Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract

This comprehensive research report presents an exhaustive theological, scientific, and philosophical commentary on two pivotal Quranic verses: Surah Az-Zumar (39:42) and Surah Al-Furqan (25:47). These verses articulate a profound metaphysical reality—that sleep is a temporary suspension of the soul akin to death, and waking is a daily resurrection (Nushur). The objective of this study is to synthesize classical Islamic exegesis (Tafsir) with contemporary neuroscientific findings on consciousness, thalamocortical gating, and the Reticular Activating System (RAS), alongside philosophical inquiries into personal identity and continuity. By bridging the gap between the biological mechanics of sleep and the spiritual metaphysics of the soul, the report constructs a detailed framework for “The Morning Resurrection.” This framework serves as a practical spiritual methodology, transforming the mundane act of waking up into a rigorous exercise in Muhasabah (self-accountability) and Muraqabah (divine vigilance). The analysis demonstrates that the daily cycle of consciousness suspension and retrieval is not merely a biological necessity but a deliberate divine sign intended to cultivate God-consciousness (Taqwa). The report argues that internalizing this “daily resurrection” fosters a heightened state of spiritual alertness, negating spiritual heedlessness (Ghaflah) and anchoring the believer in the reality of the ultimate Resurrection.

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I. The Scriptural Architecture: A Theological Exegesis of Suspension and Return

The Quranic discourse on human existence is deeply cyclical, emphasizing returns, renewals, and the transient nature of worldly life. The text frequently employs the analogy between sleep and death to strip away the illusion of autonomy that plagues the human condition. This section provides a granular analysis of the primary verses under study, dissecting the linguistic roots and theological implications of the terms Tawaffa, Manam, and Nushur to establish the scriptural foundation for the Daily Resurrection.

1.1 The Metaphysics of Capture: Surah Az-Zumar (39:42)

The verse 39:42 serves as the ontological anchor for understanding the state of the soul during sleep. It acts as the primary theological assertion that sleep is not merely a cessation of biological activity, but a transactional event between the Creator and the created soul.

“Allah takes the souls (yatawaffa) at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Quran 39:42) ¹

1.1.1 Linguistic Analysis of Tawaffa

The critical verb utilized in this verse is Tawaffa. In classical Arabic lexicography, the root w-f-y denotes fulfillment, completion, or receiving something in full (Istifa). It is distinct from Mawt (biological death) or Qatl (killing), although it is often translated as “death” due to context.⁴

• Tawaffa as “Taking in Full”: Scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir, supported by modern linguistic analysis, clarify that Tawaffa implies the retrieval of the soul from the body. It acts as a transitive verb where the agent is Allah (or His angels) and the object is the Nafs (soul/self). This nuance is critical; it suggests that the “self” is a commodity or a trust that is recalled. When used for a debt, tawaffa al-dayn means to exact the debt in full. Thus, sleep is the “exacting” of the soul.⁵
• The Theological Implication of Istifa: The use of this root implies that the soul belongs entirely to the Divine. Its presence in the body is a loan. Every night, the Lender calls in the loan. The sleeper does not “lose” consciousness passively; their consciousness is “repossessed” actively.⁵

1.1.2 The Two Categories of Capture (Wafat)

The verse explicitly bifurcates the event of Tawaffa into two distinct categories, establishing a clear ontology of the soul’s departure:

1. The Major Capture (Al-Wafat Al-Kubra): This occurs “at the time of their death” (hin mawtiha). This is the irreversible separation of the soul from the physical vessel, leading to the dissolution of the biological substrate.
2. The Minor Capture (Al-Wafat Al-Sughra): This occurs “during their sleep” (fi manamiha). Here, the soul is extracted, yet the biological link remains intact. The verse states “and those that do not die,” implying that the mechanism of extraction is identical in nature but different in finality.⁵

This distinction is crucial for the believer’s mindset. It suggests that sleep is not a biological pause but a metaphysical event where the soul’s attachment to the physical vessel is loosened to a degree that mimics death. The sleeper is, for all spiritual intents and purposes, in a state of suspension that borders on non-existence in the terrestrial realm.⁴

1.1.3 The Divine Sorting: Retention (Imsak) vs. Release (Irsal)

The verse continues with a description of divine adjudication that occurs during this suspension: “He keeps (yumsiku) those for which He has decreed death and releases (yursilu) the others.”

