Taubat (Repentance) and Istighfar (Seek Forgiveness from Allah) Therapy to Improve Subjective Well-Being of Master Students: a Preliminary Study
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RESEARCH ARTICLE Copyright © 2018 American Scientific Publishers Advanced Science Letters All rights reserved Vol. 24, 5422–5425, 2018 Printed in the United States of America Taubat (Repentance) and Istighfar (Seek Forgiveness from Allah) Therapy to Improve Subjective Well-Being of Master Students: A Preliminary Study Qurotul Uyun∗ and Irwan Nuryana Kurniawan Department of Psychology, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia The purpose of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effectiveness of taubat and istighfar therapy for improv- ing subjective well-being of Master students. Fifty-two Master students who were attending Islamic psychother- apy courses completed the study. The scale of subjective well-being (satisfaction with life, positive–negative affects) was completed by each participant in pre and post-intervention. In addition, this study included diary written by the participants for one week to evaluate impact of the implementation of therapy. Pair samples t test was used for statistical analysis. Taubat and istighfar therapy improved the subjective well-being rating of par- ticipant by an average of M 0!42 points with SD 0!62. The treatment effect was statistically significant and = = effect size estimate represents a large effect and substantive finding. Based on the expressions in the diaries that wrote during one week, supported that therapy provided benefits, such as reductions of anxiety, anger, and the symptoms of obsessive compulsive, self-injury, and sleeping disorder. After one week they also experienced improvements in emotion regulation, positive thinking, happiness and faith to God. The results have implications for future research. Keywords: Taubat and Istighfar Therapy, Subjective Well-Being. 1. INTRODUCTION 30 080 (in 2002) and 22 306 (in 2007) found that there was an Subjective well-being (SWB) is the individual’s subjective eval- increasing trend related to the use of prayer as a coping for health uation of cognitive and affective regarding his life.7 Oishi and improvement.25 Many studies have also shown that the integra- Koo20 asserted that happiness is very important because it can tion of spirituality/religiosity into psychotherapy was effective provide a positive impact on the functioning of the human beings for dealing with psychological problems and improving mental in various aspects of life such as employment, education, social health. Involvement in the program of spiritual therapy asso- 14 relationships, and health. Diener23 used the term subjective well- ciated with increased spiritual well-being and quality of life. 15 being as a synonym of happiness. Diener et al.7 observed that Kimball have conducted a meta-analysis showed that prayer the meaning of happiness is also emphasis the sense of com- was related to increased mental health therefore further research fort, happy, satisfied, and the meaningfulness of life. Subjec- suggested the use of prayer as an intervention or coping of men- tive well-being is also known as emotional well being, which is tal health disorders. one of the parts of complete mental health.10 Seligman, Reivich, The above description indicates that intervention using Jaycox, and Gillham7 found that training to improve subjective spiritual/religious approach has effectiveness to resolve psycho- well-being may reduce the risk of depression. The study results logical problems and to improve mental health. Islam provided revealed that spirituality and religiosity practices related to phys- acomprehensiveconceptforovercomingtheproblemsoflife, 13 ical and mental health. as described by Isgandarova that the intervention of Islam is According to Lun and Bond18 values and spiritual/religious based on the concept of holistic treatment that consisted of com- ponents of psychological, physical, mental, moral and spiritual. belief is the main predictor of life satisfaction. Data analysis from Values and practices taught by the Qur’an and the Hadith are the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) which included very useful to solve the difficulties of life, and can be used to improve mental and physical health. According toIslamicliter- ∗Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. ature review supported by the results showed that the practices 5422 Adv. Sci. Lett. Vol. 24, No. 7, 2018 1936-6612/2018/24/5422/004 doi:10.1166/asl.2018.11748 Adv. Sci. Lett. 24, 5422–5425, 2018 RESEARCH ARTICLE of religiosity (ritual) and spiritual beliefs are very useful to over- According to the Quran, Hadith, and the Books of Muslim come psychological disorders. Othman, Iznita, Iqbal, and Grace Scholar, taubat is the obligatory of human, because taubat is the (2011) defined Islamic