Sound is created by fluctuations in air pressure caused by a vibrating source that stimulates hearing in humans. We produce sound with the help of organs such as the vocal cords, lungs, and muscles. Humans speak using sounds at the limited frequencies they can perceive (20 Hz-20 kHz).

Music is defined as the artistic expression of emotions, thoughts, and symbols in one or many voices. Scientists have established music’s positive or negative effects on the human body in all conditions and environments and determined that our body reacts differently to various types of music and sound. The nature of this effect may vary depending on parameters such as the emotional state of the person, time, and place.

Music therapy is an independent specialty of modern medicine and has been used since antiquity. In Islamic civilization, Sufis mentioned the use of music in the treatment of mental and neurological disorders, and scholars like al-Farabi (d. 950) and Ibn Sina (d. 1037) defined the principles of music in treatment.

According to scientists, music can not only be used effectively in the treatment of diseases—it can also be deployed as a shield against psychological problems such as stress and intense anxiety by selecting the appropriate rhythm, sound, and musical genres. Recent years have witnessed several studies on the psychological and physiological effects of music on humans [1]. According to these studies, music affects the human brain at an anatomically measurable level; this explains how music can change a society’s understanding of culture and art [2].

By altering the levels of mood-affecting hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, testosterone, and serotonin, music can lower respiration, heart rate, and body temperature; stabilize blood pressure and cerebral blood flow; and lead to deep relaxation and enhanced quality of life [3]. It reduces anxiety and nausea and alleviates insomnia by diverting patients’ attention to other activities. Music also plays an important role in improving the quality of life of end-stage cancer patients [4]. The positive effects of music on pain and anxiety are prominent.

Which area of the brain perceives music?

It is crucial to be familiar with the relevant musical terminology to have a better understanding of this matter. Timbre is the characteristic that distinguishes the sound produced by the vibration of an object from the sound produced by a different object at the same height. Rhythm is the harmony of sound resulting from the repetition of stress, length, or sound features and stops in a verse or a note. Melody is a sequence of sounds created in line with a certain rule.

These sounds are processed in different regions of the brain that are separate but close to one another. Damage to these areas, through trauma or similar reasons, may complicate hearing or distinguishing the relevant sound. For instance, damage to the auditory cortex in the right temporal region may result in the inability to keep a regular tempo, while damage to the cerebellum and basal ganglia may result in impaired rhythm perception and inability to produce rhythm. While rhythm is detected in the motor area, timbre is sensed in the auditory area. The right hemisphere of the brain has better frequency resolution, which is crucial for processing precision. Meanwhile, the left hemisphere has better temporal resolution, which is imperative for speech analysis.

Timbres activate the right auditory cortex, whereas rehearsing music stimulates the dorsolateral and inferior frontal cortex. Melodies are typified abstractly in the brain while emotional melodies activate the fronto-occipital region of our brain. The superior temporal cortex detects the instrument and speed changes. Our secondary auditory cortex is activated when we visualize music; listening to a favorite piece of music activates a different sensory area [5].

In temporal lobe disorders, some may lose certain musical abilities such as playing and identifying melodies, singing, and following rhythm. For instance, Maurice Ravel, one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, could listen to pieces of music but could no longer compose after cerebral palsy affected the left hemisphere of the brain.

 Effects of noise on human physiology

Noise is the common name for meaningless and unpleasant sounds that have an adverse effect on people. While some may hear sounds as music, others may hear them as noise. The threshold of discomfort varies from person to person.

The effects of noise on human physiology are divided into short-term effects that disappear with the cessation of noise and long-term effects that can last for hours or even days. In most people, noise causes short-term effects such as stress, changes in heart rate, respiratory rate and blood circulation, muscle spasms, startles, and insomnia. These side effects are felt more acutely during sleep, with automatic reactions to sudden and loud noises. In addition, gastritis, ulcers, high cholesterol, hypertension, and migraine disorders are common long-term effects of noise. Even in cases where people think they are accustomed to noise, these side effects cannot be inhibited [6].