• Yumsiku (He Retains/Withholds): For the soul whose time has concluded, the sleep state transitions directly into the death state. The soul is withheld from returning to the body. This confirms that the “death in sleep” is a seamless transition; the soul simply does not return from its nightly ascent. The term Imsak implies a firm gripping or withholding, preventing the re-association of the soul with the brain and body.¹
• Yursilu (He Sends/Releases): For the living, the soul is “sent back.” The term Irsal (sending) implies a directional movement—from a divine repository back to the corporeal realm. This creates a powerful image of the soul acting as a projectile returned to its target (the body) for a “specified term” (Ajal Musamma). The waking state is thus a “release” on bail, a temporary extension of the contract until the Ajal is reached.⁴

Table 1: Quranic Categorization of Soul States in 39:42

State	Quranic Term	Biological Status	Metaphysical Status	Outcome
Major Death	Wafat Kubra	Cessation of Life	Irreversible Extraction	Imsak (Retention)
Sleep	Wafat Sughra	Metabolic Maintenance	Reversible Extraction	Irsal (Release)
Waking	Nushur	Active Consciousness	Embodied Soul	Ajal Musamma (Term Fulfillment)

1.2 The Morning Resurrection: Surah Al-Furqan (25:47)

While 39:42 focuses on the mechanism of taking and returning, Surah Al-Furqan (25:47) focuses on the functional purpose of the day and the phenomenology of waking.

“And it is He who has made the night for you as clothing and sleep [a means for] rest (Subata) and has made the day a resurrection (Nushur).” (Quran 25:47) ⁸

1.2.1 Linguistic Analysis of Subata

The verse describes sleep as Subata. Derived from the root s-b-t, it means to cut off, sever, or disconnect.

• The Severing: Classical exegetes explain that Subata is that which cuts off one thing from another. In the context of sleep, it is the cutting off of the soul from the sensation of the world, or the cutting off of the body from motion and activity. This aligns with the scientific view of sleep as a sensory disconnection (discussed in Section II).⁸
• Rest as Consequence: Because the connection to the demanding world is “severed,” the result is rest (Ra’ha). However, the primary meaning focuses on the disconnection itself.

1.2.2 Linguistic Analysis of Nushur

The term Nushur is the theological centerpiece of the morning meditation. It comes from the root n-sh-r, which means to spread out, unfold, or scatter. It is the specific term used for the resurrection of the dead on the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Nushur).

• Waking as Resurrection: By contrasting sleep (Subata) with the day as Nushur, the Quran explicitly defines waking up as a form of resurrection. Just as the dead are scattered from their graves to spread across the plain of judgment, the sleepers are scattered from their beds to spread across the earth to seek livelihood and fulfill their duties.⁸
• The Revival: Maarif-ul-Quran notes that the day is described as a revival because its opposite, sleep, is like death where one loses all senses. The return to activity is a “mini-resurrection.” The transition from the static, disconnected state of Subata to the dynamic, scattered state of Nushur is a daily reenactment of the cosmic history of the universe.⁸

1.3 Theological Synthesis: The Cycle of Trust and Accountability

Combining these verses yields a coherent theological framework that redefines the human circadian rhythm:

1. Sleep is a Trust (Amanah): We involuntarily surrender our consciousness and soul to the Divine every night (39:42). We are rendered helpless, entrusting our “self” to the Wakil (Trustee).
2. Waking is a Gift (Ni’mah): The return of the soul is a deliberate divine act of “sending back” (Irsal). It is not an automatic biological restart but a specific divine permission to continue existence for a set time.
3. The Day is a Test (Bala): Waking up is a resurrection (Nushur) into a field of action. The “scattering” into the land is for the purpose of gathering provision—both material (Rizq) and spiritual (Hasanat).

This theology necessitates a shift in perspective: We do not simply “wake up” by biological automatism; we are “resurrected” by divine decree for a specific purpose. This daily cycle is a pedagogical tool designed to prevent the denial of the Greater Resurrection by making the Lesser Resurrection a recurring, undeniable experience.

