Following the initial publication of "The Divine Architecture of Grief," I received valuable feedback from colleagues in both Islamic studies and clinical psychology. This update note documents the key changes made in response to that feedback, demonstrating our commitment to both scholarly rigor and accessible communication.
Background: The Need for Revision
The original version of this article was well-received within both the Shia Ithna-Asheri community and among mental health professionals interested in faith-integrated care. However, three significant areas for improvement emerged from scholarly review:
1Length and Digestibility
Feedback Received: The original article, while comprehensive, was substantial in length (approximately 8,000 words). Reviewers suggested that breaking the content into a series would improve accessibility and allow readers to engage more deeply with specific aspects of the thesis.
Response: The article has been restructured as Part 1 of a 4-part series, with each subsequent installment exploring a distinct dimension:
- Part 1: The Divine Architecture of Grief (Core Thesis & Five Dimensions)
- Part 2: The Theological Framework of Huzn and Jaza' (Coming Soon)
- Part 3: Sayyida Zaynab's Founding of Therapeutic Mourning (Coming Soon)
- Part 4: The Clinical Integration Protocol (Coming Soon)
Benefit: This structure allows readers to engage with the material in manageable segments while maintaining the depth and comprehensiveness of the original work.
2Academic Citations
Feedback Received: While the original article referenced key scholars and research, it lacked formal in-text citations. This made it difficult for academic readers to verify claims and explore source materials independently.
Response: The revised edition now includes:
- In-text citations following APA style conventions (e.g., van der Kolk, 2014; Foa & Kozak, 1986)
- A comprehensive References section with full bibliographic information
- Separate sections for academic sources and Islamic sources
- Proper citation of both seminal works (e.g., Frankl, 1946) and recent scholarship (e.g., Maté, 2022)
Benefit: This enhancement increases the article's scholarly credibility while making it more useful as a teaching and reference resource. Readers can now trace the empirical foundations of each clinical parallel and explore the research tradition underlying the analysis.
3Authorship Transparency
Feedback Received: Some readers were uncertain which elements represented my original contributions versus synthesized scholarly consensus. This distinction is crucial for academic integrity and proper attribution.
Response: The revised edition clearly demarcates:
- Original analysis: Explicitly attributed (e.g., "My answer, developed through years of clinical work with Shia clients"; "What follows is my analysis")
- Synthesized research: Properly cited with specific sources
- Established consensus: Noted as emerging from multiple therapeutic traditions
- Traditional wisdom: Attributed to Islamic scholarship and the Ahlulbayt (a.s.)
Benefit: This transparency honors both the scholarly sources upon which the work builds and the integrative analysis that represents my contribution to the field. It also models proper attribution practices for emerging scholars in Islamic Psychology.
Additional Enhancements
Beyond addressing the three primary areas of feedback, the revised edition includes several additional improvements:
Visual and Structural Improvements
- Series Navigation: Clear indicators of where this article fits within the broader series, with links to upcoming installments
- Revised Badge: Visual signaling that readers are viewing an updated edition
- Update Notes Link: Prominent access to this document for transparency about changes
- Table of Contents: Enhanced navigation for the longer article structure
- Visual Hierarchy: Improved formatting to distinguish original contributions from synthesized research
Methodological Note: The Revision Process
The revision process followed these principles:
1. Content Fidelity
No substantive arguments were changed. The core thesis—that azadari's five dimensions correspond to requirements identified by contemporary trauma science—remains unchanged.
2. Citation Accuracy
All sources were verified against original publications. Citations reflect the actual publication dates and editions used, maintaining academic precision.
3. Attribution Clarity
The distinction between my original analysis and synthesized scholarship was made explicit without diminishing either component.
4. Accessibility Preservation
Despite adding academic rigor, the writing remains accessible to community members without advanced degrees—a key goal of Tabeeah Services' educational mission.
Impact on Future Work
This revision process has influenced my approach to all forthcoming publications:
- In-text citations will be standard in all new articles, even those intended primarily for community education
- Series structures will be considered for complex topics that benefit from segmented exploration
- Authorship transparency will be explicitly addressed in introductory notes
- Scholarly feedback loops will be integrated into the publication process from the outset
Gratitude
I am grateful to the scholars and clinicians who took time to provide thoughtful feedback on the original article. Their input has strengthened the work and modeled the collaborative spirit essential to advancing Islamic Psychology as a field. Special appreciation to colleagues in both Islamic studies and clinical psychology who bridged these disciplines in their review.
This revision demonstrates our commitment to scholarly rigor and intellectual humility. As the field of Islamic Psychology matures, maintaining high academic standards while preserving accessibility remains essential. I welcome continued feedback on this and future publications as we collectively build resources that honor both revealed wisdom and empirical evidence.
How to Cite
For those wishing to cite the revised edition in academic work, please use:
Hasan Ali, A. R. (2025). The divine architecture of grief: How azadari's five dimensions anticipated contemporary trauma science [Part 1 of 4]. Tabeeah Services. https://alirhasanali.com/blog/divine-architecture-grief-azadari-trauma-science.html