There are elements in the psychology of consciousness which are in the realm of exact sciences biological rhythms and there are elements in it which have several theories. Therefore, using Badri’s (2003) as guide, it can be said that there is no need to Islam the biological rhythms. On the other hand, the topics of sleeps and dreams which contain various theories may need a lot of Islamisation work.
However, some degree of Islamisation work is still needed in all aspects of consciousness in terms of rulings on going against the natural biological rhythms, integration between what has been found by contemporary scientific psychology and what has been said by Islam (in the Qur’an and Hadith and early Muslim scholars) on various issues in consciousness, promotion on the beauty and the wisdom (hikmah) of Allah’s creation, promotion of the concept of soul when studying sleep, dreams, and alternate state of consciousness, and application of principles of consciousness to fulfil the role of `abid and khalifah.
ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHICAL OVERVIEW OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Islam requires Muslims to believe in the dual nature of man (body and spirit). The conscious elements of human nature come from the fact that the body is created from clay (Qur’an, 18: 37; 22: 5; 30: 20; 35: 11; 40: 67; 38: 71; 6: 2, 7: 12, 23: 12; 32: 7; 37: 11; 38: 71, 76) whereas the unconscious elements of human nature originates from the spirit breathed unto it (Qur’an, 32: 9; 15: 29; 38: 72), showing that human behaviour and mental process are products of both conscious and unconscious factors.
The issue of consciousness (and unconsciousness) are embedded in all basic areas of Islam namely `aqidah (Islamic creed), `ibadah (Islamic worship) and akhlaq (Islamic morality) which are actually a form of mental processes, behaviour, and affective state. In terms of `aqidah, Islam believes that all human being has an unconscious motive to profess a true religion, while the effort to find one is considered a conscious activity. In terms of `ibadah, Islam believes that those who are unconscious (sleep, crazy, and minor) are exempted from performing `ibadah, but the effort to perform it in a perfect way is considered a conscious activity. Finally, in terms of akhlaq, Islam believes that the mind can reach an “unconscious” state when you’re near to Allah, whereas the effort to be near to Him is considered as a conscious activity.
Usually, we are aware of our own behaviour and the reasons behind it (Qur’an 10: 41; 5: 105; 6: 60; 9:94, 105) as well as our mental processes and the reasons underlying them (Qur’an, 34: 46; 2: 219, 266; 6: 50; 3: 191). Sometimes, however, we think or do things without much awareness or reason (Qur’an, 2: 80, 169; 3: 66; 16: 74), which may include being influenced by the devil (Qur’an, 114: 4-5; 7: 27; 35: 6; 17: 62; 2: 169; 5: 91; 7: 16-17) or our own lust (hawa) (Qur’an 4: 135; 37: 26; 7: 176; 18: 28; 20: 16; 28:50). In fact, Islam even acknowledges the unconscious sexual motives (which would be of interest to psychodynamic perspective) as illustrated by the wife of Al-`Aziz who wanted to seduce Joseph Yusuf يوسف (PBUH) but eventually the soul triumphed over the base sexual desires (Qur’an, 12: 23, 32; see also 24: 33). Thus, despite our behaviour and mental processes being influenced by conscious or unconscious factors, ultimately, our behaviour and thoughts are guided by the soul (Qur’an, 16: 93; 27: 84, 90; 29: 8-9, 55; 31: 15; 32: 13-15; 36: 54; 37: 39; 39: 7; 43: 72; 45: 28; 66: 7; 77: 43-44).
In most of the Qur’anic verses mentioned, it is the iman or faith (closely related to the soul) that plays a stronger role leading to conscious behaviour and mental processes. In most of the Qur’anic verses too, Allah has reminded human beings to be aware of conscious and unconscious influences. There are several hadiths in the book of Sahih Muslim that encourage us to ask for Allah’s forgiveness for the sins that we have done, consciously or unconsciously, and that Allah knows better what is in our unconscious (e.g., Book 4, No. 0980, No. 1691, No. 1695, No. 6563). Eventually, it is the conscious effort of performing supplication (du`a’), to ask for forgiveness, and to seek divine guidance (hidayah) is what matters. In a famous hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “There are three (persons) whose actions are not recorded: a sleeper till he awakes, a boy till he reaches puberty, and a lunatic till he comes to reason” (narrated by Abu Dawud, Book 3, No. 4389), implying that Islam acknowledges the unconscious factors when assigning rewards and punishment to behaviours.