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II. The Physiology of Suspension: A Neuroscientific Commentary

To deeply appreciate the Quranic description of sleep as a “taking” of the soul and waking as a “resurrection,” we must examine the biological mechanisms that underpin these states. Modern neuroscience offers striking parallels to the theological descriptions of sensory gating, consciousness suspension, and the sudden reintegration of the self. This section explores how the “cutting off” (Subata) and “sending back” (Irsal) manifest in the neural architecture.

2.1 The “Taking” of the Soul: Thalamocortical Gating and Sensory Disconnection

The Quran describes sleep as a state where the individual is “cut off” (Subata). Neuroscientifically, this corresponds to the phenomenon of thalamocortical gating, a sophisticated mechanism that functionally severs the conscious mind from the external world.

2.1.1 The Thalamic Gate: The Biological “Barzakh”

The thalamus functions as the central relay station for sensory information traveling to the cerebral cortex (the seat of conscious processing). It is the gateway to the “I.”

• The Mechanism of Closing: During the transition from wakefulness to Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep, the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) acts as a shield. It inhibits the thalamocortical relay neurons through the release of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). This effectively “closes the gate,” preventing sensory data (sounds, touch, visuals) from reaching the cortex.¹¹
• Theological Parallel: This biological “cutting off” (Sabt) perfectly mirrors the Quranic concept of the soul being withdrawn from the world of sensory engagement. The consciousness is not destroyed, but its connection to the external world is severed at the root (the thalamus). The brain remains active, but the observer is placed behind a veil.

2.1.2 Sleep Spindles: The Signatures of Isolation

As the brain enters deeper stages of sleep (NREM Stage 2 and 3), the EEG shows characteristic “sleep spindles”—bursts of oscillatory activity (11-16 Hz).

• Function: These spindles are associated with the maintenance of sleep and the blockage of external stimuli. They represent a functional isolation of the cortex. The more spindles present, the harder it is to wake the sleeper. They are the neural bars of the cage that holds the consciousness in suspension.¹¹
• The “Minor Death”: In this state, the brain is active (consolidating memory, repairing tissue), but the “self”—the conscious agent capable of moral choice and intent—is absent. The body is present, the heart beats, but the person is gone. This biological reality aligns with the Tafsir of 39:42, where the Hayat (biological life) remains, but the Ruh (consciousness/soul) is taken.⁵

2.1.3 REM Sleep and the Paralysis of the Will

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep presents a different form of “taking.” Here, the brain is highly active, often indistinguishable from wakefulness on an EEG, yet the body is in complete atonia (paralysis).

• Sensory Disconnection: While internal imagery (dreams) is vivid, the external world is completely blocked. The “Active Inference Framework” suggests that during this state, the brain down-weights sensory precision, effectively ignoring the outside world to focus on internal generation.¹⁵
• Active Inhibition: The paralysis is an active mechanism to prevent the acting out of dreams. It is a state of enforced helplessness, reinforcing the Quranic theme of the sleeper’s vulnerability and lack of agency.¹⁶

2.2 The “Resurrection”: The Reticular Activating System (RAS)

The Quran describes waking as Nushur (resurrection) and Irsal (sending back). The neuroscience of waking up—or arousal—relies on a complex network known as the Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS). This system’s function provides a stunning biological correlate to the concept of “re-animation.”

2.2.1 The Spark of Consciousness

Located in the brainstem, the RAS is a bundle of nerves responsible for regulating wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions. It acts as the brain’s ignition switch.

