At Cambridge Muslim College, we are proud to see our students shaping the future of Islamic Psychology around the world.
In this reflection, Dr Sálua Omais – psychologist, author, and alumna of the first cohort of our Islamic Psychology programme – shares how her studies at CMC became a foundation for pioneering work in Brazil. As the programme’s only participant from Latin America at the time, her journey highlights the global reach of Islamic Psychology and its potential to inspire research, publications, and practice across diverse contexts.
My name is Sálua Omais, I am a psychologist of Lebanese descent and I live in Brazil. As a former student of the first cohort of the Islamic Psychology programme at the Cambridge Muslim College, and the only participant from Latin America at the time, this experience was fundamental in my academic career. When I joined, the subject was basically unknown in Brazil, and the online format of the course was essential for my participation given the geographical distance. The combination of a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates philosophical, historical, social, religious, psychological, and Islamic jurisprudential perspectives, along with a highly qualified faculty of leading researchers in the field, expanded my knowledge and was instrumental in shaping my doctoral research in Brazil.
This academic foundation enabled me to introduce and translate these concepts into Portuguese, making them accessible both within academia and to the Brazilian Muslim community. Over the past few years, the knowledge I gained—combined with extensive study, reflection, and insights—has resulted in 24 academic articles in English and Portuguese, some published and others under review. In 2022, I published the first article on Islamic Psychology in Brazil, followed by several others addressing topics such as happiness and well-being in Islam, stereotypes, Islamophobia, hijabophobia, Islamic philosophy, and more. In July 2025, I released my book, Happiness and Well-being in Islam: Intersections Between Positive Psychology, Psychology of Religion, and Islamic Psychology (Springer)
The book proposes a holistic model integrating the spiritual, psychological, physical, social, and environmental dimensions of well-being. Designed for both researchers and practitioners, it offers theoretical insights, flowcharts and models that can contribute to the development of interventions, instruments, and therapeutic practices. It is an essential read for those interested in faith-informed psychology and integrative approaches to well-being from an Islamic perspective. InshaAllah, the book will soon be available in Portuguese.
I am deeply grateful to Cambridge Muslim College for the opportunity to grow academically and to contribute to advancing Islamic Psychology in Brazil and beyond through articles, books, academic texts, social media publications, lectures, and video content.