Islam gives a balanced view of the factors that we are aware of (self, environmental factors, and some cognitive factors) and unaware of (unconscious motives, biological, and some cognitive factors), and also introduces the element of the soul as a factor that can moderate these influences for better understanding.
CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS
Circadian rhythms refer to biological changes occurring on a 24-hour cycle where our energy level, mood, learning, and alertness all vary throughout the day. The most obvious product of circadian rhythms is sleep-wake cycle.
Al-Qur’an mentioned that Allah has created night for rest and daylight for objects to be visible to people (See Al-Qur’an, 10: 67, 27: 86, 40: 61, 78: 9-11, 25: 47, 28: 72-72). And in most of these verses, Allah reminds us that these are signs of Allah in this world or reminds us to be thankful to Him.
SLEEP
Sleep is one of the signs of Allah that can be used to gain hidayah (divine guidance). Al-Qur’an (30: 23) mentioned that: “And among His signs is your sleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen.” Al-Qur’an (78: 9) further mentioned that: “And We have made sleep as the thing for rest.” Sleep is also important for security, physical, and psychological reasons (Al-Qur’an 8: 11). Sleep is even being compared to death (Al-Qur’an, 6: 60) whereas waking up is compared to resurrection (Al-Qur’an, 25: 47).
It is amazing that Allah made people always need to sleep and scientists and psychologists are still wondering why people go to sleep. They have put forward at least three theories to explain it: (1) repair/restoration theory, (2) memory consolidation theory, and (3) evolutionary theory.
According to the repair/restoration theory, people sleep to restore bodily energy reserves, repair the condition of muscles and cells and to allow growth to occur. This supports various Qur’anic verses mentioned before about the function of sleeps (or nights) for rest or to reserve energy. The problem with this theory is it does not highlight that there are other functions of sleep (as will be stated later) apart from reserving energy. In fact, restoration theory cannot explain why the Prophet (PBUH) and Sahabah (RAA) were able to reduce their sleeping time to perform `ibadah and when involved in jihad. This shows that soul may play an important role in defining the needs to get sleep for rest.
In memory consolidation theory, sleep is said to facilitate the reinforcement of information in memory. This idea may support the Qur’anic verse mentioned before (8: 11) which was revealed during the Badr war that sleep is required to strengthen the Muslims physically (“to make your feet firm”) and psychologically (“to strengthen your heart”) where memory is a type of psychological (or even spiritual) functioning. Al-Kindi, an early Muslim scholar, had a relatively similar idea that said that sleep is a cognitive process in the absence of external sensory stimulation (Al-Najati, 1993). In other words, it may be that whatever has been stored in the memory during the wakeful state may be reinforced further during sleep time even though there is no sensory stimulation take place. However, Islam also, at the same time, discourages too much sleeping which needs further explanation why certain people oversleep. Furthermore, the Qur’anic verse and also Al-Kindi’s ideas do not limit the functions of sleep to memory only, but also cognition in general, plus physical and psychological functioning. In other words, memory consolidation theory cannot explain other beneficial things about sleep except for reinforcement of memory, including not be able to explain why prayers are better than sleep, as mentioned in the adhan (the call to prayer) at fajr (dawn). This shows that soul factor needs to be considered to understand when sleep is beneficial and when it is not.
Finally, evolutionary theory believes that the function of sleep evolved from our ancestors need to conserve energy when food gathering is completed (or is more difficult), and to avoid damage from nocturnal predators or accidents by remaining motionless. This theory may be indirectly related to a Qur’anic verse (113: 3) where human beings are asked to ask protection from the darkness of the night (which may include predators, nocturnal animals, criminals, and sihr or black magic). However, as a whole, the concept of evolution itself is questionable scientifically and Islamically (see another of the author’s article on ‘Biological Psychology’). Including the soul variable may lead us to broaden the concept of damage and also avoid us from believing in the evolution concepts that reject the idea of God and divine intervention.
In general, Al-Qur’an mentioned that sleep is for resting (which may include restoring energy, facilitating memory processes, or even protection). But, the secular theories of sleep failed to highlight that night time (esp. the last one-third of it) is better used for personal one-to-one prayer to Allah. Imam al-Bukhari had set aside a specific chapter in his book ‘Sahih Bukhari’ to compile various hadiths on night prayer (Vol. 3, Book 32). `Ulama (Islamic scholars) had also reported the adab (manners) of sleeping to maximise the benefits of sleep which are still a mystery to modern science, if soul factor is to be rejected.
