Reconstruction of Pamela G. Reed’s Concept of Self-Transcendence through the Perspectives of the Philosophy of Religion and Islamic Spirituality

Abstract

The rapid development of digital society and the increasing complexity of existential problems have intensified the need for a comprehensive spiritual framework capable of explaining the relationship between human beings, others, and God. Pamela G. Reed's Self-Transcendence Theory has been widely applied in nursing science to explain well-being through the expansion of personal boundaries. Nevertheless, the theory remains largely grounded in humanistic psychology and provides limited metaphysical explanation regarding humanity's relationship with God as the ultimate end of transcendence. This study reconstructs Reed's concept through the perspectives of philosophy of religion and Islamic spirituality. Using qualitative library research, philosophical hermeneutics, and conceptual analysis, this article integrates Reed's theory with Islamic concepts including fitrah, tazkiyatun nafs, ihsan, ma'rifah, and insan kamil. The findings indicate that Reed's framework effectively explains psychological and interpersonal development but requires theological reconstruction to establish a theocentric orientation. The proposed Islamic Self-Transcendence Framework positions tawhid as the highest orientation of transcendence, thereby integrating existential meaning, spiritual purification, and divine consciousness into a holistic model of human flourishing.