Islam, Life and Psychology

Jesus in Islam- The Muslim Narrative

Prayers (Solah), Light Sport and the benefits

Many studies have recorded on the medical benefits of prayer, and I would like to recall some of the benefits that we should be aware of and most importantly enjoy the solitude of prayer and the Delightful of worship. Here are some of the short evidences:

1 - Praying is the best sports i.e., for mental, spiritual, physical, and maintenance of a sound body as to produce the best state of mind – towards mental calmness and stablility. Prayer is in fact, a light sport and useful to address the muscle weakness and physical disability and vulnerability, which affects many people. But please be mindful that improvement takes time. Therefore be patience as the Almighty said: (and seek help in patience and prayer and it was great but to the humble) [Baqarah: 45].

2 - If you want to deal with pain, lower back and legs, you have to pray and to maintain it. Kneeling or prostrating have great benefit for blood vessels and improve blood cycle, therefore improving the performance of the heart, and the dramatic impact that this amazing show is not only with the preservation of the prayers, and here is probably aware of what God has ordered us i.e., to preserve the prayer! The Almighty says: (Guard strictly the prayers especially the middle Solah and stad before Allah with obedience) [Baqarah: 238]. Prayer also beneficial in the treatment of mental disorders especially the fear and anxiety, and the Almighty said: (Those who believe and do good works and establish worship and pay the zakat paid for them with their Lord, nor fear, nor shall they grieve) [Baqarah: 277]. Further Allah says: (( قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ (1) الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Solah with all solemnity and full submissiveness (Al-Mu’minun:1-2) (At some stage I might elaborate this in great details.

3. Finally, prayer is a light-sport and it does not harm the body, such as violent sports that require running and rapid muscle movements and manipulation which could undeniably cause fatigue and excessive burden to one’s muscles. In Islam, prayer is for relaxation and rest and with respect to this, the Prophet may Allah bless him and our Lord said to Bilal: “Make us relax, Bilal”. He (Bilal) then stood up and made the azan. The result? The sahabah prayed and feel rested. In this world, one could hard find any sports that come with it elements of relaxation and rest. Usually, when people involve in sporting activities, they’re sweating and gasping for air as the result of intense used of their body muscles. Would they feel relaxed and rested? I doubt it. Or perhaps fatigue? It could be. So pray and enjoy the art of feeling relaxed and rested.

The Prophet and the Intelligent Heart

Most of us thought that the heart is just a ten-ounce muscle that pumps blood and maintains circulation until we die. Medical science asserts that the brain rules all of the body's organs, including the heart. However, it is interesting to note that the heart starts beating in the unborn fetus even before the brain has been formed. Why is it so?

Neuroscientists have recently discovered exciting new information about the heart that makes us realize it's far more complex than we'd ever imagined. Instead of simply pumping blood, it may actually direct and align many systems in the body so that they can function in harmony with one another.

These scientists have found that the heart has its own independent nervous system – a complex system referred to as "the brain in the heart." There are at least forty thousand neurons (nerve cells) in the heart – as many as are found in various subcortical centers of the brain.

The heart communicates with the brain and the rest of the body in three ways documented by solid scientific evidence: neurologically (through transmissions of nerve impulses), biochemically (through hormones and neurotransmitters), and biophysically (through pressure waves). In addition, growing scientific evidence suggests that the heart may communicate with the brain and body in a fourth way – energetically (through electromagnetic field interactions). Through these biological communication systems, the heart has a significant influence on the function of our brains and all our Systems.

This new scientific evidence shows that the heart uses these methods to send our brain extensive emotional and intuitive signals. Along with this understanding that the heart is in constant communication with the brain, scientists are discovering that our hearts may actually be the "intelligent force" behind the intuitive thoughts and feelings we all experience. All these findings are nothing less but validated the authentic saying of Prophet Mohammad, “inside the human body there is a morsel of flesh which, if healthy, the whole body is healthy and which, if diseased, the whole body is diseased.” Then he pointed to his heart and said “this piece of flesh is this heart.”...and the Quran says..wa fi anfusikum, afala tubsirun...it is within you, can't you analysed?
I've presented a smal chunk of this topic at Cognitive Science Seminar at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 2007.