Psychological, physical benefits in performing 'shalat'
Psychological, physical benefits in performing 'shalat'
By Rita A. Widiadana
JAKARTA (JP): Obligatory prayer shalat, one of the five pillars in Islam, and wudhu (ablution) have both spiritual and physical benefits.
To perform the prayer, one must be in the state of ritual purity conferred by washing parts of the body in a ritual called wudhu.
K.H. Noer Muhammad Iskandar, a noted ulema, and Dr. Hembing Wijayakusuma, a prominent acupuncturist, explain the psychological and physical benefits of performing wudhu.
The wudhu consists of the following actions.
* Running water over the right hand and then the left and washing the hands by rubbing one over the other three times.
This action will stimulate important acupuncture points in the hands which relate to the lung and the heart. If the points are frequently stimulated, blood circulation and the respiratory system will function better.
* Cupping water in the right hand and rinsing the mouth three times.
A study done by famous bacteriologist Dr. Fisius shows there are more than 6 billion live bacteria in human saliva. If we rinse the mouth frequently, we will reduce the possibility of various illnesses.
* Raising water in the cupped right to the nostrils and squeezing it out with the left, three times.
One of the nose's function is to distinguish more than 10,000 kinds of smells, therefore this organ should be treated carefully. We breathe through the nose, so we should clean it to remove all dirt.
* Washing the face three times with both hands.
There are several significant acupuncture points in a man's face which are related closely to the function of heart, lung, and liver. If the face is regularly washed, these acupuncture points will be stimulated. The stimulation will directly affect the works of these three important human organs--heart, liver and lung.
* Washing the right arm, up to the elbow, three times with the left hand, and then the left arm up to the elbow three times with the right.
* Passing the wetted right hand over the head, first back and then forward using the left hand to raise the turban or headgear, once. If both hands are free for this operation, then both wetted hands are passed over the head.
The action will clean the hair and will indirectly affect brain activity.
* Putting the wetted forefingers in the ears, and, with the thumbs behind the lobes, moving both fingers upwards following the contours of the outer ear, and then from the top of the ear down along the outer ridge.
The ear has more than 200 significant acupuncture points that relate to man's sense organs including smell, sight and touch system. They also relate to other significant bodily parts such as the colon, ovarium, genitals and uterus. Frequent stimulation of these points will help the related parts to work better, Hembing said.
* Washing the right foot with the left hand by wiping the outside of the foot with the fingers, palms against the sole, starting at the heel and moving to the toes; from the toes back with the palm against the inside of the foot, fingers along the sole, and then up to the ankle. The left foot is wiped by the right hand, palm against the inside, fingers against the sole starting from the toe down to the heel, then upwards.
The action will stimulate all nervous systems in the sole of the foot. The stimulation will help every part of the body to function better.
Shalat
Shalat consists of series of movements repeated several times. Each series, or cycle of sacred speech and movement, is called rakaah. 1. Standing with the feet only slightly apart. 2. After the worshiper ends the standing position, he/she should bow and place his or her hands on his knees. The position is called bow (ruku). 3. The worshiper should rise back to the standing position and then perform sujud, touching his/her head to the ground with both palms on the ground. 4. One rises to a seated position. The correct posture for this seated position involves placing the outside of the left foot underneath oneself, with the right foot crouched and the big toe of the right foot hooked on the ground.
Shalat not only deals with one's physical and psychological conditions, but it is also related to one's ratio, said Hembing.
There are several physical advantages to performing shalat. When one performs ruku, bows and place hands on one's knees, for instance. This action, he said, will affect the function of the human skeleton, particularly the cervical vertebra, acromion, thoracic vertebra and lumbar vertebra.
When one performs ruku, he or she will move and stretch the skeleton, and also influence the function of all nervous and muscle systems from head to toe. This will again enhance blood circulation throughout the whole body and the function of the heart in general.
But Hembing said the most important benefit to performing shalat lies in its psychological effect. When one performs shalat, one will be in the state of self-composure.
K.H. Noer Muhammad Iskandar added that shalat is an act of submission of a Moslem to his Creator.
"It is true that there are a number of physical benefits to performing shalat, but there are other significant aspects," the ulema explained.
When one performs shalat regularly, one seeks only God's protection and forgiveness. One is convinced that every problem will have a solution. One will be grateful for happiness, and patient when one faces various difficulties, the ulema said.
"Such a positive way of thinking will surely relieve all routine and stressful condition. If one can manage his stress, one may reduce the chance of suffering from various diseases," the ulema said.
Stress will boost the growth of cancer and will stimulate other illnesses. Relieving stress is one the important benefits of performing shalat, he added.