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Lecture to second year medical students at the Kulliyah of Medicine, International Islamic University, Kuantan, Malaysia on Saturday 6th February 1999 by Prof Dr Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr.
Intellect and the senses: Intellect needed for proper sensory perception: Intellect, 'aql, is related to the sense of vision (7:179). Intellect is also related to the sense of hearing (2:171). The relation between intellect and other sense modalities is less pronounced because their sensory input into intellectual processes is relatively less. Sensory modalities that are concerned with autonomic activities have very little input into the intellectual process and the human is not consciously aware of their functioning.
Observation, tadabbur, and thinking, tafakkur: Observation and thinking are closely related. Observation consists of two processes: picking up sensory input from the environment and perception, interpretation of that information. The brain intellectual functions analyze the information and use it in many ways. This analysis is a type of human thought called concrete thought. The thinking mode of children before adolescence is predominantly concrete ie their thought revolves around real objects or events in the environment. Abstract thought develops after adolescence yet not all adults are capable of abstract thought. Even those who can think in the abstract, usually employ the much easier concrete thinking. Humans are encouraged to use their thinking faculties (6:50, 7:184, 34:46). Concrete thinking is encouraged by the Qur'an when it calls upon humans to think by looking and seeing (17:48, 22:15, 25:9, 27:27, 27:33, 27:41, 37:102, 59:18, 74:21). Of special relevance to medicine is Allah's call to humans to think by observing their own bodies (30:8). Humans are encouraged to think about the signs of Allah (3:191). Meditation is a type of ibadat and involves tadabbur. Itikaf is practical mechanism for tadabbur because it ensures relaxation and isolation from the general environment. Relaxation of the mind is needed for tadabbur. A quiet and stable environment also assists tadabbur. Too much environmental stimulation makes it difficult to concentrate in the observation and thinking. Salat al tahajjud has its major impact because it is offered at night when everything is quiet and the human can concentrate as well as think deeply about the creator and His signs.
Pain sensation: The Qur'an has mentioned pain in the hereafter and pain on earth. Pain on earth is of lower magnitude than pain in the hereafter (4:104). There are various types of pain sensation: visceral pain, itching, deep muscle pain, tendon pain, and headache. It is part of the mercy of Allah that humans are for the most part unaware of visceral pain. Headache is perhaps the commonest form of pain. The sensation of pain has philosophical and cultural aspects. Pain is not necessarily negative. It is an early warning system about body injury so that necessary remedial measures may be taken. Perception of pain and reaction to it vary by cultural practice and experience. Some cultures have rituals, beautification measures, shoes, and other costumes that involve pain but are tolerated by the victims.
Extra-sensory perception, idraak la hissi: Since time immemorial, there has been talk of sensation outside the known major senses, extra-sensory perception. At the theoretical level this seems a plausible idea because Allah could have created other sensory modalities that human science has not yet discovered or described. Psychologists have developed the specialty of para-psychology which consists of 2 aspects: Extra-sensory perception, ESP, and psycho-kinesis. Psychologists recognize ESP as including: telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition. Research on ESP is on-going and many issues remain to be resolved. The Qur’an and sunnat have described phenomena of extra-sensory perception as inspiration, ilhaam; intuition, hadas; instincts, jibillat; and imagination, khiyaal. A very famous story of telepathy is told about Omar Ibn al Khattab who was in Madina and shouted to the army commander at a far-away battle-field. The commander apparently heard the command and executed it thus ensuring victory.
Revelation, wahy: Is a special type of extra-sensory perception that is the privilege of prophets only. Any other human who claims to get revelation is a liar. According to the hadith of Aisha the Prophet used to get revelation in various ways. Sometimes Jibril would come in the form of a human and talk to him. Sometimes he got it by inspiration.
Understanding fahm: Sensory perception is not sufficient. The sensory input must be understood. The source of understanding, fahm, is Allah Allah (21:79). Allah has decreed variations in understanding among people. People do not have the same or equal understanding of the same facts (MB #105).
Insight, idraak: Insight is a higher level of perception and understanding.
Judgment, hukm: Information from various sources may be apparently contradictory or may have to be combined to reach a reasonable conclusion. This calls for judgment. Judgment involves critically analyzing each piece of information, weighing and prioritizing it followed by considering it together with other pieces of information or with previous knowledge. Judgment is a necessity in a world in which phenomena are complex and multi-facetted.