

Mansor, Azlin Norhaini, Mohd Zabil Ikhsan Mohamed Nasaruddin, and Aida Hanim A. Hamid. “The Effects of School Climate on Sixth Form Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Malaysia.” Sustainability 13, no. 4 (2021): 2011. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042011.

Marpaung, Watni, Noor Azizah, and Putra Apriadi Siregar. “Islamic Education, Depression, Religiosity, and the Effects of Religion Moderation of Muslim Students.” HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 80, no. 1 (2024): a9271. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v80i1.9271.

Martínez-Murciano, María Carmen and David Pérez-Jorge. “Effects of Excessive Video Game and Social Networking Use on Mental Well-Being and Academic Performance of University Students: A Systematic Analysis.” Social Sciences & Humanities Open 12 (2025): 102200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.102200.

Maxwell, Sophie, Katherine J. Reynolds, Eunro Lee, Emina Subasic, and David Bromhead. “The Impact of School Climate and School Identification on Academic Achievement: Multilevel Modeling with Student and Teacher Data.” Frontiers in Psychology 8 (2017): 2069. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02069.

Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Naysaburi, Abu al-Husayn. Sahih Muslim. Edited by Muhammad Fuad Abd al-Baqi. Cairo: Matba’at Isa al-Babi al-Halabi, 1955.

Negara, Achmad Husaen Sastra. “The Islamic Worldview as the Epistemological Foundation of Islamic Educational Philosophy.” Journal of Islamic Education and Ethics 4, no. 1 (2026): 35–49. https://doi.org/10.18196/jiee.v4i1.129.

Nik Yaacob, Nik Abd Rahman, Yahya Don, and Mohd Faiz Mohd Yaakob. “Educational Policy Implementation: Adaptation Differences among Secondary School Teachers in Malaysia.” Journal of Education and e-Learning Research 7, no. 2 (2020): 174–180. https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.509.2020.72.174.180.

Nurlela, Nurlela, Abdul Gafur Arifin, and Abas Hidayat. “Impact of Islamic Psychoeducation in Facing the Challenges of Digital Education Practices: Student and Lecturer Perceptions.” International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research 24, no. 2 (2025): 560–585. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.2.28.

Rani, Anita Abdul, Haslinda Hashim, Fatimah Ali, Imaduddin Abidin, and Aini Ahmad. “Inculcating Spiritual Intelligence to Enhance Students’ Psychological Wellbeing.” The European Proceedings of Social & Behavioural Sciences 30 (2017): 246–251. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2017.10.23.

Rashid, Zubair bin Amir Nur, Nur Mardia binti Mazri, Mohd Fuad bin Md Sawari, and Nan Noorhidayu binti Megat Laksamana. “Aplikasi Maqasid Syariah dalam Sistem Pendidikan di Malaysia: Pembelajaran Abad Ke-21.” International Journal of Business, Economics and Law 18, no. 6 (2019): 81–90.

Rassool, G. Hussein. Islamic Counselling: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. London: Routledge, 2016.

Sabki, Zuraida Ahmad, Che Zarrina Sa’ari, Syed Mohammad Hilmi b. Syed Abdul Rahman, Mohd Khairul Naim Che Nordin, and Asmawati Muhamad. “Religious Coping Among Muslim University Students: Psychometric Evaluation of the Brief RCOPE-Malay.” Afkar: Jurnal Akidah dan Pemikiran Islam 27, no. 2 (2025): 69–106. https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol27no2.3.

Seligman, Martin E. P. Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being. New York: Free Press, 2011.

Suud, Fitriah M., and Tri Na’imah. “The Effect of Positive Thinking Training on Academic Stress of Muslim Students in Thesis Writing: A Quasi-Experimental Study.” International Journal of Adolescence and Youth 28, no. 1 (2023): 2270051. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2023.2270051.

Tahir, Lokman Mohd, Aqeel Khan, Mohammed Borhandden Musah, Roslee Ahmad, Khadijah Daud, Shafeeq Hussain Vazhathodi Al-Hudawi, Aede Hatib Musta’Amal, and Rohaya Talib. “Administrative Stressors and Islamic Coping Strategies Among Muslim Primary Principals in Malaysia: A Mixed Method Study.” Community Mental Health Journal 54, no. 5 (2018): 649–663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0206-8.

Te, Tie-Seng, Hutkemri Zulnaidi, and Norfaezah Md Khalid. “Initial Validation of a Newly Developed School-Related Well-Being Instrument: A Rasch Model Approach.” Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Sciences 14, no. 1 (2026): 61–78.

Terblanche, Duwayne, and S. Abrahams. “Integrating Maqāṣid al-Sharī‘ah into Islamic Psychology: Towards a Holistic Approach to Mental Health and Well-Being.” AL-WASATIYYAH: IPSA Journal of Islamic and Arabic Studies 3, no. 3 (2024): 114–149. https://doi.org/10.58409/ipsajias.v3i3.37.

Wang, M.-T., and Jessica L. Degol. “School Climate: A Review of the Construct, Measurement, and Impact on Student Outcomes.” Educational Psychology Review 28, no. 2 (2016): 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1.

Worsley, Joanne Deborah, Andy Pennington, and Rhiannon Corcoran. “Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing of University and College Students: A Systematic Review of Review-Level Evidence of Interventions.” PLOS ONE 17, no. 7 (2022): e0266725. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266725.

Zainudin, Ulfah Mansurah, Nurzahidah Jaapar, Fadhilah Adibah Ismail, Ghazali Jaapar, and Hasnah Husiin. “Thematic Analysis of Research Studies on Maqasid Shariah and Mental Health.” Journal of Fatwa Management and Research 28, no. 1 (2023): 45–57. https://doi.org/10.33102/jfatwa.vol28no1.505.

Zuhdi, Muhammad, and Kustiwan Syarief. “Constructing the Concept of Student Well-Being within Indonesian Islamic Higher Education.” Religions 14, no. 9 (2023): 1140. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091140.