• The “Boot-Up” Sequence: Waking up is not a passive event; it is an active reconstruction of consciousness. The RAS floods the thalamus and cortex with a cocktail of neurotransmitters:
  • Norepinephrine (Locus Coeruleus): Promotes arousal and attention.
  • Serotonin (Raphe Nuclei): Regulates mood and cognition.
  • Histamine (Tuberomammillary Nucleus): Promotes wakefulness.
  • Acetylcholine (Basal Forebrain/Brainstem): Promotes cortical activation.¹⁷
• Reopening the Gate: This chemical surge depolarizes the thalamic neurons, reopening the sensory gates. Suddenly, the cortex is reconnected to the world. The “I” returns. The integration of sensory data resumes, and the timeline of the self is re-established.
• Connection to “Irsal”: The sudden, coordinated flood of neurochemicals that reassembles the conscious self mirrors the Quranic language of “sending back” (Yursilu). It is a top-down/bottom-up reintegration that happens almost instantaneously—”less than the blinking of an eye” as noted in some Tafsir traditions regarding the soul’s return.¹

2.2.2 The Filter of Reality: RAS and Intention

The RAS does not just wake the brain; it filters the world. It decides what information reaches conscious awareness based on importance and focus.

• Attention and Intent: The RAS is programmed by our focus and intentions. If one wakes up with anxiety, the RAS filters for threats. If one wakes up with gratitude, it filters for opportunities. This is known as “attention bias”.²⁰
• Spiritual Implication: This biological mechanism underscores the importance of the “Morning Niyyah” (Intention). By setting a spiritual intention immediately upon waking (as prescribed in Islamic Adab), a believer effectively programs their RAS to filter the day’s events through the lens of Taqwa and accountability. The brain’s hardware is designed to serve the soul’s software.

2.3 Sleep vs. Coma vs. Death: A Spectrum of Departure

The Quranic distinction between the “taking” in sleep and the “taking” in death is mirrored in clinical neuroscience’s distinction between sleep, coma, and brain death. The “spectrum of consciousness” validates the Quranic categorization of states.

Table 2: Comparative States of Consciousness Suspension

State	Consciousness	Reversibility	Brain Stem Function	Quranic Classification
Wakefulness	Full	N/A	Active	Hayat / Yaqaza
Sleep (NREM/REM)	Suspended (Dreaming)	Reversible (Arousable)	Active	Wafat Sughra (Minor Death)
Coma	Absent	Variable	Impaired/Active	Pathological Suspension
Brain Death	Irreversibly Absent	Irreversible	Ceased	Wafat Kubra (Major Death)

• Sleep as the “Brother of Death”: Scientifically, the cessation of consciousness in deep sleep is phenomenologically identical to death for the subject. There is no experience of time or self. The only difference is the reversibility—the “release” mentioned in 39:42.²²
• The Dying Brain: Recent studies on the dying brain show a surge of activity (gamma oscillations) moments after cardiac arrest, similar to dreaming or memory recall. This suggests the transition to death (Wafat Kubra) involves a specific neural event, perhaps the biological correlate of the soul’s final extraction. This “life recall” mirrors the “unveiling” (Kashf) described in Islamic eschatology at the moment of death.²⁵

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III. The Philosophical Bridge: Identity, Continuity, and the Soul

The transition from sleep to wakefulness raises profound philosophical questions about personal identity. If consciousness is interrupted, what guarantees that the “I” who wakes up is the same “I” who went to sleep? This section explores the philosophical implications of the Quranic verses, arguing that the “Daily Resurrection” solves the problem of continuity through Divine sustenance, challenging materialist conceptions of the self.

3.1 The Problem of the Gap

Philosophers from John Locke to modern consciousness theorists have wrestled with the “Gap” in existence created by sleep. If the self is defined by the continuity of psychological states (memory, consciousness), sleep poses a fatal problem.

3.1.1 Locke and the Interrupted Self

John Locke, in his treatise on personal identity, argued that identity is founded on consciousness. However, he famously admitted, “Men think not always.” If the soul sleeps without thinking (dreamless sleep), then continuity is severed.

• The Lockean Dilemma: If I have no memory or consciousness for 8 hours, on what basis am I the same person? Locke attempts to bridge this by memory links, but the gap remains a period of non-existence for the “Person” (as opposed to the “Man” or biological organism).²⁷
• Hume’s Bundle Theory: David Hume took this further, arguing there is no “self,” only a bundle of perceptions. In sleep, the bundle dissolves. Upon waking, a new bundle is formed. Hume effectively argues that we “die” every night, and a new “self” is reconstituted in the morning.²⁹

3.1.2 The Teleporter and Clone Paradoxes

Modern philosophy uses thought experiments like the Teleporter (Star Trek style) to highlight this. If a person is disintegrated (sleep/death) and reassembled with the exact same atoms and memories (waking/resurrection), is it the same person?

