The Role of Qur'anic Recitation and the Seerah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: A Critical and Analytical Study on the Treatment of Psychosomatic Disorders and the Promotion of Mental Harmony among Women

Abstract

This research paper critically examines the therapeutic role of Qur'anic recitation (tilāwah) and the Prophetic Seerah in treating psychosomatic disorders and promoting mental harmony among women. Psychosomatic disorders—physical symptoms arising from psychological distress—disproportionately affect women due to biological, hormonal, social, and cultural factors. Contemporary medical interventions demonstrate significant limitations, including side effects, incomplete symptom resolution, and cultural resistance. This study employs a critical analytical methodology, integrating Islamic theological foundations, Prophetic biographical evidence (Seerah), and contemporary psychological research. The paper analyzes the concept of shifāʾ (healing) in the Qur'an, the Prophetic model of emotional regulation through ṣabr (patience), tawakkul (reliance on Allah), and duʿāʾ (supplication), and the physiological mechanisms of sound-based recitation therapy. Key findings reveal that Qur'anic recitation produces measurable neurophysiological effects—alpha brain wave activity, reduced cortisol, and vagal nerve stimulation—while the Prophetic Seerah provides a comprehensive framework for cognitive restructuring and psychological resilience. The study identifies a significant research gap in the integration of Seerah-based interventions with conventional psychotherapy for Muslim women. The paper concludes that Qur'anic recitation and the Prophetic model offer an evidence-based, culturally congruent, and spiritually powerful framework for treating psychosomatic disorders. Recommendations include developing structured therapeutic protocols, training healthcare providers in spiritually integrated care, and conducting longitudinal clinical trials.