Clinical psychologist · Islamic psychology

Amber Haque, PhD

Thirty years of teaching, research and clinical practice in the United States, Malaysia, the UAE and Qatar.

  • Professor of Islamic PsychologyCambridge Muslim College · United Kingdom
  • Professor of Clinical PsychologyDoha Institute for Graduate Studies · Qatar
  • National Director, Muslim Family ServicesICNA Relief USA · United States
Amber Haque

Areas of work

What his work covers

  • 01

    Islamic psychology

    Its early scholars, its definitions, and how the field is being built today.

  • 02

    Islamically integrated psychotherapy

    Bringing faith into clinical work with Muslim clients.

  • 03

    Culture and healing

    Indigenous healing and culture-bound syndromes in Muslim societies.

  • 04

    Mental health systems

    Services, law and policy in the Gulf and Southeast Asia.

  • 05

    Muslim mental health in the West

    Families, foster care and community services.

Research

Selected publications

All publications

Talks

Lectures and interviews

All talks

Biography

Amber Haque, PhD

Amber Haque is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Islamic Psychology. He has more than thirty years of experience as a professor, researcher and practitioner in the United States, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

After a master's degree in clinical psychology at Eastern Michigan University and a doctorate in psychology at Western Michigan University, he worked for over twelve years as a psychologist in mental health institutions in Michigan and New York State.

In 1996 he joined the International Islamic University Malaysia. He spent eight years there and headed its Department of Psychology. He then spent fourteen years at United Arab Emirates University, where he was Associate Professor and directed the clinical psychology programme. He has been Visiting Professor at the National University of Malaysia and the International University of Sarajevo, and Visiting Scholar at Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania.

His research covers Islamic psychology, Islamically integrated psychotherapy, indigenous healing, mental health systems in the Gulf and Southeast Asia, and Muslim mental health in the West. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the International Association of Muslim Psychologists and has been Faith Based Practice Section Editor of the Journal of Muslim Mental Health.

Today he holds three posts: Professor of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College in the United Kingdom, Professor of Clinical Psychology in the School of Psychology and Social Work at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar, and National Director of Muslim Family Services at ICNA Relief USA.

Education

  • PhD, Psychology · Western Michigan University
  • MS, Clinical Psychology · Eastern Michigan University

Books

Books

10 edited volumes, 1999 to today, on Islamic psychology and on mental health in Malaysia, the Gulf and North America.

2025 · Co-editor with Farha Abbasi

Muslim Mental Health in North America

Draws on seventeen years of the Annual Muslim Mental Health Conference to map the field in the United States and Canada.

Muslim Mental Health Consortium, Michigan State University

Publisher page

2023 · Co-editor with Abdallah Rothman

Clinical Applications of Islamic Psychology

Practitioners from around the world show how Islamic psychology is put into clinical practice.

International Association of Islamic Psychology ISBN 9781737281641

Publisher page

2022 · Co-editor with Yasien Mohamed; foreword by Abdallah Rothman

Psychology of Personality: Islamic Perspectives (new edition)

The first edited volume on human nature and personality from an Islamic perspective, reissued.

International Association of Islamic Psychology ISBN 9781737281627

Publisher page

2021 · Co-editor with Abdallah Rothman

Islamic Psychology Around the Globe

Seventeen essays on how Islamic psychology has developed in seventeen countries.

International Association of Islamic Psychology ISBN 9781737281603

Publisher page

2020 · Co-editor with Livia L. Gilstrap and Suhaila Ghuloum

Mental Health in Qatar: Challenges and Prospects

The first broad volume on mental health and psychological services in Qatar.

Cambridge Scholars Publishing ISBN 9781527549166

Publisher page

2015 · Co-editor with Carrie York Al-Karam

Mental Health and Psychological Practice in the United Arab Emirates

Psychology in the UAE from research to clinical practice, and the place of Islam in it.

Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 9781137567529

Publisher page

2009 · Co-editor with Yasien Mohamed

Psychology of Personality: Islamic Perspectives

Original edition, with chapters by Malik Badri, Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas and others.

Cengage Learning Asia ISBN 9789812658227

2005 · Co-editor with Zafar Afaq Ansari and Noraini M. Noor

Contemporary Issues in Malaysian Psychology

Eleven chapters on the history of psychology in Malaysia, mental health, counselling and rehabilitation.

Thomson Learning, Singapore ISBN 981254819X

2001 · Editor

Mental Health in Malaysia: Issues and Concerns

Concepts and trends, special populations, and the place of culture and religion in mental health.

University of Malaya Press

1999 · Editor

Muslims and Islamization in North America: Problems and Prospects

Twenty-six authors on American Muslims in politics, education, media and economics.

Amana Publications

Research

Publications

Journal articles and book chapters, newest first. Each entry has a ready-made citation, and 8 are free to read.

2023

  • Book chapter

    Malik Badri

    Ibrahim, N., & Haque, A. Great Muslim Leaders (Emerald), pp. 69–78.

2022

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Validation study of a wellbeing scale (SPANE) in the Arab Gulf region: A multicountry study

    Yaaqeib, S., Lambert, L., Hadjisolomou, S., Al-Fazari, M., Selim, H., & Haque, A. PLoS ONE, 17(5), e0268027.

2021

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Every cloud has a silver lining: Lived experience and coping strategies of breast cancer survivors in Sarajevo

    Bosankic, N., Draganovic, S., Ramic, J., & Haque, A. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 15(1).

