Developing the Ihya Child-Centred Counselling Model (ICCCM): An Islamic Therapy Framework Based on Al-Ghazali’s Ihya Ulumuddin for Abused Children in Brunei

This paper presents the development of the Ihya Child-Centred Counselling Model (ICCCM), a therapeutic framework rooted in Al-Ghazali’s Islamic personality, designed to support abused children in Brunei and address the need for culturally and spiritually grounded interventions for trauma recovery among Muslim children. Drawing from Al-Ghazali’s concepts of soul (nafs), heart (qalb), spirit (ruh) and mind (‘aql), the model aims to provide a holistic approach to healing, combining Islamic principles with the modern therapeutic process. The development process involved a book analysis of the Arabic version of volume three of Ihya Ulumuddin, extracting the key concepts of Islamic personality and finally structuring them into a counselling therapy model. The ICCCM is structured to be conducted in six days, focusing on building a relationship with Allah, other human beings, oneself and one’s natural disposition (fitraa). Each day of counselling sessions incorporates reflective, relational and spiritual activities tailored to children’s developmental and emotional needs. The paper outlines the methodology, theoretical framework, and model development. It further discusses its relevance within Brunei’s socio-religious context and explores its potential application in other Muslim-majority settings. The ICCCM offers a novel contribution to Islamic counselling by providing a structured, faith-based model for the psychosocial, spiritual and behavioural rehabilitation of children who have experienced abuse.