DREAM
The topic of dream has received considerable attention in Islam. Al-Qur’an had mentioned the dreams of Prophet Joseph (AS) in a single chapter (12: 4-6, 36, 43-44, 99-109), the dream of Moses’ (AS) mother (20: 39), and even the dreams of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (8: 44-46, 48: 27). Imam Bukhari had compiled nearly 100 hadiths on dreams (and their interpretations) in his book ‘Sahih Bukhari’ in a single chapter (Vol. 9, Book 87) and most of the same hadiths are also reported by Imam Muslim in single chapter too in his book ‘Sahih Muslim’ (Book 29). This shows how important this topic is in Islamic traditions.
Islam, as stated in a hadith, classifies dreams into three (Al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 144): (a) good dreams, (b) evil dreams, and (c) dreams that originated from the nafs/self. The first is interpreted as glad-tidings from Allah, the second is suggested by the devil to frighten the dreamer, whereas the third is a reflection of one’s thoughts and experiences which one has during wakeful state. Obviously, if psychology were to incorporate all these three types of dream, it has to accept the concept of soul because it involves believing in the existence of God and supernatural beings like the devils.
As with the phenomenon of sleep, scientists and psychologists are still puzzled over the reason people dream. They have put forward at least five theories to explain it: (1) reverse learning theory, (2) activation synthesis theory, (3) reprogramming theory, (4) problem-solving theory, and (5) wish fulfilment theory.
According to reverse learning theory, dream is just a random and meaningless by-product and it acts to “clean” the brain. This idea may support the Islamic idea of dreams that come from self where it is only a by-product based on what has been experienced during the wakeful state. However, the theory is useless in explaining the other two types of dreams i.e. good dreams and evil dreams. In fact, in may be dangerous to `aqidah if it interprets all dreams (including good and bad dreams) are by-products which are meaningless and need to be cleaned, and thus rejecting the concept of God and devils.
The second theory i.e. activation synthesis theory believes that dreams are just meaningless results of random brain activity (without perceiving it as a by-product). This too may support the Islamic idea of dreams that come from self where it is only a random brain activities influenced by experiences encountered during wakefulness. This idea is even supported by two early Muslim scholars, Ibn Hazm and Ibn Miskawayh who said that dreams are influenced by what we sense and stored in the memory (Al-Najati, 1993). However, it still lacks description of Islamic concept of good and evil dreams. Interpreting those two dreams as meaningless reinforces the secular ideas of rejecting the soul or spiritual factors like God and devils.
Another theory is the reprogramming theory which postulates that dreams are interpretation of assimilation of new information received during the day. Again, this theory may support Islamic idea of dreams that come from self. Even and early Muslim scholar by the name of Al-Kindi have the same idea when he said that dreams are pure spiritual learning processes in the absence of sensory learning processes (Al-Najati, 1993). However, this theory may reject the other two types of dreams mentioned in Islam. This is because good dreams come from Allah and are not based on information received during the day. Similarly, evil dreams come from the devils which are not exactly based information received during the wakeful state. As expected, soul factor has to be accepted to explain the concept of dream comprehensively.
The fourth theory is the problem-solving theory. It theorises that dreams are meaningful way of considering worries or problems from conscious everyday life and it may use metaphors and may provide solutions for problems. Similarly, this theory may support the Islamic idea of dreams that come self. In fact, it may also support the concept of good dreams (although superficially) that provide solutions for problems in the form of glad-tidings from Allah. However, interpreting that the evil dreams as possible solutions to problems can be dangerous to human being. That is why extending the types of dreams to include evil dreams that come from the devils is necessary to explain the phenomenon better. However, this requires soul factor to be accepted in psychology.
Finally, wish fulfilment theory believes that dreams are disguised expressions of unconscious desires and impulses. Obviously, this type of dream can only explain the Islamic idea of dreams that come from self. It is not totally wrong however because Al-Farabi and Al-Ghazali, two early Muslim scholars, also said that dreams are fantasy processes (between rational and sensory empirical processes) and can be, surprisingly similar to Freud’s idea, a type of defense mechanism. However, this theory may interpret that true dreams that come from Allah are only unconscious desires and impulses. This will make human being missed the opportunity for spiritual guidance. In addition, this theory may interpret bad dreams as come from the innocent self (and has to be psychoanalysed) when in fact, they come from the devils.
In short, current theories can be accepted insofar as normal dreams are concerned, not the good dream (except problem solving theory) and the bad dreams. The secular theories neglect the influence of the soul (spiritual soul, not just self) and also supernatural factors
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