Psychological understanding
We identify recurring interaction patterns, emotions, needs and skills that can be changed within the specialist’s professional competence.
5 stages
one working process
one working process
Scholarly review
for religious statements
for religious statements
About
An institute for those who take marriageseriously
Mawaddah Institute brings together specialists who combine professional psychology and family mediation with the norms of sharia — from preparing for the nikah to raising children.
- Safety and dignity
- Voluntary choice
- Measurable progress
The Mawaddah method · working version 1.0
Support the family without taking away its agency
A structured way to understand the situation, lower harm, restore dialogue and help people make a deliberate decision consistent with their values.
Three lenses — one plan of work
Mediation structure
We separate positions from interests, give both sides a voice and turn a difficult conversation into clear, voluntary agreements.
Islamic ethical frame
We consider mercy, justice, responsibility, dignity and the family’s religious commitments. Questions requiring a ruling are referred to a qualified scholar.
Six principles
What does not change from case to case
Dignity of both sides
No humiliation, pressure through religion or automatic assignment of guilt.
Safety before reconciliation
Threats, violence, coercive control and risks to children are assessed before joint work.
Voluntary informed choice
The specialist explains the format and limits; decisions remain with the people affected.
Neutrality is not indifference
We do not take sides in a dispute, but we do name harm, rights violations and unsafe behaviour.
The child is not an instrument
Children are not messengers, judges or leverage. Their stability and relationships with safe adults are protected.
The smallest sufficient intervention
We begin with the least intensive format likely to help and refer onward when the case exceeds our competence.
Five stages
How work with a family is structured
- 01
Entry and safety
Request, participants, urgency, risks, suitable format and the need for emergency or specialist referral.
- 02
Shared map
Each side’s view, the recurring cycle, resources, values, constraints and what has already been tried.
- 03
Working agreement
One concrete goal, roles, confidentiality limits, indicators of progress and the next review point.
- 04
Practice and decisions
Conversation skills, emotional regulation, boundary setting, negotiated agreements and decisions tested in real life.
- 05
Consolidation
What changed, what remains fragile, a relapse-prevention plan and a follow-up or referral if needed.
Different routes
The goal depends on the family’s stage
Before the nikah
Clarify expectations, values, finances, family boundaries, parenthood plans and non-negotiable differences before commitments are made.
Marriage and crisis
Restore a workable conversation, interrupt destructive cycles and agree on observable changes rather than vague promises.
Parents and children
Strengthen contact, age-appropriate boundaries and parental consistency without labelling or making the child responsible for adult conflict.
Separation and divorce
Reconciliation is not pursued at any cost. If separation is chosen, the task is safety, dignity, clear agreements and protection of the children’s relationships.
Quality and boundaries
The method includes checks on the specialist’s own work
A beautiful conversation is not enough: the process must be safe, accountable and understandable to the family.
Required safeguards
- Informed consent and a clear explanation of confidentiality limits
- Screening for violence, coercion, self-harm and risks to children
- Work only within documented professional competence
- Supervision and case review without unnecessary personal data
- Referral to a physician, lawyer, child-protection service or scholar when required
How progress is assessed
- The client’s own goal, formulated at the start
- Lower intensity and frequency of the target problem
- Concrete agreements that are actually being followed
- The ability to discuss a difficult topic without escalation
- A short follow-up after the main work is completed
The Institute does not issue fatwas, replace medical or legal care, or promise to preserve every marriage. In an emergency, safety and specialised help take priority over the standard process.
Specialists
Practising specialists, not just course authors
Даулетчин Газиз Нурович
Clinical psychologist, MA in Islamic theology
Family difficulties, anxiety and neurotic conditions
Салахетдинов Рушан Фаридович
Family systems psychologist, accredited Gestalt therapist
Family crises, marital relationships, divorce, teenagers
Қолағұлова Жібек Болатбекқызы
Theologian, MA in Islamic studies, researcher in child upbringing
Islamic upbringing, parent–child relationships
Zakir Akhtamovich Sharipov
Family mediator and Islamic scholar
Family conflict, risk of divorce and spiritual causes of crises
Reading list
Books by experts and open-access family reading
We link only to an author, publisher or institutional library. Free availability is shown separately from a preview or purchase.
BookOfficial source
My Little Teacher
A narrative about how a child changes an adult's understanding of fatherhood, upbringing and responsibility.
Access note
The author's page lists a price and ordering options; no free full edition is offered.
BookFree legal access
Ten Steps towards the Light of Faith
A book on moral and spiritual questions for a person shaping everyday life around faith.
Access note
The Russian State Library record marks the document as fully available in its reader.
BookOfficial source
Being Happily Married: Advice for Women
A practical book presenting a woman's perspective on marriage. Read critically and discuss how advice applies to your circumstances.
Access note
No open licence was confirmed; Mawaddah does not host unofficial copies.
BookOfficial source
My Husband Is Doing Great!
Short prompts for men on attention, responsibility and everyday participation in family life.
Access note
No open licence was confirmed; Mawaddah does not host unofficial copies.
BookFree legal access
Family Psychology
An academic guide to the family life cycle, marital conflict, parenting and psychological support.
Access note
An institutional copy of the academic guide is openly hosted on the university domain.
BookFree legal access
Family Psychology: A Reader
A substantial academic reader on family models, the family cycle, marital and parent-child relationships.
Access note
Reading is provided through the official NEL viewer; access conditions may depend on the item.
Partners
Who we work with
Organisations we run programmes, events and screenings with.
ZawajyTechnology partnerA platform for deliberate Muslim matchmaking.
ДУМ РТReligious partnerSpiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Центр «Иман»Event venueThe cultural centre that hosts the Institute's in-person seminars.
Halal LifeMedia partnerMedia about the life of a Muslim family.
Клиника «Ак Барс Мед»Medical partnerPre-marital medical screening under the Institute's programme.
Медресе «Нур»Education partnerJoint programmes on family fiqh.
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