Medical Benefits of Salat

Medical Benefits of Salat

Salam

Here is an interesting research I found on the physical benefits of Salat.
Check it out:
Reference Link - Reference Link
The pattern of the salat prayer performed by Muslims is similar all over the world. In our study, the motion of joints during salat was measured by a goniometer commonly used by clinicians. We examined the active range of motions for each of the joints that were involved during salat. A goniometer has two arms with full-circled scales marked in degrees. It was placed on the joints at different postures of salat, and joint angles were measured precisely. Zero degrees were regarded as starting points and motions were recorded as deviation from zero degrees

Standing for Prayers

Worshippers have to stand and concentrate their minds on praying. A reactive depression is common in geriatric and disabled persons. The determination to pray has a remedial action on depression, and standing helps to develop balance. When people stand comfortably, the center of pressure is usually midway between the instep of the two feet. In a standing position, they raise their hands up to the ear lobe and bring them down one after another by holding the left wrist with the right hand on the abdomen, above the navel, or on the chest. During voluntary clenching of the right hand, blood flow is increased in the hand area of the left motor cortex, and the corresponding sensory areas in the post-central gyrus. What happens to the involved muscles and joints are described in the Table 1.
Worshippers utter some verses from Quran which is written in Arabic. Like any other language, various muscles are exercised during speech. There is a bilateral increase in blood flow in the face, tongue, mouth sensory and motor areas, and the upper premotor cortex in the brain during speech . During creative speech, there is also an increase in blood flow in Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas of speech in the brain. Blood flow in the brain can be measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET.)

Bowing

After standing and uttering some verses from the Quran, bowing is done by forward movement of the vertebral column , especially at the lumbar joint, and supported by two straight hands grasping the two hyperextended knees. After a few seconds, the worshipper gradually reverts to the previous state until the vertebral column is vertical. The joints and muscles affected in bowing are shown in Table 2.

Prostration

The act of prostration is the substance of salat. It is done from the standing position to kneeling, putting the head down and touching the ground with the forehead, with the palms remaining parallel to the ears, and touching the ground with the flexed elbows for a few seconds. The various motions have a great impact on blood flow in the human brain. Because of variations in arterial mean pressure in the body, prostration helps in improving cerebral circulation and avoiding ischemic brain disease.
Postural reflex, and tonic labyrinthine reflex are initiated by the force of gravity on the receptors of otolithic organs in the utricle of the inner ear, and are effected via the vestibulospinal tracts. Maximal effect occurs in the supine position and minimal effect occurs when the head is down 60 degrees below the horizontal plane in the prone position. The tonic labyrinthine reflex is responsible for the contraction of the limb extensor muscles. Thus, the various positions of salat from the vertical natural position to prostration helps in the maintenance of steadiness of postural equilibrium. During salat, Muslims usually keep their eyes fixed on the site of prostration. This visual fixation together with proprioceptive systems, vestibular systems, and the various postures provide a complex positional sense in the brain stem and cerebellum. The joints and muscles involved during prostration are described in Table 3.

Sitting and Finishing Salat

After standing and bowing, and proceeding to prostration, sitting is done on the left leg knee flexed with the inverted dorsi flexed ankle and flexed right knee and metatarsophalangeal joint for a couple of minutes. After that, salat is concluded by looking over one’s right and left shoulder wishing peace for mankind. Involving joints and muscles are described in the Table 4.

Conclusions

It can be seen from the above discussion that salat prayer has psychological, musculoskeletal and cerebral effects on improving the muscular functions of geriatric, disabled and dementia patient in a rehabilitation program. The physiotherapist of the rehabilitation center who assists the patient to restore and preserve joint range of motion through mobilization techniques and exercise may take this prayer system as a model for restoring the residual strength of the patient. Elderly people and disabled person can gain significant health benefits with a mild to moderate amount of physical activity, like the performance of salat, preferably daily.
Salat has special characteristics in that it is a short duration mild-to-moderate psychological, physical and brain activity. Scientific evidence also supports the notion that even moderate intensity activities, when performed daily, can have some long-term health benefits (American Heart Association). Salat is like a free hand exercise. It can be performed in groups or individually without any equipment. Thus, a person in a rehabilitation program can practice the activity in their room with ease and comfort, even when sitting in a wheelchair or in bed. During the performance of salat, most of the muscles and joints of the body are involved. This activity is convenient for all kinds of patients, including children, the elderly and physically handicapped, for strengthening their muscles as well as the mind.
Credits
Mohammed Faruque Reza, MBBS; Yuji Urakami, MD; Yukio Mano, MD, PhD. From the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Address reprint requests and correspondence to Dr. Reza: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, N15 W7 Sapporo 060 -8638, Japan.
Accepted for publication 23 January 2002. Received 21 August 2001. Annals of Saudi Medicine, Vol 22, Nos 3-4, 2002.