• Materialist Failure: Materialism struggles to explain why the copy is the original. If the brain is just a machine that shuts down and reboots, the continuity of the “observer” is an illusion. There is no “I” that persists; there is only a sequence of brain states.³⁰

3.2 The Quranic Solution: The Substantive Soul and Divine Holding

The Quranic model presented in 39:42 offers a solution to the continuity problem via Substance Dualism (or a specific Islamic Hylomorphism).

3.2.1 The Soul as the Constant

The verse implies that the Nafs (self/soul) is a substantive entity that exists independently of the bodily state. When the body sleeps and consciousness fades, the Nafs is not annihilated; it is “held” (Yumsiku) by Allah.

• Divine Bridging: The continuity of the self across the gap of sleep is not guaranteed by biological memory (which is dormant) but by the Divine Act of Imsak (holding) and Irsal (sending back). Allah acts as the Bridge over the chasm of unconsciousness. The “I” persists because it is held in the Divine presence, not because it is active in the brain.⁴

3.2.2 Swinburne’s “This-ness” (Haecceity)

Contemporary philosopher Richard Swinburne argues that physical continuity (brain/body) and psychological continuity (memory) are insufficient for personal identity. There must be a “this-ness” (haecceity) provided by the soul.

• The Argument: Swinburne posits that we can imagine surviving the replacement of our brain parts or the loss of memory. This implies we are something other than the parts. The Quran affirms this: the “I” that returns is the same “I” because Allah returns the specific soul to its specific body. The identity is secured by the Soul, which is the indivisible core of the self.³²

3.3 Phenomenology of Waking: The “New” Self

From a phenomenological perspective (the study of direct experience), waking up is experienced as a re-creation.

3.3.1 The “First” Moment and “Throwness”

The moment of waking is often accompanied by a brief period of disorientation—a “who am I, where am I?” phase. This is the re-loading of the persona.

• Heidegger’s Geworfenheit: Martin Heidegger described the human condition as “thrownness” (Geworfenheit). We are thrown into the world. Waking up is a daily re-enactment of this thrownness. We do not slide seamlessly from yesterday to today; we are re-inserted into our narrative.³⁴
• Islamic Phenomenology: The believer views this re-insertion not as a continuation of entitlement but as a renewed grant. The “Self” of yesterday “died” (entered the realm of the taken). The “Self” of today is a newly empowered agent commissioned for a new term. This shifts the existential posture from “I am continuing my life” to “I have been given a new life.”

3.3.2 Rumi and the Dream Within a Dream

The mystic poet Rumi and philosopher Ibn Arabi offer a profound commentary on the nature of this continuity.

• The Dream Analogy: Rumi states, “This place is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Then death comes like dawn, and you wake up laughing at what you thought was your grief.”
• Double Waking: For the Sufi philosophers, waking from sleep is a “minor waking” within the “major sleep” of worldly life. The true waking is death (or spiritual enlightenment). This perspective frames the daily waking as a training for the ultimate waking. We practice waking up from the “unconscious” state of sleep to the “semi-conscious” state of dunya, preparing for the “super-conscious” state of the Afterlife.³⁵

3.4 Sleep as an Existential Rehearsal

The Quranic description of sleep as a sign (Ayat) for “a people who give thought” (39:42) suggests that sleep is a pedagogical tool.

• Rehearsing Non-Existence: Sleep forces the ego to abdicate its throne. The arrogant, the wealthy, the powerful—all must succumb to a state of helplessness and unconsciousness. It is a nightly reminder of human fragility and dependence. We practice being dead every night.³⁶
• The Analogy of Resurrection: If we accept that we return from the “little death” of sleep daily, the “big death” becomes less abstract. If the One who re-boots the consciousness every morning (39:42) can do so after 8 hours of suspension, He can surely do so after 8,000 years of suspension (Resurrection). The mechanism is conceptually identical; only the duration differs. This argument counters the denial of resurrection by pointing to the empirical evidence of the morning.³⁷

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IV. The Theology of the “Little Death”: Spiritual Realities

This section delves deeper into the theological texture of the sleep-death analogy, exploring the “Barzakh” (isthmus) of sleep and the spiritual transactions that occur while the body lies dormant.

