SELF-COACHING: A QUR’ANIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

In today’s progressive world, the field of coaching is ever increasing and blooming to provide the people with the tools and techniques to become better versions of themselves. Amongst this vast banner of coaching, a trend of self-coaching emerged in recent times. Although self-coaching through the humanistic and psychological sense is new, the context of self-coaching from the Qur’anic perspective has been around since the time the Qur’an was revealed for more than 1400 years ago. This paper aims to research on the topic of self-coaching through the Qur’anic perspective through presenting literature reviews of books and literature authored by secular and Western professional coaches who advocate and put forward their ideas and work on self-coaching from a secular psychological standpoint, and literature reviews of books and literature authored by Muslim scholars, writers, and coaches who propagate the teachings of Islam in relation to the Qur’an, Islamic psychology, and coaching from an Islamic perspective. The research methodology of the paper was through administering a series of questionnaire on coaches who practice self-coaching but are not well-versed with the teachings of the Qur’an, and a series of questionnaire on the general population of Muslims who relate to the Qur’an on a spiritual level. Among the research methodology, interviews with case studies were also held—textual case study approach with professional coaches who practiced self-coaching in their daily life, and voice-over interviews with case studies who were in alignment with the teachings of the Qur’an and had felt the impact of the Qur’anic verses in their life in their roles as oneself, as a child, as a spouse, as a parent, and as a leader. The research resulted in a comparative and parallel thought process and key elements of self-coaching technique between both the groups of respondents, that is, professional coaches, and general Muslim mass. The coaches sought the assistance of nature and higher power in their self-coaching technique, whereas the general Muslim population sought solace and assistance through the verses of the Qur’an pertaining to their situation and role in life. The case studies provide an insightful revelation into their lives and the impact the Qur’an had in them to improve them for the better. Through this research, the paper intends to relate self-coaching to the Qur’an and propose the theory of how self-coaching through the Qur’an is a reality in the 21st century modern world, helping and aiding the readers and believers to move forward in life with hope, positivity, gratitude, contentment, and a productive and purposeful life.