Exposure to intense and loud music, defined as music intoxication, increases the height of alpha waves in brain electrical activity. This situation varies from person to person, but as reported in some people even toxic doses can be considered normal. This explains why music is perceived and processed differently by different people, and while in the same person, character and music perception show parallelism.

Musicogenic epilepsy

Current technological developments have expanded our access to all kinds of music. Studies have shown some disorders can be triggered in line with the type and volume of music listened to. Epilepsy tops the list of these disorders. It is well known that exposure to sunlight or flashing or flickering lights in the 16-25 Hz range can trigger epileptic seizures. While some patients made to listen to music during a seizure benefited from the music and their seizures ceased, others’ seizures deteriorated [7]. The reason for this bidirectional effect of music on epileptic attacks is not yet fully understood.

Musicogenic epilepsy, where epileptic seizures are triggered by music, is a rare form of epilepsy, first defined in 1937. The French composer Berlioz, who contributed significantly to the composition of the modern orchestra, suffered from musicogenic seizures. Affecting one in a million people, these seizures are often triggered by listening to or playing music, or by its inspiration or conception. It has even been shown that some patients’ seizures can be triggered by the type of music, instrument, or composer they listen to. Church bells, the melody of La Marseillaise (the national anthem of France), some hymns, and even some songs sung in a low, muffled, or metallic voice have been shown to trigger such seizures [8]. Experts say the therapeutic efficacy of music can be demarcated by understanding the mechanism.

Musical pharmacology

Musical pharmacology is when, after a diagnosis, various kinds of music protocols are uploaded to digital tablet device and sent to the patient’s home. Analyzing the music pieces the patient prefers to listen to, the active parts are extracted and blended into balanced medical compounds. The most common areas where such medical compounds are used include psychosomatic disorders, pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and certain cardiac arrhythmias [9].

Studies examining the effects of music therapy during pregnancy suggest that nurses and midwives providing maternity care would be wise to take advantage of the positive effects of music. In pregnant women with pre-eclampsia, music can help keep fetal movement and heart rate at normal levels by lowering blood pressure [10].

Newborn babies, especially premature ones, benefit the most from music in terms of stress reduction, pain detection, and hearing improvement [11]. This notion is supported by the common practice of singing lullabies to calm crying babies or babies who have trouble falling asleep, or singing prayers, for instance the call to prayer (adhan) in Muslim cultures, often achieving the desired result.

A study in Japan has shown fetuses feel their mothers’ reaction to noise, and that noise increases the incidence of low-birth-weight babies. The human cochlea, an important component of hearing, completes its development by 24 weeks of gestation, and by 26 weeks, the fetus can respond to sound stimuli. By the 35th week of gestation, the fetus can distinguish between sounds with a frequency of 250-500 Hz and between the sounds, “baa” and “bee.” This shows that babies’ sense of hearing develops significantly before birth [12].

As seen, human interest in music and sound begins in the womb and continues over a lifetime. When we listen to a piece of music that suits our mood, we unconsciously follow the rhythm with our brain waves, heart rhythm, breathing and emotional state. Each person reacts differently to music and sound. This is due to the two-way effect of music. People like or dislike music based on the effects it has on the body. This is an individual response, based in part on our anatomical, physiological, and psychological functions.

During speech, Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas in the left hemisphere of the brain are mentally active. It is believed these areas may have another feature representing feelings and emotions. This feature perceives the emotional components of speech, including melody, intonation and gestures. Voices, words, gestures and facial expressions move humans indiscriminately. Likewise, reciting prayers with a beautiful voice and its impacts on the human nervous and endocrine physiology is a subject for further research.

We can liken the human organism to a unique work of art and an ensemble of tunable, delicate instruments [13]. Everyone should discover the music and rhythms in sync with the physiology of their own body, and not tune their body to random types of music and sounds. Hence, it would be wise to manage our body like a conscious conductor. It is essential to find the music that suits our nature.

