Through discussing the inadequacies of Western humanism and the psychological components in its modern, secular form, particularly when viewed from a global, intercultural perspective, this article identifies three main “obsessions” of Western secular modernity: fragmented multiplicity, absence, and utilitarianism, and then argues that these obsessions hamper a productive dialogue among cultures and the emergence of psychologically genuine intercultural humanism. This article argues that an Islamic psychological approach to humanism may help counterbalance such inadequacies. By focusing on both the cognitive and the emotional constituents of the Islamic psychological perspective on humanism, this article describes the onto-epistemological and psychological grounds on which intercultural humanism can be founded. Exploring the distinctions between freedom, choice, and empowerment, and their implications in a global, intercultural context, the article argues that that the attainment of different levels of human freedom within an Islamic psychological reference frame could lead to flexible approaches toward understanding other cultural frameworks as well.

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