Psychotherapy Through a Sufi Islamic Lens: A Dialectic of Transcendence and Acceptance

On the basis of qualitative thematic analysis, this study explored psychotherapy through a Sufi Islamic lens. Through purposive sampling of Muslim scholars/practitioners with Sufi affiliations or sympathies, we conducted one-to-one interviews, the content of which revealed an emphasis on meditation among other therapies against a dialectic of transcendence and acceptance. This dialectical framework offers a lens through which current Islamically integrated interventions may be viewed. It, also, has a dialogic potential with mainstream movements within psychology that are informed by varied spiritual traditions.