psychology of religion
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The Epistemological Framework: Tawḥīd and the Ontology of Knowledge The Problem of Secular Dualism Modern discourse often divides revelation (naql) and reason (ʿaql) into separate epistemic realms. The Islamic worldview — as articulated by al-Attas and al-Ghazālī — refutes this bifurcation. All knowledge, whether empirical or metaphysical, flows from the One Reality. Thus, “scientific findings”
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Qur’anic & Prophetic Grounding Dreams (ruʾyā) in Islam are not random firings of the brain, but signs woven into the tapestry of divine guidance. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The true dream is one part of forty-six parts of Prophethood.” (Bukhārī, Muslim) “Nothing will remain of prophecy after me except mubashshirāt.” He was asked: “What are
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The Qur’an establishes the link between taqwā, furqān, and renewal: “O you who believe, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (furqān), remove your misdeeds, and forgive you” (Qur’an 8:29, Sahih International, 1997). The mujaddidūn of Islamic history embodied this principle through their distinct relationships with the Qur’an and Hadith. Each mujaddid’s
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Constructive Overview of Religion, Spirituality, and Faith Religion, spirituality, and faith are often used interchangeably in everyday discourse, yet they represent distinct but overlapping dimensions of human experience. Each provides unique frameworks for understanding existence, meaning, morality, and transcendence. Religion is typically institutional, structured, and communal; spirituality emphasizes the inner journey, personal transformation, and transcendence;
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The intellect is like the eye. Revelation is like the sunlight. Just as the eye cannot see without light, reason cannot perceive reality without divine illumination. This analogy, articulated most explicitly in Mishkāt al-Anwār (al-Ghazālī 1964, 58–59), has been echoed across centuries. It offers not only a metaphor but a full epistemological framework rooted in
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The Epistemic Depths of Ruʾyah and Nazar – Two Modes of Quranic Observation In the rich tapestry of Quranic Arabic, the distinction between ruʾyah (رؤية) and naẓar (نظر) reveals profound insights into the nature of human cognition and spiritual perception. While both terms can be superficially translated as “observation,” they represent fundamentally different epistemic approaches
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Khushu in Islamic prayer (ṣalah) denotes a state of deep attentiveness, humility, and tranquility before Allah. While primarily a spiritual state, emerging evidence from neuroscience, cardiology, and psychology suggests that the embodied practices of prayer—including gaze fixation, heart regulation, and brain oscillations—create synchrony across physiological systems that supports this state. This paper proposes a neuro-spiritual
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The Quran-Brain Interaction The Quranic revelation, which began over 14 centuries ago, represents not only a spiritual foundation for Muslims but also a unique neurological phenomenon that has recently captivated neuroscientists’ attention. The Islamic tradition of Quranic recitation, memorization, and auditory engagement appears to produce measurable effects on brain structure and function, offering fascinating insights

