Psychology of Islam and Muslims: Russian discourse
Olga S. Pavlova
Ph.D. in Pedagogy,
Chairman of the Association of Psychological Assistance to Muslims,
Associate Professor at the Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology and Psychological Problems of Multicultural Education, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, 
Member of the International Association of Islamic Psychology;
Member of the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (IAPR) 
Member of the International Association of Islamic Psychology
deputy editor-in chief of the journal “Minbar. Islamic Studies”.
os_pavlova@mail.ru

Scientific understanding of topics related to the psychology of Russian Muslims requires interdisciplinary research of all social, cultural, medical, theological, historical, and psychological factors that affect it. The context of “realization of religion in a person or piousness” (embodiment or manifestation of ideal religion in each real person) is very important for psychologists.
In Russia targeted research and practical psychological activities in the Muslim community are carried out by the specialists of the Association of Psychological Assistance to Muslims created in 2017. An annual scientific-practical conference “Islam: psychological stability as the basis of personal and social well-being” held in Moscow, round tables on the most critical issues, refresher courses and seminars, webinars and online discussions are held as part of association’s activities. It’s important to carefully select research tools and carefully interpret results of a empirical research, since the vast majority of modern psychological methods which are aimed at studying religion, religious identity and religious fundamentalism are created for a Christian research sample or consider religion from a secular point of view. In this regard, the methods must be adapted for the Muslim research sample and when interpreting the results, the Islamic view of a Muslim person should be taken into account.
The Association of Psychological Assistance to Muslims in Russia is aimed at solving the problem of applying scientific approaches to the psychological counseling of Muslims. For a deep understanding of the psychology of a Muslim and, accordingly, the implementation of psychological counseling in the Islamic paradigm, it is necessary to rely on the ideas of the personality development that have been formed in Islam.
The specifics of Islamic psychological counseling should be given sustained attention. What amount of Islamic knowledge should a professional psychological counselor have in order to provide psychological support to a Muslim? Can an Islamic psychologist be a non-practicing Muslim? Or practice other religion? Or can he be an atheist, who takes into account the religious identity of his client? Currently these questions are debatable. In its work, the newly-established Russian Association relies on the experience of foreign colleagues, first of all, International Association of Islamic Psychology and International Association of Muslim Psychologist.