Iqbal’s Dynamic Personality Theory and Humanistic Psychology – A Comparative University Student-Centered Thematic Analysis

Abstract

This article provides a comparative analysis of the concept of “Khudi” presented by Allama Muhammad Iqbal with Abraham Maslow's concept of “Self-Actualization” by applying these to students acquiring higher education.   The central idea for Iqbal is that “knowing oneself is the immediate perception of God” which Maslow described as “one must become, what he is capable of becoming.” The study is qualitative and exploratory in nature and has used thematic analysis to specifically analyze Maslow’s proposed six levels of the hierarchy of needs and Iqbal’s three levels of self-growth. While there is a connection, there are fundamental differences in the associated values. The concept of self-actualization is the ideal which Iqbal used to inspire the masses toward self-realization. The article provides a brief analysis of the manner in which university students reach the higher levels of the self by levelling up from basic needs to the subsequent ones sequentially. The research carries implications for educational institutes to highlight the ways in which migrant students and students belonging to the lower socio-economic classes can be assisted in order to help them in reaching their full potential.