4.1 The Realm of Souls

Islamic tradition expands on 39:42 by describing what happens to the soul after it is “taken.”

• The Meeting of Souls: Ibn Kathir and other exegetes cite narrations (Athar) from Ibn Abbas and others suggesting that during sleep, the souls of the living ascend to the heavens where they may meet the souls of the dead. They converse and exchange information. Then, the souls of the living are released to return, while the dead are detained. This explains the phenomenon of “true dreams” (Ru’ya Sadiqah) where one gains knowledge unavailable to the waking senses.¹
• The Prostration: Narrations suggest that when a person sleeps with Wudu (ablution), their soul ascends to the Throne (Arsh) of Allah and prostrates. This signifies that while the body rests, the soul can be in a state of high worship, provided the sleeper prepared correctly.³⁹

4.2 The Vulnerability of the Sleeper

Al-Ghazali, in his Ihya Ulum al-Din, emphasizes the vulnerability of the sleeper as a key spiritual realization.

• The Unlocked Door: Sleep is a state where the defenses are down. The sleeper cannot fend off harm, nor can they perform good deeds. They are entirely at the mercy of God’s protection.
• The Spiritual Will: Ghazali argues that the preparation for sleep (the “Will” or Wasiyyah) is essential because the return is not guaranteed. The sleeper enters a contract of uncertainty every night. This uncertainty is the seed of Taqwa (God-consciousness). To sleep without repentance is to risk meeting God with a stained soul.³⁹

4.3 Ibn Al-Qayyim on the Sleeping Heart

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, in Al-Wabil al-Sayyib, draws a parallel between physical sleep and spiritual sleep (Ghaflah).

• The Heedless Heart: He argues that heedlessness of Allah is a “deep sleep” of the heart. Just as the body needs to wake up to function in the world, the heart needs to wake up (Yaqaza) to function in the spiritual realm.
• The Morning Dhikr: Ibn Qayyim posits that the morning remembrance (Dhikr) is the fuel that wakes the heart. Without it, the person may be physically awake (eyes open, walking) but spiritually asleep (heart dead). The commentary on “Nushur” thus extends to the resurrection of the dead heart through the remembrance of God.⁴²

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V. The Liturgy of Waking: A Practical Methodology for Daily Resurrection

Having established the theological, scientific, and philosophical dimensions of the “Daily Resurrection,” we now turn to the practical application. How does this nuanced understanding transform the morning routine into a spiritual discipline? This section outlines a methodology for “Waking Up with Accountability,” integrating Prophetic Adab with the psychological insights of the Reticular Activating System.

5.1 The Prophetic Protocol of Waking (Adab)

The Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) provides a structured protocol for navigating the transition from the “Minor Death” to the “Daily Resurrection.” This protocol is not merely ritualistic but deeply psychological and cognitive.

5.1.1 The First Words: Acknowledging the Resurrection

Immediately upon waking, before checking the phone, before speaking to anyone, the Prophet (PBUH) would recite specific supplications that anchor the mind in the reality of Nushur.

“Alhamdulillah illadhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.”

(All praise is due to Allah who gave us life after He had caused us to die, and unto Him is the resurrection.).44

• Commentary:
  • “Ahyana ba’da ma amatana” (Gave us life after death): This is not poetic metaphor; it is a theological affirmation of 39:42. The believer acknowledges that they were essentially dead (metaphysically suspended) and have been re-animated. It serves as a gratitude trigger.
  • “Wa ilayhin-nushur” (And unto Him is the resurrection): The immediate linkage of this waking to the final waking. The morning arousal is treated as a proof of the Day of Judgment.
• Psychological Impact (RAS Priming): By reciting this immediately, the believer sets the “Cognitive Frame” for the day. The RAS is primed to view the day not as a mundane continuation, but as a “second chance” at life. It filters the day’s tasks through the lens of ultimate purpose.⁴⁷

