Abdallah Rothman (born November 28, 1975) is an American psychologist, psychotherapist, academic and author, known for his contributions in the field of Islamic Psychology. He is the Head of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College, founder of Dar al-Shifaa..[1], co-founder and Executive Director of the International Association of Islamic Psychology, and Visiting Professor of Psychology at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and Al-Neelain University Khartoum.
Early life and education
Abdallah Rothman was born in Los Angeles, California. In his youth Rothman was drawn to explorations of the soul and the human condition and as a result, the study of psychology. He was particularly interested in Humanistic psychology, with its focus on the inner dimensions of being. Rothman’s grandfather, Leonard Schneider, was a pioneer in Humanistic psychology, having studied under Abraham Maslow and later working closely with Fritz Perls. Rothman's grandfather believed religion and spiritual traditions could significantly enhance therapeutic practices by offering individuals a structured understanding of themselves and their personal development. This perspective deeply influenced Rothman, prompting him to center his psychological studies on religion and spirituality, continuing the work his grandfather had begun.
Throughout his years as an undergraduate student and beyond, Rothman traveled the world extensively, living and studying with different communities of faith as he pursued the exploration of the intersection of psychology and religion[2]. He studied Hinduism, yoga and pranayama with a guru from India, lived with a Rastafarian elder in the hills of Jamaica, studied meditation with a Buddhist monk in the jungles of Thailand, and lived as a shepherd for a year in the Holy Land[3].
Rothman earned his Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz in 1999. His thesis was on Community Supported Agriculture, which he made a film about during his time living for a year on a biodynamic farm.
In 2003, he founded and implemented the Graffiti Art Therapy Project[4], an art therapy group for youth detained for writing graffiti. The program aimed to harness the passion and talent in their art, and use it as a means of self discovery and therapeutic growth. The program offered alternative, constructive means of channeling their artistic expression into creating legal works of public art, and mentoring them in the process of becoming professional artists.
Rothman earned his M.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Mental Health Counseling from Antioch University Seattle, WA in 2004, receiving a Certification in Art Therapy from the same university. Upon completion of his graduate studies in psychology his journey both in psychology and spiritual exploration led him to Islam, where he found a deep science of the soul to inform his work as a psychotherapist as well as his own spiritual path and he became Muslim[5].
In addition to his academic training he has studied privately with a number of traditional Islamic scholars throughout the Muslim world. He was mentored directly[6] by the late Professor Malik Badri, “the father of modern Islamic Psychology”[7] who described Rothman as “one of the pioneers in the field”.[8]
After practicing as a counseling psychologist for many years, Rothman returned to academia in order to develop his work in establishing a theoretical framework of psychology within an Islamic paradigm, and in 2019 earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Kingston University London with a research concentration in Islamic Psychology & Psychotherapy.
Research and contributions
Abdallah Rothman has spent close to two decades working to integrate Islamic concepts into his therapeutic practice. His research focus has been to develop a theoretical framework for Islamic psychology, utilizing a grounded theory approach and collaborating with 18 scholars and 18 practitioners. His research led to the creation of an Islamic model of the soul, which gained significant attention upon publication[9]
Alongside Professor Malik Badri, Rothman was the co-founder and is the Executive Director of the International Association of Islamic Psychology[10]. The organization’s mission is to “advance the development and application of Islamic psychology to enhance the understanding of human psychology and promote health and wellbeing for all people”.[11]
Rothman continues to further develop research in contribution to the academic field of Islamic psychology. He is the former Principal of Cambridge Muslim College[12], and current Head and founder of its Islamic Psychology Diploma Program.[13]
In addition to maintaining an active counseling practice, Rothman is interested in the spirituality of coffee,[14] the spirituality of design,[15] the practice of martial arts, and has an interest in and focus on futuwwa[16] and rites of passage.[17] He is known for the YouTube series Midnight Moments,[18] released during the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic.
Personal life
Rothman is married to Esraa Bani,[19] a Sudanese public health advocate.[20] They have three children.
Publications
Books written
- Rothman, A. (2021). Developing a model of Islamic psychology and psychotherapy: Islamic theology and contemporary understandings of psychology. Routledge.
Books edited
- Haque, A., & Rothman, A. (Eds.). (2021). Islamic Psychology Around the Globe. International Association of Islamic Psychology Publishing.
- Haque, A. & Rothman, A. (Eds.). (2023). Clinical Applications of Islamic Psychology. Seattle: International Association of Islamic Psychology.
