Table of Contents
Tables viii
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction xi
Chapter I Introduction 1
Statement of the Problem 5
Hypothesis 6
Limitations 6
The definition of prayer 7
Prayer in Islam 8
Significance of the Study 11
Chapter II Literature Review 13
Introduction 15
Theological Considerations 15
Healing in the Qur'an 15
Healing in the sunnah 21
Theoretical Considerations 24
Islamic sources 24
Muslim scholars on healing 26
Current research on prayer and healing 29
Sufism and healing 32
Western sources 34
Insignificant negative effects 37
Fatalistic thinking 37
Amulets (ruqya) and talismans 39
Superstition and folk culture 39
Summary 41
Chapter III Methodology 43
Introduction 45
Research Design 45
Participants 47
Description of Sessions 48
Data Analysis 49
Summary 50
Chapter IV Research Findings 51
Part I 53
The participants 53
Results of the preliminary surveys 54
Results of religious post-test surveys 64
Results of non-religious post-test survey 68
Part II 70
Descriptive statistics for preliminary and post-protocol questionnaires 70
Correlational analysis 71
Prayer and non-religious text conditions 72
Continuous variables 73
Level of religiosity following prayer session and non-religious text condition 73
Histograms: continuous data 75
Dichotomous variables 78
Bar charts: dichotomous data 80
Vital signs following prayer and control conditions 84
Summary 85
Chapter V Discussion of Findings 87
Introduction 89
Patients' Response Patterns on Surveys 89
Analysis of Preliminary Survey Response Patterns 90
Religiosity/Spirituality 91
Analysis of Religious Post-test Survey 92
A Comparison of Religious and Non-Religious Survey Data 93
Physical effects 94
Vital signs 96
Summary 98
Chapter VI Conclusion 109
25 Remedies for the Sick 113
Definition of Islamic Terms 139
Appendixes 143
Sources 157
Index 163