References

• F. S. Ünal, “Müzigin ses olarak insana fizyolojik etkisi”, Kültür Evreni Dergisi, 6(22), 2014, s. 118–125, www.kulturevreni.com/22-118.pdf.
• S. A. Azizi, “Brain to music to brain!”, Neuroscience Letters,459, 2009, s. 1–2.
• N. Karamizrak, “Ses ve Müzigin Organlari Iyilestirici Etkisi”, Kosuyolu Heart Journal, 17(1), 2014, s. 54–57.
• H. Covington, “Therapeutic music for patients with psychiatric disorders”, Holist Nurs Pract, 15, 2001, s. 59–69.
• A. J. Blood ve R. J. Zatorre, “Intensely pleasurable responses to music correlate with activity in brain regions implicated in reward and emotion”, Proc Natl Acad Sci US, 98(20), 2001, s. 11818–11823.
• MEB. Gürültünün Etkileri. Ankara: Millî Egitim Bakanligi, Aile ve Tüketici Hizmetleri, 2012, s. 1–25.
• A. T. Berg ve ark. “Revised terminology and concepts for organization of seizures and epilepsies: report of the ILAE Commission on Classification and Terminology”, 2005–2009; Epilepsia, 51, 2010, s. 676–685.
• S. E. Brien ve T. J. Murray, “Musicogenic epilepsy”, Can Med Assoc J, 13, 1984, s. 1255–1258.
• I. Ün, “Farmakoloji ile müzik arasinda olasi etkilesimlerin arastirilmasi”, Lokman Hekim Dergisi, 6(3), 2016, s. 159–164.
• E. Toker ve N. Kömürcü, “Effect of Turkish classical music on prenatal anxiety and satisfaction: A randomized controlled trial in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia”, Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 30, 2017, s. 1–9.
• J. Loewy ve ark. “Sleep/sedation in children undergoing EEG testing: a comparison of chloral hydrate and music therapy”, Am J Electroneurodiagnostic Technol, 46(4), 2006, s. 343–355.
• S. E. Trehub, “The developmental origins of musicality”, Nat Neurosci, 6(7), 2003, s. 669–673.
• D. Campbell, Mozart Etkisi, Istanbul: Kuraldisi Yayincilik, 2002, s. 156–343.

Dreams keep brain refreshed

Tsai et al. Cerebral capillary blood flow upsurge during REM sleep is mediated by A2a receptors. Cell Reports, August 2021

New research has provided some fresh insights into why dreams are biologically so important. Scientists showed that capillary blood flow within the brain increases significantly while dreaming, which enhances neural waste removal and delivers more oxygen and nutrients.

The purpose of dreaming has always been very controversial. Dreams are typically composed of illogical scenarios, and they can be scary, cathartic, and sometimes even funny. Modern medicine has provided a great deal of evidence that sleeping helps the brain to reset, recharge, and process newly formed memories. But what about dreams? Dreams predominantly occur during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase of sleep. To explore the specific biological processes during REM sleep, researchers in this study used a groundbreaking new technique that allowed them to watch in real-time the flow of blood throughout the brains of mice as they passed through the various stages of sleep. They specifically used a dye to make blood vessels in the brain visible under fluorescent light and imaged them live through a technique called “two-photon microscopy.” Using this approach they were able to directly observe red blood cells in capillaries of the cortex in non-anesthetized mice. Long hours of imaging sessions revealed the massive flow of red blood cells through brain capillaries, specifically during REM sleep, but not during other sleep states. Interestingly, when researchers woke up the mice during REM a stronger rebound REM with increased blood flow was followed as soon as mice fell back asleep. This suggests that the brain makes up for the lost time by increasing blood flow to facilitate brain refreshment. Reductions in neurovascular blood flow and lack of REM sleep are associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s onset. Further evidence suggests that dementia is linked with the buildup of neural waste and toxic proteins in the brain. These findings imply that high quality REM sleep and dreams are likely the key for keeping the mind sharp well into old ages.