Articles
- Haque, A., Khan, F., Keshavarzi, H., & Rothman, A. E. (2016). Integrating Islamic traditions in modern psychology: Research trends in the last ten years. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 10(1).
- Rothman, A. (2017). Mental Health and Religious Identity: Inspiring Transformation in Muslim Youth [blog post - Tabah Futures Initiative][21]
- Rothman, A., & Coyle, A. (2018). Toward a framework for Islamic psychology and psychotherapy: An Islamic model of the soul. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(5), 1731-1744.
- Rothman, A. (2018). An Islamic Theoretical Orientation to Psychotherapy. In York, C. (Ed.), Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy: Uniting Faith and Professional Practice (pp. 25-56). West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Press.
- Rothman, A. (2019). What Islam Offers to Modern Self-Help: An Islamic Paradigm of Psychology [blog post - The Productive Muslim][22]
- Khan, F., Keshavarzi, H., & Rothman, A. (2020). The role of the TIIP therapist. In Keshavarzi, H., Khan, F., Ali, B. & Awaad, r. (eds.) Applying Islamic Principles to Clinical Mental Health Care: Introducing Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy, (pp. 38-66). London: Routledge.
- Rothman, A., & Coyle, A. (2020). Conceptualizing an Islamic psychotherapy: A grounded theory study. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 7(3), 197.
- Rothman, A. & Haque, A. (2021). Introduction to Islamic Psychology Around the Globe. In Haque, A. & Rothman, A. (Eds.), Islamic Psychology Around the Globe (pp. 1-23). Seattle: International Association of Islamic Psychology.
- Rothman, A., Ahmed, A., & Awaad, R. (2022). The contributions and impact of Malik Badri: father of modern Islamic Psychology. American Journal of Islam and Society, 39(1-2), 190-213.
- Rothman, A. (2022). From Padawan to Jedi: The theological premise for the necessity of the master-apprentice relationship in the path of spiritual ascension. In Espinoza, B. (Ed.), Theology and the Star Wars Universe. Fortress Academic.
References
- ^ "Shifaa Integrative Counseling". Shifaa Integrative Counseling.
- ^ "Purifying the Heart: A Journey to Islam- Abdallah Rothman".
- ^ "Path and Present episode #058: A Journey of the Soul, A Journey to Islam w. Dr. Abdallah Rothman".
- ^ "Graffiti Verite - Graffiti Art Therapy". www.graffitiverite.com.
- ^ "Dr Abdallah Rothman on Islamic Psychology".
- ^ Rothman, Abdallah (1 January 2021). "Introduction to Islamic Psychology Around the Globe". Islamic Psychology Around the Globe.
- ^ Awaad, Rania. "The father of modern Islamic Psychology: Dr Malik Badri's legacy". The father of modern Islamic Psychology: Dr Malik Badri's legacy.
- ^ "Why Islamic Psychology?".
- ^ Rothman, Abdallah; Coyle, Adrian (October 2018). "Toward a Framework for Islamic Psychology and Psychotherapy: An Islamic Model of the Soul". Journal of Religion and Health. 57 (5): 1731–1744. doi:10.1007/s10943-018-0651-x. ISSN 1573-6571.
- ^ "Message from the founder of IAIP".
- ^ "International Association of Islamic Psychology". International Association of Islamic Psychology.
- ^ "Appointment of New Principal - Cambridge Muslim College". 1 September 2020.
- ^ "Online Diploma in Islamic Psychology - Cambridge Muslim College". 1 April 2021.
- ^ "Category: Coffee". Shifaa Integrative Counseling.
- ^ "Seeking the Essence of Design". www.peter-gould.com.
- ^ "Dr. Abdallah Rothman -Tarbiyyah and Futuwwa: The Application of Islamic Psy within Islamic Education".
- ^ "Dr Abdallah Rothman: Rites of Passage / Ritos de Paso".
- ^ "Ramadan Live: Midnight Moments - YouTube". www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Sudanese Traditions to the Rescue - Esraa Bani, TEDxAhfadUniversity".
- ^ "They fled fighting in Sudan, only to find a crisis at the Egyptian border". Washington Post. 28 April 2023.
- ^ "Mental Health and Religious Identity, Tabah Futures Initiative". 31 July 2019.
- ^ Rothman, Dr Abdallah (31 December 2019). "What Islam Offers to Modern Self-Help: An Islamic Paradigm of Psychology - ProductiveMuslim.com".