International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

The Therapeutic Dimensions of Prostration: Bridging Islamic Spiritual Practice with Modern Grounding-Based Ecotherapy

Open access

Dzulfaidhi Hakimie Dzulraidi, Umar Muhammad Noor, Mohd Solleh Ab Razak, Mohd Dahlan A. Malek

Pages 1393-1405 Received: 18 Apr, 2025 Revised: 09 May, 2025 Published Online: 28 May, 2025

http://dx.doi.org/10.46886/IJARBSS/v15-i5/17099
Ecotherapy has emerged as a contemporary holistic approach that emphasizes restoring human well-being through connection with the natural environment. One prominent method within this field is grounding therapy, which promotes direct physical contact with the earth as a means to stabilize the body’s electrical state and enhance physiological balance. In Islamic practice, sujud (prostration) is a core component of daily prayer that similarly involves intentional contact with the ground. This study investigates sujud through the lens of Islamic ecotherapy, examining its parallels with grounding therapy in terms of spiritual, physiological, and scientific dimensions. Utilizing a qualitative content analysis, this research explores relevant prophetic traditions (hadith), classical Islamic interpretations, and biomedical studies related to the physical and neurological benefits of sujud. Comparative analysis reveals notable therapeutic overlaps between the two practices, including improved emotional regulation, cerebral blood flow, and nervous system equilibrium. The findings suggest that sujud may be understood as a spiritually grounded form of natural therapy within the Islamic tradition. This research contributes to the growing discourse on integrative healing practices and encourages further exploration of other Islamic rituals within the context of modern ecotherapy frameworks.
Abbas, N. A., & Jasmi, K. A. (2022). Masalah Kesihatan Mental dalam Kalangan Remaja. Seminar Falsafah Sains dan Ketamadunan (SFST), 4(1), 423-431. Retrieved from https://utm.webex.com/meet/amdean
Al-‘Aini, B. (2010). ‘Umdah al-Q?r? Syarh Sah?h al-Bukh?r?. Beirut: D?r al-Fikr.
Al-Bukh?r?, M. I. (1994). ?a??? al-Bukh?r?. Dimasyq: D?r Ibn Kath?r.
Al-Bukh?r?, M. I. (2011). ?a??? al-Bukh?r?. Mesir: Ma?ba‘ah al-Sul??niyyah.
Al-Darwish. (2002). Icrab al-Qur’an al-Karim wa Bayanuh (Jil. 6). Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir.
Al-Fairuzabadi, M. bin Y. (1998). Al-Q?m?s al-Mu??? (h. 55). Beirut: Mu’assasah al-Ris?lah.
Al-Jurjani, ‘A. bin M. bin ‘Ali. (1405H). Al-Ta‘rif?t (Jil. 1, h. 327). Beirut: D?r al-Kutub al-‘Arab?.
Al-Kha???b?. (1988). A’l?m al-Had?th Syarh Sah?h al-Bukh?r? (Jil. 1, hlm. 125). Mekah: J?mi’ah Umm al-Qur?.
Al-Minawi, M. ‘A. R., & Al-Dayah, M. R. (Eds.). (1410H). Al-Tauf?q ‘Al? Muhimmat al-Ta‘?r?f (Jil. 1, h. 728). Beirut: D?r al-Fikr al-Mu‘??ir.
Al-Qas?all?n?. (1982). Irsy?d al-S?r? il? Syarh Sah?h al-Bukh?r? (Jil. 1, hlm. 62). Mesir: al-Ma’bu’ah al-Kubra al-Am?riyyah.
Al-Qur?ub?, M. (1996). Al-Mufhim lim? Asykala min Talkh?s Kit?b Muslim (Jil. 6, h. 447). Beirut: D?r Ibn Kath?r.
Al-Sakandar?, N. (2010). Al-Mutaw?r? ‘al? Abw?b al-Bukh?r? (h. 69). Kuwait: Maktabah al-Mu‘all?’.
Al-Suy???, ‘A. R. bin A. B. bin M. (t.t). Lub?b al-Nuq?l f? Asb?b al-Nuz?l (h. 86). Beirut: D?r I?y?’ al-‘Ul?m.
American Psychological Association. (2018). Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/therapy/index.aspx
