The Healing Power of Prayer in Islam

Abstract

During medieval times it was only in Arabia that the more scientific aspects of Greek medicine survived. The first mental hospital was established inBaghdad in A.D. 792; it was soon followed by others in Damascus and Aleppo (Polvan, 1969). In these hospitals the mentally disturbed received much more humane treatment than they did in Christian lands.The outstanding figure in Arabian medicine was Avicenna, called the of physicians (Campbell, 1926). In his writings, Avicenna frequently referred to hysteria, epilepsy, manic reactions, and melancholia. He treated a prince who was suffering from melancholia and had a delusion that he was a cow in a very unique manner which in psychology is called a Humanitarian Approach. So, there is historical evidence that Islam advocated humanitarian approach in the treatment of abnormal at a time when they were treated in very inhumane manner.Recent scientific research indicates that affirming belief in God or Allah (SWT) makes a critical contribution to our physical health. When people call upon faith, they activate neurological pathways for self-healing.The Muslim prayer consists of contact prayer (Salat), Zikr (Dhikr) or remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Qur'an. These elicit the physiologic response. The Prophetic saying is in the congregation is more excellent than Worship alone, by twenty seven degrees. Hajj and congregational Prayers serve to buffer the adverse effects of stress and anger, perhaps via psycho-neuro-immunological pathways. It is speculated that congregational prayers may trigger a multi-factorial sequence of biological processes leading to better health. Studies have shown higher degrees of social connection (through family and friends or congregational prayers in the Masjid) consistently relate to decreased mortality.Zakah is altruism and in sharing the wealth, apart from the socio-economic benefits, the Muslims also gamer better health. Doing good to others is also Zakah and those who volunteer their work find marked improvement in their health. Several studies have already documented the health benefits of fasting during the month of Ramadan.The National Institute of Health, in Bethesda, Maryland, a few years ago opened an Office of Alternative Therapies, which encourages Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Aromatherapy, and other alternative therapies.Spiritual Medicine has two components: Distant Healing and Self-care (that is healing by patient's own efforts). Distant healing is defined as any purely mental effort undertaken by one person with the intention of improving physical or emotional well being in another. In clinical practice, healing may involve a mental effort in or out of the healer's presence, with or without his or her awareness, and with or without touch. This broad definition would also include petitionary prayer or Du'a in which the prac- titioner generates a mental request for a particular outcome or that God's will be done.A body claims that all of us can evoke and that has the opposite effect of the well-known fight-or- flight response. This is called the relaxation by Benson. In this state the blood pressure is lowered, and heart rate, breathing rate, and metabolic rate are decreased. The response yields many long-term benefits in both health and well being and can be brought on with Salat, Zikr and recitation of the Qur'an which are related to very simple mental focusing.Patients who suffer from anxiety and panic after surgery or from a terminal illness have documented that they experience the wonderful physical solace after making Du'a (supplication) to Allah (SWT). This experience is the opposite effect of the edgy, adrenaline rush we experience in the stress-induced fight- or-flight response. Through Du'a patients have gained both emotional and spiritual balm. This tender comfort and soothing gained everyday makes one to regain confidence both in body and one's ability to face the twists and turns of life. …