psychotherapy as a kind of psychological way for purifying their soul. Therefore the human has many ben- interventions are intended to provide treatment and healing cog- efits from their taubat, such as strength of soul, faith, and happi- nitive and emotional pressure according to the instructions of the ness that is manifestation of mental health. Taubat and istighfar Quran and Hadith. Quran and Hadith described ways of cleaning performance enable the strengthening of religious faith that can the heart and soul in order to prevent people from psychological be powerful source of meaning and happiness. disorders by repentance (taubat) and asking forgiveness to Allah (istighfar). This preliminary study aimed to develop taubat and istighfar as intervention (psychotherapy) to improve the subjec- 3. METHOD tive well-being. 3.1. Participants The participants consisted of 52 Master students (82,7% women, 55,8% man) enrolled in Islamic psychotherapy session in the 2. LITERATURE REVIEW morning class. This study involved Master students from an 2.1. On the Meaning of Taubat and Istighfar Islamic university as participants. Because they are the candidates Taubat and istighfar as a religious practice that highly rec- of Islamic psychologists, it is important to provide learning and ommended in Islam. The meaning of taubat by Athaaillah3 as education about Islamic psychotherapy, such as teaching practi- described in the following explanations. First, taubat means cal skills to them. In addition, the Islamic psychotherapy should returning to God after people far from Him, the consequences be applied first by a candidate of therapist, in order to be more of sin and immorality that hasbeendone.Second,themean- effective when it is applied to the client. ing of taubat is the return of something despicable according to religion toward something commendable. Repentance causes of 3.2. Procedures human behavior to be better than before, more motivated to do The study began with taubat and istighfar given for 3 class ses- the virtues commanded by religion. Third, the meaning of taubat sions and one week for practicing at home, and ended with a is to detach from disorders that caused by a person whose life is reflection session of therapy. Here is an explanation of the ther- devoted to pursuit of pleasure and self gratification (hedonist). apy sessions: In line with the above explanation, taubat has been defined the (a) The first session: The introduction of the concept of taubat, willingness to avoid the God prohibition and return to obey the the guidance of taubat by the Al Quran, the pillars of taubat, 22 2 God commands. Al-Jauziyyah argued that istighfar is taubat. and the efficacious time for performing the taubat. Al istighfar is protection from the adverse effect caused by sin. (b) The second session: identification of problems involving Whereas taubat is return to God and prevent from the bad influ- activity to write psychological problems experienced and per- ence of sin that will happen. It implies that taubat and istigh- ceived by the participants. far showed human freedom, especially to possibility for freeing (c) The third session: assignment at home to the participants to ourselves from the effects of our own past transgression. Specif- perform taubat and istighfar,thenkeepadailyrecordrelated 5 ically Ibn Kathir defined taubat nasuha as refraining from sin, to: the implementation of the prayers of taubat and prayer time 12 repenting of the sins, and promising not to repeat them. Husain repentance done, istighfar 100 times to 1000 times, writing down described that taubat is one of the values from Al Quran that can thoughts, feelings, events, or anything that is felt on that day. be used as a way to cope with the pressure of life. (d) Reflection of taubat and istighfar session was done by dis- cussing the experiences, events, and things are perceived subjects 2.2. Taubat, Istighfar, and Subjective Well-Being during a week of taubat and istighfar therapy. Many verses of the Al Quran commands man to ask for forgive- ness and repent to Allah. It implies that taubat and istighfar as aguidetomankindinordertoearnhappinessintheworldand 3.3. Subjective Well-Being Scale the hereafter. Al-Ghazali1 explained in his book Ihya ‘Ulumid- Positive–negative affect and life satisfaction were used as indica- din that human must repent because repentance is a requirement tors of subjective well-being. Scale of life satisfaction was mea- to achieve eternal happiness and survived from the destructions. sured using SWLS “The Satisfaction With Life Scale” (Diener, Further, it is stated that there is no eternal happiness except et al., 1985) which consisted of 5 items (4 items with Cron- bach ! 0771), and the scale of positive–negative affect was by getting closer to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.IntheQuran = (Huud)Allahpromisethatrepentantwillfeelhappiness,strength,