Zulkifli Abdul Ghani’s scientific contributions

The reality of mental health is a complex matter. In modern medicine, the measurement of mental health is subjective due to the limitations of the human ability to understand the actualisation of the soul. However, a review of mental health discourse in Islamic civilisation displays a holistic and dynamic perspective. Thus, this study is presented to discuss the prospects of mental health care based on the perspective of al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī [W320H] in the work Riyāḍah al-Nafs. ‎Al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī is recognised as the earliest hadith scholar who featured a specific discourse on mental health through a Sufism approach. Based on the thematic textual analysis method, this qualitative study examines 32 discourses of soul entry discussed by al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī in his work Riyāḍah al-Nafs. The study found that al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī has successfully presented the dynamism of spiritual functions as the core of mental and physical health. Among the main perspectives presented is the need to control the human soul's desires, actions and behaviour, centring on excessive pleasure. According to him, the matter is an obstacle to peace of mind and mental health. This study found his perspective to be significant with the concept of controlling excess dopamine hormones that can affect mental health. In conclusion, the contribution of al-‎Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī as early as the 3rd century Hijrah through the work of Riyāḍah al-Nafs ‎should be recognised as a pioneering reference for the development of the psychospiritual field today.