Brain Health: Islamic Guidelines
Enemies often accuse Islam of being a sixth-century religion that focuses only on the unseen, and that it does not value intellectual activity, brain nourishment, and knowledge. But the fact is that human intelligence is highly valued and the instructions given by Islam to protect and nurture it are always relevant. One of the five objectives of Islamic Shari’ah is the protection of the brain.
One of the main sources of Islamic Shari’ah is the Holy Book, which states that study and meditation are of great importance in protecting the brain. Its first commandment is to read. Reading and knowledge are as essential to brain growth and survival as nutrition is. The Prophet (PBUH) said that the acquisition of knowledge is the obligatory duty of every Muslim.
The most precious thing to a man is his brain, more than all other things, including wealth. Brain health is paramount throughout life. That is why Islam has given great importance to brain protection. ‘Akhl’ is an Arabic word that signifies mind and thought. Its importance is evident from the fact that the word is repeated more than 49 times in various places in the Qur’an with various variants.
Prohibition of all intoxicants, including alcohol, is an important instruction given by the Islamic Shari’ah as another way to protect the brain. The Qur’an says: O you who believe, intoxicants, intoxicants, idols, and arrows for fortune-telling are the impurities of evil deeds. So you avoid them all. You will succeed. (5:90)
The Prophet (PBUH) said that all alcohol is intoxicating and all intoxicants are prohibited. The eminent scholar Imam Razi said that the greatest characteristic of man is his intelligence and alcohol is the enemy of intelligence. The reason Islamic Shari’ah prescribes severe punishment for those who use intoxicants is to protect the intellect. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever is drunk in this world dies addicted to it.
Another way to protect the brain is to seek and follow scientific evidence. Does not thought or brain work in blind imitation? The Qur’an says: “Whoever invokes any other god along with Allah without any proof or justification, his trial will be with his Lord. Surely the unbelievers will not be successful. (Quran 23:117)
Any organ will function as efficiently as it is used. This statement is very relevant as far as the brain is concerned. One of the things that the Qur’an constantly urges man to do is to use his brain to think about his surroundings and the universe. The Qur’an says: In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of day and night, there are many signs for the wise. (3:190)
Indulging in unnecessary things and wasting time is a hindrance to brain development. So the Qur’an exhorts us to refrain from it: Do not follow after things of which you have no knowledge. Verily, the eye, the ear, and the mind are questioned. (17:36)
Blind imitation in anything deadens thought and incapacitates intellect. The Qur’an strictly forbids such unwise tendencies. The Qur’an says: If asked to follow the message that Allah has sent down, they will say: “We only follow what we saw our forefathers follow.” Even though their fathers were thoughtless and unguided! (2:170)
It is proposed to solve the new problems arising in the society through ijtihad thought on the basis of the Qur’an and the Holy Sunnah. Thus many instructions and inspirations for nurturing the intellect can be found in the Qur’an and the Holy Sunnah.
Excessive indulgence, ostentatiousness, overeating, etc. also adversely affect the functioning of the intellect. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) advised to empty one third of the stomach. Also, Islam prohibited superstitions like witchcraft and fortune-telling. But the Qur’an describes it as an abomination not to use the brain. They were compared to animals.
While we cannot find such effective instructions for the use of the brain in any other vision, we can expect a change in our present situation only if the followers of the Qur’an have a strong desire to get out of intellectual stagnation by taking advantage of the opportunities available in the field of thought and creativity.
Our status quo can only change if the future generation rises from being the end user of technology to being its inventors and creators. Along with this, it is necessary to develop a diverse new educational plan emphasizing science and technology in Islamic educational institutions. This requires strong pressure from the students. Intellectual growth can even strengthen future survival.