The Incompatibility of Motivation Principles in the Epistemic System of the Qur’an and Its Western Paradigm

“Motivation" is one of the important topics in psychology which is used in educational sciences, psychology, management, and so on. Motivation is a factor that creates, strengthens or directs human behavior. The principles of motivation are rules that interpret motivations. From the Qur’an point of view, these principles are different from modern psychology because of the differences in foundations and consequently have different effects and consequences. In this article, the effect of ontological foundations and its consequences on the topic of "principles of motivation" from the viewpoint of the Qur'an and the West has been investigated using an analytical-comparative method, and while criticizing the Western point of view, the explanation of the motivational principles of the Qur’an is discussed. The study shows that, based on Western foundations, the three principles of "Epicureanism, Homeostasis and self-actualization" form the basis of the western motivational system. According to the Qur'anic principles, the four principles of "Desire for eternity, hedonism, gratitude, and perfection" provide motives. Also, the effects and consequences of the western motivational model are different from the Qur'anic one, which some differences was described here.