Arnida, A., Mohd Mahzan, A., & Abdul Razaq, A. (2021). Aktiviti masa senggang dan hubungannya dengan kesejahteraan hidup pelajar universiti. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 18(1), 16-28.
Berget, B., Ekeberg, Ø., Pedersen, I., & Braastad, B. O. (2011). Animal-assisted therapy with farm animals for persons with psychiatric disorders: Effects on anxiety and depression, a randomized controlled trial. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 27(1), 50–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212X.2011.543641
Blanco Ledesma, C. (2023). The Power of Solitude in Communing with Nature. Retrieved from https://medium.com
Brewer, S. (2002). Healing with magnetic therapy (h. 50). Birmingham: D. Jay Ltd.
Bryers, M. (2022). Campus Ecotherapy Guide. Be Well & Center for Urban Ecology & Sustainability.
Buzzel, L., & Chalquist, C. (2009). Psyche and Nature in a Circle of Healing. Dalam L. Buzzel & C. Chalquist (Pny.), Ecotherapy: Healing With Nature in Mind (hlm. 14-18). San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.
Doherty, T. J. (2015). Theoretical and Empirical Foundations for Ecotherapy. Dalam M. Jordan & J. Hinds (Pny.), Ecotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice (hlm. 15). Palgrave.
Fatah, Q. A. (2012). Mukjizat wuduk ke atas rohani dan jasmani manusia. International Journal on Quranic Research, 67, 83.
Fisher, A. (2013). Radical Ecopsychology.
Geocities Web Archives. (2011, Disember 29). Sihat & kesejahteraan melalui wuduk. http://www.geocities.ws/m2uweb/sihat8.htm
Geoff Berry. (2023). The well-evidenced benefits of ecotherapy. Ecotherapy Peer Reviewed Article, 54.
Hudha, M., Husamah, & Rahardjanto, A. (2018). Etika Lingkungan (Teori dan Praktik Pembelajarannya).
Ibn Batt?l, A. (2003). Syar? ?a??? al-Bukh?r? (Jil. 3, h. 134). Arab Saudi: Maktabah al-Rusyd.
Ibn ?ubayrah, M. bin M. (1997). Ifs?? ‘an Ma‘?n? al-?i??? (Jil. 7, h. 271). Beirut: D?r al-Wa?an.
Idris, M. A., Muhamad, H., & Ibrahim, R. Z. A. R. (2018). Metodologi Penyelidikan Sains Sosial. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Universiti Malaya.
Jalaluddin, R. (2010). Psikologi agama: Sebuah pengantar. Indonesia: Rajawali Pers.
Kamus Dewan Edisi Keempat. (2005). Kamus Dewan (h. 1807). Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Khairul Azhar Meerangani. (2018). Kepentingan Penjagaan Alam Sekitar Menurut Perspektif Maqasid Syariah. Jurnal Isu-Isu Semasa Islam & Sains, 543.
Lackey, S. (2018). How to Prepare for Your First Visit to a Psychologist. Retrieved from https://www.healthworkscollective.com
Landon, L. L. (2002). Healing and balancing (h. 13). Torreon: Warm Snow Publishers.
Lela, L., & Lukmawati, L. (2016). Ketenangan makna daw?mul wudhu: Studi fenomenologi pada mahasiswa UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. Jurnal Psikologi Islami, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.19109/psikis.v1i2.568
McGeeney, A. (2016). With Nature in Mind, United Kingdom: Jessica Kingsley.
Monisa, R., & Arputha Raj, V. D. (2022). Solitude, As an Avenue for Mental Detox to Reconfigure the Self. ECS Transactions, 107, 14135.
Muhammad bin Ism?’il al-Bukh?r? (2011), Sah?h al-Bukh?r?, Beitut: Maktabah al-Sult?niyah.
Musbikin, I. (2009). Wudhu sebagai terapi: Upaya memelihara kesehatan jasmani dengan perawatan ruhani. Yogyakarta: Nusamedia.
Musfichin. (2019). Keseimbangan Badan dan Jiwa Perspektif Abu Zaid Al-Balkhi. Jurnal Studia Insania, 7(1), 74.
