Tap into the Power of Prayer

Vatican Insider found that “people who regularly attend church services, or have a defined religious identity tend to live longer than their non-religious counterparts.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: St. Louis Islam Examiner
By Basiyr Rodney | November 29, 2011

Muslims pray 5 times a day. In fact The Holy Qur’an asks Muslims to pray as often as is possible. So in addition to the 5 daily prayers called Salaat, Muslims make “extra” prayers for the little things throughout the day. You may hear a Muslim friend say the simple prayer “Bismillah” literally “In the name of Allah” when she begins a task or “al hamdulillah” when expressing thanks or gratitude.  Indeed all faith traditions have some type of prayer or contemplative exercise. Prayer is therefore a fundamental pillar not only of Islam but of most faith traditions.

Research is now confirming what Muslims and their coreligionists have long known. Prayer is effective in supporting good physical health, mental well-being and even recovery from illness. With modern technologies such as heart rate monitors, MRIs and blood sugar meters, we can examine the physical effects that prayer have on the human body.

Over the last ten years a number of studies tell us some interesting things about prayer. Here are some interesting facts:


In a recent study Ruth Stanley a nun and pharmacist discussed the empirical fact that “prayer has been shown to improve health and quality of life in virtually all disease states across all demographic populations.” She argues that different types of prayer support cause changes in the variable heart rate which can be monitored by a heart rate monitor. As a result of these studies we also find that, prayer increases the variable heart rate and balances the body. This has an effect on overall well-being.

In other studies of people at prayer, MRI’s shows how parts of the brain “light up” when prayer is being performed. In a recent article The Vatican insider describes one of these studies. They state that “The images of the brains of praying nuns tend to show increasing levels of activity in the frontal lobes that correspond to concentration, and changes in brain regions related to emotion, behavior, the long-term memory and sense of self.” The study that was conducted in at the University of Pennsylvania describes how pictures of this brain wave activity, shows how prayer enlivens the brain.

In addition to the power of prayer religious practices is now known to have high value in helping people live longer healthier lives. One study that was quoted in the Vatican Insider found that “people who regularly attend church services, or have a defined religious identity tend to live longer than their non-religious counterparts.”

The next time you think about improving your health and wellness. Praying may not be such a far fetched solution.

Stanley, Ruth. "TYPES OF PRAYER, HEART RATE VARIABILITY, AND INNATE HEALING." Zygon: Journal Of Religion & Science 44, no. 4 (December 2009): 825-846. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed November 29, 2011).

Vatican Insider . Those who pray think positive and heal: http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/documents/detail/articolo/preghiera-prayer-plegaria-stati-uniti-us-estados-unidos-10011/

Basiyr Rodney is a faculty member in the School of Education at Webster University in St. Louis, MO. He serves as a board member of a national Muslim organization, and contributes articles to their publications. Basiyr speaks locally and nationally on Islamic subjects in school and college forums, as well as at interfaith gatherings.  His advocacy is based on the Islamic maxim, "love for all, hatred for none," aimed at fostering mutual harmony, tolerance, and cross-cultural understanding among diverse individuals.


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