The mathematics behind the geometry of an egg

Narushin et al. Egg and math: introducing a universal formula for egg shape. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, August 2021.

Eggs have always been considered a major food source in human history. They also have one of the most distinguished shapes in nature that can adapt to the most diverse environmental conditions including extreme heat, humidity, incubation with or without body heat, in or out of nests, and from very clean to highly infectious environments. Moreover, an egg has a remarkable shape that is large enough to grow an animal embryo inside, small enough to exit the body of 10,500 living bird species, not roll away once laid, and be structurally resilient enough to carry disproportional weight. Despite many efforts, a universal mathematical formula that define the shape of an egg with an equation has not been found until now. The shape of an egg is comprised of four geometric figures: sphere, ellipsoid, ovoid, and pyriform (also known as pear-shaped). The first three are clearly defined in mathematics but a formula for the pyriform profile had not been developed until now. To resolve this major problem researchers first developed a formula describing only the shape of a pear and then combined it with the current formula. The new universal formula for egg shape is now based on four parameters: egg length, maximum breadth, shift of the vertical axis, and the diameter at one quarter of the egg length. The generation of this new formula allows scientists to better understand not only what the egg itself looks like, but also how and why it was formed. Discovering the universal equation for such a sturdy, aerodynamic, and ultra-efficiently designed bio-structure is not only important to biology, but also to many other different fields ranging from the food industry to architectural engineering, agriculture, aeronautics, and even art.

Blue Foods: The key ingredient for ending world hunger in a sustainable future

Gephart et al. Environmental performance of blue foods. Nature, September 2021.
Short et al. Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems. Nature Food, September 2021.
Tigchelaar et al. Compound climate risks threaten aquatic food system benefits. Nature Food, September 2021.

A comprehensive evaluation of the aquatic foods sector by multiple studies has uncovered how fisheries and aquaculture can provide a healthy and sustainable diet with fair and resilient food systems around the world. Our current food systems are extremely fragile and even worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been constantly weakened by outdated supply chains and become vulnerable to climate change. How can we protect the planet while producing sufficient and healthy food to nourish our growing population in these aggravating conditions? Searching for solutions, researchers decided to analyze data from hundreds of studies on a wide range of seafood (also named as blue food) species. Their findings demonstrate that blue foods rank higher than land animal source foods in terms of their nutritional benefits and potential for sustainability advantages. For example, compared to chickens, trouts have approximately 19 times more omega-3 fatty acids; oysters and mussels have 76 times more vitamin B-12 and five times more iron; and carps have nine times more calcium. But how can we increase the production and consumption of blue foods? The projected global demand for blue food will double by 2050. The existing gap could be primarily filled by increased aquaculture rather than by capture fisheries. Investing in innovation and improving aquacultures can potentially make blue foods cheaper to the consumer and generate a shift away from land-based foods like chicken, beef, and diary. Moreover, the major blue food species produced commercially in aquaculture, such as tilapia, salmon, catfish and carp, have environmental footprints comparable to chicken, the lowest-impact land animal meat. Blue food systems seem to be our best option to combat malnutrition, lower the environmental footprint of the food system, and provide livelihoods. Aquatic foods have been typically neglected by researchers and policymakers. Maybe it’s time to recognize and prioritize them.

Is hair graying reversible?

Rosenberg et al. Quantitative mapping of human hair greying and reversal in relation to life stress. eLife, June 2021.