Muslim, A. H. (1933). ?a??? Muslim. Mesir: Ma?ba‘ah al-?alab?.
N?sirudd?n al-Sakandar?. (2010). Al-Mutaw?r? ‘al? Abw?b al-Bukh?r? (h. 69). Kuwait: Maktabah al-Mu‘all?’.
National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS). (2020). Methodology for a nationwide population-based survey on communicable diseases in Malaysia. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.09.935
Rajab, K., & Sa‘ari, C. Z. (2017). Islamic Psychotherapy Formulation: Considering the Shifaul Qalbi Perak Malaysia psychotherapy model. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 7(2), 175-200.
Rosyad, R. (2016). Pengaruh Agama Terhadap Kesihatan Mental. Jurnal Syifa al-Qulub, 1, 18.
Rueff, M., & Reese, G. (2023). Depression and anxiety: A systematic review on comparing ecotherapy with cognitive behavioral therapy. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 90, 1-18.
Salleh, S. (2020). Apa Khabar Depresi? Terapi Psikologi, Motivasi Diri dan Perspektif Islam. Selangor: PTS Publishing House.
Syed Lamsah, S. C., Mohd Imran, M., & Sareena Hanim, H. (2018). Kepentingan aktiviti fizikal dalam membina personaliti dan meningkatkan prestasi akademik. Jurnal Sains Sukan dan Pendidikan Jasmani, 7(1), 21-33.
Thomas, J. D., & Hinds, J. (2016). Ecotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Ulrich, R. S. (1981). Natural versus urban scenes: Some psychophysiological effects. Environment and Behavior, 13(5), 523–556.
Webster, R. (2010). The complete book of auras (h. 9). Woodbury: Llewellyn Publications.
World Health Organization. (2018). Mental health: strengthening our response. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
World Health Organization. (2021). Adolescent mental health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
Stapa, Z. (2013). Elemen Falsafah Dalam Wacana Sufi. Kertas Kerja Simposium Antarabangsa Falsafah Islam 2013.
Muhammad Bagir al-Habsyi, Fiqh Praktis: Menurut Al-Qur’an, As-Sunnah dan Pendapat Ulama, Bandung: Penerbit Mizan, 2002, h. 132
Al-Zaid?n?, al-Maf?tih f? Syarh al-Mas?b?h, Kuwait: D?r al-Naw?dir. (2012). 116/2.
Al-Q?dh? ‘Iy?dh, Ikm?l al-Mu’allim bi Faw?id Muslim, Mesir: D?r al-Waf?’ (1998). 398/2.
Yahya Hubairah, al-Ifs?h ‘an Ma’?n? al-Sih?h, Beirut: D?r al-Watan. (1997). 72/8.
Al-Nawaw?, Al-Minh?j Syarh Sah?h Muslim, Beirut: D?r Ihy?’ al-Tur?th al-‘Arabi (1972). 200/4.
Al-Ghazali. (2007). The alchemy of hapiness. (C. Field, Trans.) Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust.
Wan Abdullah, W. H., & Zaki, H. (2021). [Depression Symptoms: Methods of Treatment Through Al-Tibb Al-Nabawi Medicine] Gejala Kemurungan: Kaedah Rawatan Melalui Pengubatan Al-Tibb Al-Nabawiy. Jurnal Islam Dan Masyarakat Kontemporari, 21(3), 215-234. https://doi.org/10.37231/jimk.2020.21.3.509
Yousefzadeh, F., Pirzad Jahromi, G., Mokari Manshadi, E., & Hatef, B. (2019). The Effect of Prostration (Sajdah) on the Prefrontal Brain Activity: A Pilot Study. Basic and clinical neuroscience, 10(3), 257–268. https://doi.org/10.32598/bcn.9.10.195
Ibrahim, F., Abas, W. A. B., Cheok, N. S. (2009). Solat Kebaikan Dari Perspektif Sains. Universiti Malaya: Kuala Lumpur.
Dzulraidi, D. H., Noor, U. M., Razak, M. S. A., & Malek, M. D. A. (2025). The Therapeutic Dimensions of Prostration: Bridging Islamic Spiritual Practice with Modern Grounding-Based Ecotherapy. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(5), 1393–1405.