5.1.2 Physical Re-embodiment: Sujud and Siwak

• Sujud (Prostration): Narrations indicate the Prophet (PBUH) or righteous predecessors would often prostrate or praise God immediately. This is an act of physical submission, acknowledging that the body has been returned to serve, not to indulge. It grounds the “returned soul” in servitude (Ubudiyyah).⁴⁸
• Siwak (Oral Hygiene): Upon waking, the Prophet (PBUH) would clean his mouth with the Siwak.
  • Spiritual Significance: Sleep is a state where the “vapors” of the stomach rise, and the mouth (the instrument of Dhikr and Quran) becomes stale. Cleaning it signifies preparation for the audience with the King (Prayer). It is a physical act of purification marking the transition from the state of Subata (cut off) to Munajat (intimate conversation with God).³⁹

5.2 The Morning Audit: Muhasabah (Self-Accountability)

The concept of waking as a “new term” (Ajal Musamma) necessitates an audit. If yesterday’s file was closed (the soul taken), today’s file is fresh.

5.2.1 The Pre-Dawn Strategy

Waking up before the sun (for Fajr or Tahajjud) aligns the believer with the cosmic rhythm of light returning to the world.

• The “Release” Contract: The believer should reflect: “Why was I released (Yursilu) today while others were held (Yumsiku)?”
• Answer: The release is for a specific purpose—to rectify the past and prepare for the future.
• Action: This leads to Muhasabah. The believer reviews the “dream” of the previous life (yesterday). “I failed in X yesterday; I have been resurrected today specifically to fix X.”

5.2.2 Setting the Niyyah (Intention)

Just as the RAS filters sensory data based on intent, the soul filters spiritual opportunities based on Niyyah.

• The Practice: Before leaving bed, the believer should articulate a specific intention. “O Allah, I intend to live this day as if it were my last, utilizing the faculties You have returned to me to seek Your pleasure.”
• Neuro-Theological Synergy: This practice utilizes the brain’s reticular activating system to scan the environment for opportunities to do good (Hasanat) and avoids the “drift” of heedlessness. It turns the brain into a “Hasanat-seeking missile”.²⁰

5.3 Muraqabah: Sustaining Consciousness of the Return

Muraqabah is the state of spiritual vigilance—knowing that Allah is watching. The daily resurrection mindset fuels this through a simulation of the life-cycle.

• The Simulation Argument: If today is a “micro-life” simulating the entire lifespan, then the believer maps the day as follows:
  • Morning (Fajr): Corresponds to birth and youth. High energy, pure slate, new beginnings.
  • Noon (Dhuhr/Asr): Corresponds to adulthood and middle age. The heat of work, struggle, and distraction.
  • Sunset (Maghrib): Corresponds to old age. The day is winding down, the shadows lengthen (life is short).
  • Sleep (Isha): Corresponds to death. The return to the Creator.
• Living the Day as a Lifetime: By mapping the lifecycle onto the daily cycle, the believer maintains urgency. One does not procrastinate repentance until “old age” because “Maghrib” is only hours away. This makes accountability immediate and manageable.³⁸

5.4 Breaking the Cycle of Ghaflah (Heedlessness)

Modern life is designed to induce Ghaflah. The alarm rings, and we immediately check phones, emails, and news—flooding the RAS with worldly noise and anxiety.

• The Spiritual Counter-Measure:
  1. No Phone First: Delay digital engagement. Keep the channel open for the Divine connection first. Do not let the creation speak to you before you speak to the Creator.
  2. The Gratitude Anchor: Replace anxiety about the “To-Do List” with gratitude for the “To-Be List”—gratitude for being alive, for being Muslim, for having a soul returned.⁴⁴
  3. Visualization of Hashr: Briefly visualize the Day of Judgment. Just as I rose from these blankets, I will rise from the dust. How do I wish to rise then? Let me rise now in that same state (e.g., in wudu, in prayer, with a clean heart).⁸

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VI. Integrative Analysis: The “Daily Resurrection” Model

This section synthesizes the findings into a cohesive model (The DR Model) for spiritual development, contrasting the Materialist view with the Quranic view.

