Studying the Diploma in Islamic Psychology as part of our inaugural, 2022 cohort has profoundly shaped Dr. Muhammad Mubarak’s professional and volunteer roles. As a secondary school teacher of physics and mathematics in Singapore, with the responsibility of being the school’s ‘Discipline Master’, as a voluntary religious counsellor in the Singaporean prison system, where he mentored inmates, including those detained for terrorism and violence, and as Head of Curriculum for Religious Counselling for Muslim inmates in prison, Dr Mubarak recognised a need to address something lacking in his practice, and sought this through our educational offer.
The Diploma in Islamic Psychology introduced him to heart-based counselling and has completely transformed his approach to working with both students and inmates. Dr Mubarak now emphasizes empathy and understanding, creating space for meaningful dialogue and personal reflection in both educational and correctional settings.
Before attending Cambridge Muslim College, Dr Mubarak states that his counselling efforts often lacked the emotional connection needed for lasting impact. Our training has provided him with the tools to bridge that gap, moving from cognitive-level discussions to engaging the heart and enthusing rahma. His newfound methods have led to more openness and engagement with troubled students and inmates, particularly in countering extremist ideologies. He is now focused on promoting heart-based therapy and developing holistic rehabilitation programs for other counsellors that consider the entire being—qalb, ruh, and nafs—while looking forward to further certification as an Islamic psychologist.