Ahmad Nubail, Lazuardi Fadhlan Arrazy, Zul Fadhli Sultani, Haydar Syihabuddin

Meditation and Religion: Buddhist Practice and Islamic Contemplative Analogues

Introduction

Meditation and religion: buddhist practice and islamic contemplative analogues. Explore meditation's shift from religious practice to therapeutic trend. This study compares Buddhist meditation with Islamic contemplative analogues, especially Sufism, clarifying concepts and addressing controversies.

Abstract

This paper examines meditation, a practice that has become a global trend and is increasingly promoted as a therapeutic intervention in health-related contexts. This development has contributed to a shift in the public perception of meditation—from a religious tradition to a medicalized instrument—potentially detaching it from its original spiritual and religious meanings. Accordingly, this study explores meditation in Buddhism as its primary focus and discusses Islamic traditions as a comparative perspective. By clarifying key terms and conceptual meanings, the paper identifies both convergences and divergences between Buddhist meditation and selected Islamic practices, particularly within Sufism. It also addresses a recurring controversy in public discourse, namely the claim that “there is no meditation in Islam,” while acknowledging that the two religions are not treated as equivalent or interchangeable frameworks.

Review

This paper addresses a highly relevant and timely topic concerning the contemporary understanding and practice of meditation. It rightly identifies the crucial shift in public perception, moving from a deeply religious practice to a medicalized intervention, and seeks to re-ground this discussion by exploring its spiritual origins and comparative manifestations. By primarily focusing on Buddhist meditation and drawing insightful parallels with Islamic contemplative traditions, particularly within Sufism, the study offers a critical re-evaluation of how meditation is understood across diverse religious landscapes. A significant strength of this work lies in its commitment to conceptual clarity, promising to define key terms and meanings that are often conflated or misunderstood in public discourse. The comparative approach, identifying both convergences and divergences between Buddhist and selected Islamic practices, is particularly valuable, offering nuanced insights into their distinct yet sometimes analogous spiritual methodologies. Furthermore, the paper commendably tackles a prevalent controversy regarding the presence of meditation in Islam, challenging simplistic narratives while carefully avoiding the pitfalls of treating these rich religious frameworks as equivalent or interchangeable. This judicious approach ensures a robust and respectful scholarly inquiry. While the abstract outlines a compelling scope, the paper's depth will undoubtedly hinge on the specifics of its comparative analysis within Sufism and the extent to which it concretely illustrates the identified convergences and divergences. Further, exploring the *implications* of the "medicalized instrument" trend, beyond simply noting its existence, could significantly enrich the discussion regarding the future of spiritual practices in a secularized world. Nevertheless, this paper promises to be a valuable contribution to the fields of comparative religion, Islamic studies, and Buddhist studies, offering much-needed clarity and fostering a more sophisticated understanding of meditation's multifaceted nature and its enduring religious significance.

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