Medical aspects of ablution and prayer

Abstract

Brain is protected from thermal damage by a so-called radiator system: the brain cooling system. As the brain gets hotter, the veins of this radiator system bring in cool blood from the evaporating surfaces of skin and craniofacial cavities. The craniofacial regions important in brain cooling system are very similar to the regions washed or wetted with ablution. So washing the face, oral and nasal cavities, and wetting scalp, ears and nape 4-5 times a day help the brain to remain cool throughout the day. This obviously means that with ablution cooler the head, healthier the brain. However, when a person is erect, the basal surface of the brain is in close contact with the cranial bones and therefore cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could not cool the basal parts of the brain in erect position. Of course the relations of CSF to the skull and the brain are reversed when a person stoops (such as bowing and prostrating) allowing the CSF to intervene between the brain and the skull. Therefore stooping (as Muslims do about 120 times a day with prayer) would be beneficial for cooling the brain entirely by providing the CSF to wash-up the basal parts of brain. As for the other benefits of prayer, grounding is another aspect which provides a basis that restores and maintains natural electrical contact between the human body and the earth.