Analyzing the experience of al-khoshoo within the scope of psychological and religious approaches

The main goal of this research is to explain the religious and psychoogical aspects of the Al-khoshoo experience which is associated with the practice of Salaah (namaz) within the Islamic traditions and transpersonal psychology within the psychological literature. The importance of this research is that for the first time in Turkish literature Al-khoshoo experience is evaluated within the frames of psychological and religious approaches. There is no other individual research which evaluates the relation between Al-khoshoo and the psychology. As most of the intensive work on Al-khoshoo is carried out abroad, leading the new researchers by showing the rich accumulation of knowledge of the West is the distinctive aspect of this research. In this research, before a field survey, the meaning of the Al-khoshoo and the consequences it brings forth are inspected thorougly within the aspects of the Islamic culture and psychological literature using a descriptive language. Primarily, the concept of Al-khoshoo within the classical psychology is inspected and then, the evolution of Al-khoshoo experience is evaluated within the modern pschological approaches. The fact that Al-khoshoo, which has a very important place in Islam, is confined to Salaah is brought into question and the views on Al-khoshoo in the life of prophet Mohamed, in Holy Qur'an and of the sufi literature are also mentioned. To sum up; in this research, the motives which lead to Al-khoshoo, the agents which affect Al-khoshoo and the effects of Al-khoshoo in human life are evaluated. In this research, it is set forth that Al-khoshoo has many positive effects in life such as leading to small-self, creating mental accommodation, enhancing humility, deepening the sense of belonging and leading to inner transformation. Thanks to these particularities, it is confirmed that Al-khoshoo is an experience which develops, changes, maturates humans and enables them to have a positive view on life and has many psychological feelings, thoughts and behaviours within itself.