A new study has found that the old rumor about why our hair turns gray is proven to have a scientific basis. Humans tend to lose hair color the older they get as the cells in our hair follicles stop producing the pigment melanin. But there have been many stories of even younger people’s hair losing color almost immediately after a stressful event. While some of these stories are just old fables some cases have also been documented by doctors. In a recent study, scientists collected 400 hair samples from 14 participants from age 9 to 39 with either “some grey hairs” or “two-colored hairs.” By using a newly developed high-resolution imaging technique, scientists were able to collect and compare tiny slices of single hair strands from volunteers. These slices of hair were later analyzed like the rings inside a tree, indirectly showing the health of the follicle as it formed the strand over time including the status of pigmentation. They then analyzed the color of each strand and compared it to the timing of their hair growth. Participants whose hair changed to gray reported experiencing a stressful period in their lives. On the other hand, participants whose gray hairs reversed back to having color reported feeling more relaxed at the time their hair sample was analyzed thus suggesting a link between stress and the graying process. It was found with one of the participants who went on vacation that five of his hairs reverted back to their original color during the vacation. While the color reversal process is intriguing it can only be possible if it is caught early enough in younger ages. There seems to be a window of opportunity during which graying is probably much more reversible than had been considered before. Reducing stress levels in a 70-year-old will likely not darken their hair, or increasing stress in a 10-year-old will be enough to tip their hair over the gray threshold. Although these findings are based on a relatively small sample size they still provided some important insights into the reversible dynamics of hair graying in humans.

Doomscrolling: Obsession with pain

Jezzini et al. A prefrontal network integrates preferences for advance information about uncertain rewards and punishments. Neuron, June 2021.

“Doomscrolling” or “Doomsurfing” describes the act of endlessly scrolling through predominantly negative news on social media. Unfortunately, this bad habit has become widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is still unclear why some people seek out potentially bad news by doomscrolling through horrifying headlines while others try to stay away from negative information. In a recent study, researchers have explored

the underlying biology of a similar curiosity and dread behavior using monkeys. Researchers first used symbols to train monkeys to anticipate a potentially unpleasant event – a puff of air to the face. The first set of symbols alerted the monkeys that a puff of air was a possibility but with a highly variable degree of certainty. A second set of symbols eliminated the doubt, communicating that either a puff of air to the face was certain or nothing happened. Behavior analyses revealed that some monkeys trained their eyes on the second set of symbols while others averted their look in order to avoid the potentially bad news. A simultaneous monitoring of neural activity in the brains of the monkey models showed that the anterior cingulate cortex separately processes information about both good and bad possibilities. Meanwhile, a second area, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dictates the monkeys’ overall attitudes. Understanding the specific brain regions and circuits underlying uncertainty is a critical step for helping people with psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which typically manifest an inability to tolerate uncertainty. Moreover, these findings could bring new insights into how to cope with the flood of information in our modern times.

COVID-19 vaccines promise years of immunity

Turner et al. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce persistent germinal centre responses in humans. Nature. June 2021.

The first two COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, performed very well in clinical trials. But there were still concerns for how long immunity induced by these vaccines would last. A new study found evidence that the immune response to vaccines is both strong and potentially long-lasting. After vaccinations, a specialized structure called the germinal center forms in lymph nodes where broader ranges of B-cells are produced to fight against infections. These centers are immune cell training areas to better recognize the enemy. A better germinal center response is typically accepted as a better vaccine. Researchers found that people who received the Pfizer vaccine still had active germinal cells generating new fighter B-cells even after 4 months of the first injection. In a more longitudinal analysis, 8 out of 10 people still had detectable germinal centers containing B cells after 15 weeks of the first dose. Moreover, Pfizer vaccination generated high levels of neutralizing antibodies effective against at least 3 different major variants. Finally, they found that people who were infected and later vaccinated showed an even more robust immune response. The vaccine clearly adds extra benefit, even in the context of prior infection. The results suggest that a vast majority of vaccinated people will be protected over the long term, possibly a lifetime. One exception to this argument could be elderly people with weak immune systems. They may need additional boosters.