2020

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Mental health laws and reflections on culture: The case of United Arab Emirates

    Haque, A. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 14(1).

  • Book chapter

    Personality psychology from an Islamic perspective

    Haque, A. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (Wiley), pp. 329–333.

2018

  • Book chapter

    Psychology from an Islamic perspective

    Haque, A. Global Psychologies: Mental Health and the Global South (Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 137–150.

2016

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Integrating Islamic traditions in modern psychology: Research trends in last ten years

    Haque, A., Khan, F., Keshavarzi, H., & Rothman, A. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 10(1), 75–100.

2015

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression in Middle Eastern/Arab women

    Haque, A., Namavar, A., & Breene, K. Journal of Muslim Mental Health, 9(1).

  • Book chapter

    Mental health system development in the UAE

    Haque, A., & Al Kindi, B. A. Mental Health and Psychological Practice in the United Arab Emirates (Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 23–34.

2014

  • Journal article

    Integrating indigenous healing methods in therapy: Muslim beliefs and practices

    Haque, A., & Keshavarzi, H. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 7(3), 297–314.

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Type D personality and coronary artery disease: Exploring their relationship in younger population of United Arab Emirates

    Namavar, A., & Haque, A. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 6(6), 298–305.

2013

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Cardiac risk factors and psychosocial variables in coronary artery disease: A case-control study of the younger population of United Arab Emirates

    Haque, A., Jamil, G., & Namawar, A. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 5(5), 261–269.

  • Journal article

    Outlining a psychotherapy model for enhancing Muslim mental health within an Islamic context

    Keshavarzi, H., & Haque, A. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 23(3), 230–249.

  • Book chapter

    Islamic religious psychology

    Haque, A. Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions (Springer), pp. 1085–1088.

2012

  • Book chapter

    Islam, Muslims, and mental health

    Haque, A., & Kamil, N. Counseling Muslims: Handbook of Mental Health Issues and Interventions (Routledge).

2010

  • Journal article

    Mental health concepts in Southeast Asia: Diagnostic considerations and treatment implications

    Haque, A. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 15(2), 127–134.

2008

  • Journal article

    Culture-bound syndromes and healing practices in Malaysia

    Haque, A. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 11(7), 685–696.

  • Journal article

    Prevalence of PTSD symptoms and depression and level of coping among the victims of the Kashmir conflict

    Yaswi, A., & Haque, A. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 13(5), 471–480.

2007

  • Journal article

    Preserving cultural identity in the 21st century: Challenges to the Emirati youth

    Haque, A. Shu’un Ijtima’iyya (Social Affairs).

2006

  • Journal article

    Soul searching: Bearing witness, psychotherapeutically, to One God

    Haque, A. Psychoanalytic Perspectives, 4(1), 49–58.

2005

  • Journal article

    Mental health concepts and program development in Malaysia

    Haque, A. Journal of Mental Health, 14(2), 183–195.

  • Book chapter

    Psychology in Malaysia: Looking ahead

    Ansari, Z. A., Noor, N. M., & Haque, A. Contemporary Issues in Malaysian Psychology (Thomson).

2004

  • Journal article

    Psychology from Islamic perspective: Contributions of early Muslim scholars and challenges to contemporary Muslim psychologists

    Haque, A. Journal of Religion and Health, 43(4), 357–377.

  • Journal article

    Religion and mental health: The case of American Muslims

    Haque, A. Journal of Religion and Health, 43(1), 45–58.

2002

  • Journal article

    Perspective: Religious psychology in Malaysia

    Haque, A., & Masuan, K. A. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 12(4), 277–289.

2001

  • Journal article

    Attitudes of high school students and teachers towards Muslims and Islam in a southeastern Australian community

    Haque, A. Intercultural Education, 12(2), 185–196.

  • Journal article

    Interface of psychology and religion: Trends and developments

    Haque, A. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 14(3), 241–253.

2000

  • Journal article

    Psychology and religion: Two approaches to positive mental health

    Haque, A. Intellectual Discourse, 8(1).

1998

  • Journal articleFree to read

    Psychology and religion: Their relationship and integration from an Islamic perspective

    Haque, A. American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 15(4), 97–116.

Talks

Talks and lectures

Lectures, tributes, book launches and community talks.

Lectures

Tributes and book launches

Messages and community talks

Speaking

Invite Dr. Haque to speak

Amber Haque has spoken at universities, professional conferences and community events, in English and in Urdu. Recordings of some of his talks are on the talks page.

Topics

  • Islamic psychology. What it is, its early scholars such as Abu Zaid al-Balkhi, and how the field is being built today.
  • Islamically integrated psychotherapy. Bringing faith into clinical work with Muslim clients.
  • Culture and healing. Indigenous and traditional healing, and culture-bound syndromes, in Muslim societies.
  • Mental health systems. Services, law and policy in the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
  • Muslim mental health in the West. Families, foster care and community services.

Short bio

Amber Haque, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. He has taught, researched and practised for more than thirty years in the United States, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Long bio

Amber Haque, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Islamic Psychology. He has more than thirty years of experience as a professor, researcher and practitioner in the United States, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. He headed the Department of Psychology at the International Islamic University Malaysia and directed the clinical psychology programme at United Arab Emirates University. Today he is Professor of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, and National Director of Muslim Family Services at ICNA Relief USA. He has edited ten books, including Clinical Applications of Islamic Psychology and Islamic Psychology Around the Globe, both with Abdallah Rothman.

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