How do Islamic rituals stimulate the brain and protect against negativity?
How do Islamic rituals stimulate the brain and protect against negativity?
The further scientific discoveries progress, the more evidence there is of the undoubted benefit of everything that the Almighty has prescribed for his best creation - man. I would like to offer readers an interesting article about how ablution stimulates the cerebral cortex and why it is considered Sunna to resume ablution after nullifying it.
Firstly, the cerebral cortex works on the principle of dominance, i.e., if there is one excited area in the cortex, it suppresses the activity of the rest of the cortex. And the discharge of natural needs is a powerful stimulating factor that suppresses the rest of the cortex.
Ablution performed after this brings the entire cortex to an optimal excited state.
In 1956, the English scientist W. Penfield made a discovery confirming that irritation of certain areas of the skin excites certain areas of the cerebral cortex. Ablution is an optimal irritant. In the diagram of the famous scientist W. Penfield, you can see how almost the entire cortex (about 83%) of the brain is excited during ablution.
This diagram clearly shows that when washing parts of the body, a significantly larger amount of the cerebral cortex is activated than when washing the whole body. According to the Sunna, ablution is recommended not only before prayer, but also before any important event, trip, scientific work, etc., where active and dynamic work of the brain is required.
This knowledge about the effects of ablution would not have been possible if scientific discoveries had not been made, starting with China five thousand years ago and ending with the theory of W. Penfield in the 20th century. Therefore, science is one of the components of Islam.
It is not for nothing that the great scholar and educator in the Islamic world, Imam Shafi’i, said, “There are only two sciences: the science of religion and the science of the body.” Today’s scientific discoveries indeed show the relationship between these sciences and the ijaz (signs) of the Sunna.
Thus, science is an integral part of Islam. It is not for nothing that Charles Mismar said, “Increasing knowledge in the science of Islam weakens the faith of followers of other faiths but only strengthens it for Muslims.”
Perhaps that is why in Islam time spent studying science is valued much higher than time spent on the formal and unconscious performance of Islamic cult activities. After all, the hadith says, “Studying science for an hour is better than worshiping for an entire night. Studying science during the day is better than fasting for three months.” (Narrated by Ad-Daylami). And in the Holy Koran, in one of the frequently read verses (Sura 3, verse 18), the Almighty mentions scientists immediately after the angels. That is, in terms of importance, they are assigned the second place among all of God’s creations.
It is easy to compare the state of the cerebral cortex of a Muslim who performs ablution five times a day and renews it after each nullifying and a non-Muslim who washes his hands and face, as a rule, in the morning.
After all, the Sunna is to be in constant ablution.