By Dr. Muhammad Karim Beebani

Sajdah is a unique position or stance in the regular prayers, which a Muslim is supposed to offer at least five times a day. Although the basic purpose of obligatory prayers is not to provide an exercise for people yet it is being increasingly recognized that it has plenty of medical advantages for the human body. Here it is worth mentioning that Holy Prophet Muhammad has mentioned in a hadith in Ibn Majah that prayer is a cure for many diseases. The fact is that a person who offers his prayers regularly that too in the mosque is protected from many diseases which he many not even know.

The position of Sajdah in which the forehead touches the earth is exclusively associated with the Muslim form of prayer. It is the climax of a Muslim's prayer and as mentioned in a Hadith a Muslim is nearest to Allah in this position.

Abu Huraira (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the messenger of Allah said:
"The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

A'ishah Siddiqa (radiAllahu anha) narrates that Holy Prophet used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Qur'an) before he would lift his head
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

In another Hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik (radiAllahu anhu) the Holy Prophet advised Muslims to perform Ruku (bowing) and Sajdah properly.

In another Hadith he advised to perform Sajdah and Bowing calmly and to get up only when the body has come to ease.

In supplication for the victory, He also performed long bowing (Ruku) and Sajdah in the special prayers at the time of eclipse. Hence the first positive effect upon a person who prostrates or does Sajdah is that he comes nearest to Allah and hence in that condition he can supplicate. This is a great psychological advantage and it gives relief to the person concerned as life is full of worries and in this position he gets at least a transient refuge from the agonizing problems. When a person goes to the position of prostration Sajdah his whole body is in active motion. This position can be considered as a mini dive as the musalli (one who offers prayer) goes to rest his forehead on the ground while his hands are placed at the sides. This brings most of the body muscles if not all in active motion and serves to give them some exercise.

The hands are then specifically stretched out and thence the forearm as well as arm muscles are supposed to bear the weight in the Sajdah position. It gives good exercise to the muscles of the upper limb. Holy Prophet in a hadith advised not to put the forearms flatly on the ground but to keep them elevated above ground and this is better for the forearm and arm muscles.

Sajdah is a unique position as this is the only position in which brain (or head) becomes lower than the heart and hence for the first time the blood gushes towards the brain with full force whereas in all other positions (even when lying) brain is above the heart when it has to work against gravity to send blood to the brain.

In the position of Sajdah due to the increased blood supply the brain receive more nourishment and it has good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, psyche and all other cognitive abilities. People who offer their prayers regularly have more will power and can cope with the difficulties of life in a much better manner. They have less incidence of headaches, psychological problems and other defects of cognitive function.

In the unique position of Sajdah the neck muscles get best exercise. They have to bear the load when the forehead lies at the ground hence the neck muscles become stronger. One can note the tense pressure at the neck muscles in the position of Sajdah specially the active motion of the neck and the facial muscles when the head is being lifted. (e.g. one inch above the ground) and it will be noticed that they are in a very active motion.

More strong cervical muscles mean the cervical vertebra will be better protected. Strength of cervical muscles is important as the head rests upon cervical vertebra supported by cervical musculature.

Infact head performs rotator movements over the cervical vertebra. In any accident cervical neck examination is especially important to the physicians because of its extraordinary importance.

It is uncommon that a person who offers his prayers regularly will get the usual neck myalgias or cervical spondylosis as the neck muscles particularly become very strong due to the 34 sajdahs offered daily in five prayers.

Position of Sajdah is also said to be a good treatment for the retroversion of uterus, a disease of women.

Most of us do not know that the position of Sajdah is an excellent exercise for men (for manpower). It may be a good information to the Viagra dependents. While getting up from Sajdah the perineal muscles are one of those muscles which have to pull the trunk back to sitting position and they contract actively. Similarly while standing up from Sajdah the perennial muscles are again actively mobilised and this gives much strength to the muscles important for manpower.

The unique position of Sajdah also has positive effects upon the back muscles as while going into Sajdah and getting up from it the back muscle contract actively and they become stronger. Probably it is because of this reason that a person who is regular in prayers will uncommonly get backache.

After performing Sajdah either the musalli stands up or he sits to pray Attahiyyat. In this position the person sits calmly while his hands rest at his thighs which are folded backwards. This is much similar to the relaxation position of Yoga and has soothing effect upon one's health and mentation.

Holy Prophet Muhammad used to elongate the position of Ruku (bending) and Sajdah positions and he advised to do so. In the light of the above facts it is appropriate to say that from medical point of view as well this advice is a golden rule for health.

Finally it must be reminded that prayer is not meant to be an exercise. However there are a lot of medical advantages associated with it.

Still the best blessing is the peace of mind, which a person derives by the accomplishment of his duty to Allah by fulfilling an obligation.


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