6.1 The Model Components

Table 3: The Daily Resurrection (DR) Spiritual Framework

Stage	Quranic Term	Biological Correlate	Spiritual Practice	Existential Meaning
Going to Sleep	Tawaffa / Imsak	Thalamocortical Gating / Spindles	Istighfar & Wasiyyah	Surrendering the Trust; Practicing Dying.
The State of Sleep	Sabt / Manam	Sensory Disconnection / Unconsciousness	(Passive Worship if wudu/niyyah present)	The “Barzakh” (Intermediary realm); Total dependence on Divine Sustenance.
The Spark of Waking	Irsal	RAS Activation / Neurochemical Flood	Alhamdulillah (Praise for Life)	The Divine Permission to return; The “Second Chance.”
Rising from Bed	Nushur	Motor Activation / Re-engagement	Wudu / Salah	The “Scattering” for deeds; Simulating the Final Resurrection.

6.2 Causality and Ripple Effects

• From Biology to Theology: Understanding the fragility of the sleep state (that we are biochemically paralyzed and unconscious) reinforces the theological truth of Allah’s Rububiyyah (Lordship). We do not sustain ourselves; we are sustained. The intricate dance of neurotransmitters required just to wake up serves as a proof of design.
• From Philosophy to Ethics: If personal identity is preserved by God across the sleep gap, then our moral liability is also preserved. We wake up carrying the “baggage” of yesterday unless we cleared it through repentance before sleep. This creates a cycle of constant ethical cleaning (Tazkiyah).
• From Ritual to Reality: The morning Duas are not empty rituals. They are cognitive reframing tools that align the believer’s psychological state with the metaphysical reality of the “returned soul.”

6.3 Addressing the Denier

For the secular materialist or the spiritual skeptic, this model offers a compelling argument. Even if one denies the metaphysical soul, the phenomenological reality of waking up as a “rebooting of consciousness” is undeniable. The Quran frames this common biological event as a Sign (Ayat).

• The Argument: You admit that you lose consciousness nightly. You admit you have no control over its return (you cannot “will” yourself awake while asleep). You admit that the “Self” is fragile. Why, then, do you live with the arrogance of immortality? The Daily Resurrection is an empirical proof of your vulnerability and potential for renewal. To deny the Greater Resurrection while experiencing the Lesser Resurrection daily is a cognitive dissonance.³⁸

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Thematic Epilogue: The Awakening

“People are asleep; when they die, they wake up.” — (Attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib or Prophetic Tradition)

The journey through Quran 39:42 and 25:47 reveals a universe where sleep is not an interruption of life, but a fundamental lesson in the nature of existence. We are amphibious beings, oscillating between the shores of the seen (Alam al-Shahada) and the unseen (Alam al-Ghayb).

Every night, we are stripped of our autonomy, our senses, and our very selfhood. We are returned to the source, held in the Divine grasp. For hours, we cease to be “doers” and become purely “receivers” of life, suspended in the amber of Subata.

Every morning is a miracle of Irsal—a divine release. The Reticular Activating System fires, the thalamic gates swing open, and the soul is thrust back into the arena of the body. We open our eyes not because of an alarm clock, but because the Decree of Ajal Musamma (the appointed term) has not yet expired.

To wake up without recognizing this is to sleepwalk through life. But to wake up with the consciousness of Nushur is to live with electrifying purpose. It is to look at the ceiling in those first seconds of consciousness and realize: I have been returned. The test continues. The books are open again.

This daily meditation transforms the mundane into the sacred. The grogginess of the morning becomes the dust of the grave being shaken off. The sunlight becomes a reminder of the Light of the Divine Countenance. The hustle for livelihood becomes the pursuit of provision for the Hereafter.

Ultimately, the commentary on these verses is a call to Wake Up before the final Waking. It is an invitation to practice resurrection every single day, so that when the Horn is finally blown, and the souls are paired with their bodies for the last time, the experience is not one of terror, but of familiarity. The believer will rise from the grave as they rose from their bed: with praise on their lips, submission in their limbs, and a heart fully awake to the reality of God.

“All praise is due to Allah, who gave us life after death, and to Him is the Return.”

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