How does Islam view the idea of psychological projection developed by Freud? First of all, it is appropriate to highlight the writings of Said Nursi in which he tells the story of two travelers with different states in their hearts. One was serene and optimistic and viewed the world in positive ways while the other one was anxious and pessimistic, seeing the world as all negative. Both went to similar places, where ordinary lifestyles could be observed. The former one saw the place as beautiful with many good things existing there. However, it was different for the latter; wherever he looked he saw negative things.

According to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, this difference of perspective between these two travelers is actually rooted in the state of their heart. The first traveler had no unnecessary anxiety in his heart; he was serene and content because he had relinquished all to God. He knew that whatever God had decided upon for him was best for him and he was never frightened of the future, because as long as he did the best he could, God would give him the best. Therefore, as a result, he had nothing to be depressed or worried about, as he knew that everything was taken care of by God.

The second traveler, however, had not put his trust in God enough to believe that everything was already under His management. He believed that he had the power to change things, but also believed that he did not have enough power to control everything, which in turn led to his insecurity and ego. In his heart, anxiety kept haunting him and he was worried about almost everything. As a result, in order to control his anxiety, he turned to drinking and other sins. When the two met, the first one commented that the second had perceived of everything in a negative light because he had no certainty in his heart.

There is one difference in the concept of psychological projection as coined by Freud and that from the Islamic perspective. For Freud, psychological projection happens when someone needs to suppress their negative thoughts or feelings. Considering the examples given above, lying and stealing are bad deeds and the feelings of guilt are that which the doer desires to repress. However, in Islam, projection can happen with both positive and negative feelings, as explained metaphorically by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in his book.

Projection of this kind from an Islamic point of view can be related to a hadith regarding the heart, “…In the body, there is a piece of flesh. If it is good, the whole body is good, and if it is bad, the whole body is bad; truly, it is the heart.” This hadith underlines the importance of having a good heart to reflect well on the outer world. To apply this to the story of the two men, an insincere, insecure, worried heart reflects the similar world for the second man, while the contrary is true for the first man.

Realizing this aspect of the human psyche makes an impact on Muslims as preachers. Technically, all Muslims are in some way a preacher, regardless of their professions. Be they an engineer, educator, psychologist, policeman or officer, these professionals are entrusted by God to enjoin the good and forbid the bad. Being a good preacher might require us to filter our thoughts from unnecessary projections to those we are preaching. For example, a good Muslim psychologist who works as a counselor, and who also happens to be a single parent, must not perceive his or her client from his or her own point of view. This includes not jumping to conclusions too soon, for example, saying the client is lonely (as he or she feels, as a single parent) and deciding that all the problems of the client are rooted in loneliness. A good preacher must understand the nature and background of the audience and make an analysis that is as objective as possible.

Another impact of projection is the importance of cleansing the heart in order to construct a more optimistic view of the world. Al-Ghazali emphasizes the effectiveness of remembrance of God as a way to cleanse the heart. Performing additional forms of worships, in addition to the obligatory ones, can be a good way to make remembrance of God, for example, uttering istighfar (repentant supplication) before sleeping and engaging in self-supervision, or muraqaba. Cleansing of the heart can help a person have a more positive light in viewing this world, thus allowing more room for improvements and more opportunity to achieve something greater in life.

Psychological projection also gives us an understanding about how others might make criticisms based on their state of heart. This is important to note, because sometimes people easily succumb to the poison of criticism and cease performing correct actions merely because they are blinded by this criticism. For instance, a man is told by his friend that his good appearance when going to mosque will make others say something bad about him, because others might envy him. However, the second man’s statement may just reflect his own envy towards the first man’s good appearance. If the first man succumbs to the statement, he will try to worsen his appearance, despite the fact that we are encouraged to dress nicely when going to the mosque. By being aware of the existence of psychological projection, the first man can be more objective towards the “advice” of the second man and analyze it in the best way.

To benefit from understanding the nature of projection, we can go back to the story told by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. From this story, we can learn that projection can be both good and bad for the self. The heart, as the core of the self, can project serenity, confidence and many other positive feelings onto real life, if it has been cleansed and is pure and reflective of the line of the religious prescriptions. A positive state of heart can be very important to lead us further and it can make it easier for us to worship God. However, if the heart is negative, this can be bad as it will project whatever negative thoughts and feelings a person has. This insecure state of heart can lead to other sins, such as drinking or other problems that are rife in today’s society.

Once again we need to emphasize that understanding projection is important for us as people, because all believers are preachers. Whether we are to help others or only ourselves, pensive reflection on our backgrounds and assessments of our lives can be made to ascertain the state of our heart, and this in turn will make it more effective in helping others. Therefore, as we can see, understanding the real nature of our feelings and thoughts can be very helpful in developing ourselves.

Taufik Mohammad, PhD, is a senior lecturer in Universiti Sains Malaysia.

References

• Reported by Bukhari and Muslim with the authority of al-Numan bin Basheer. The Hadith Software, version 1.0, Islamasoft Solutions, 2002.
• Said Nursi, The Words, NJ: The Light, Inc. 2005.

However, turning to the Eternal Truth must not be governed merely by our own desires and whims. We must turn to God in an attitude of conscious servanthood, in utmost humility and fragility, to ask for our common needs.

Our Lord is more aware of our needs and wishes than we are. Hence our petitions must be made quietly, as such courtesy is expected of those who are truly aware of this. Our Lord, closer to us than we are to ourselves, says: Pray to Me so I may respond to your prayer. This Divine encouragement to pray indicates that failing to do so causes people to feel a senseless independence and alienation from themselves.

When those who pray turn to God wholeheartedly, they express their respect to God’s continual closeness while being saved from the turmoil of their remoteness to God. In return, God makes them hear what needs to be heard, see what needs to be seen, say what needs to be said, and accomplish what needs to be accomplished.

As a result, all who feel the pleasure of faith and have become very sensitive in their duties to God remain highly aware of prayer. In fact, such people understand that worship is the purpose of their existence and so give it the importance it deserves. They conform to daily life’s material and immaterial aspects, and see a pleading heart as a sign of seeking closeness to God. In such an atmosphere of closeness, they usually feel hope and joy, as well as fear and anxiety.

Although we are fragile and weak beings with endless needs, God gives us existence, provides us with food, causes us to grow, and is aware of our every need and wish. His Mercy is so vast that we are not left to the mercy of others. Hence, our behavior must be equally and carefully gauged. As God is the Absolute Ruler of all that we have, we need to be aware of our smallness while appreciating God’s greatness and of our duty to direct our prayers only to God. When we reflect that God is closest and that our prayers will be answered, we analyze our behavior and adjust our voice levels.

We feel pleasure and awe while observing ourselves as we become conscious of God’s always ready and watching presence. Hence our petitioning through prayer is the purest form of worship. In fact, all parts of existence prays to God through the language of their innate abilities. In return, God responds to their needs from His Wisdom. God hears all and makes us aware that His response covers everything.

We must understand that God does not necessarily answer our prayer by giving that for which we ask. More often than not, we make our own window of needs narrow by thinking only of today and the present, thereby ignoring many things that are related to us. However, as God knows and sees today and tomorrow, He grants different kinds of needs with Mercy and Wisdom. When God enlightens our present situation, the future is not deprived of this light; when complimenting one person, God is not oblivious of another person.

And so when believers raise their hands to entreat their Lord, they are aware that there is a One who sees them, hears their breathing, knows all that passes through their minds, and, last but not least, gives due importance to all of their complaints and pains. In addition, they know that the One God accomplishes all acts according to His Absolute Ability and Wisdom. They are reassured of God’s actions, whenever and whatever is willed. They are convinced that all obstacles will be overcome through God’s mercy and will and, even at worst of times, breathe with security and hope. Those who turn to their Lord many times during the day and visualize reality beyond matter through the eyes and ears of their hearts can never again depart from this door.