The relationship between déjà vu and ru’yā ṣādiqah in the qur’an: athematic exegetical analysis

Déjà vu and the Qur'anic concept of ru'yā ṣādiqah (truthful dreams) both involve a strong sense that an event has been experienced before it occurs, sharing a similar phenomenological structure. However, their underlying natures differ fundamentally. Déjà vu arises from internal cognitive processes like memory mismatch and subconscious activation, producing uncertain, non-verifiable impressions. In contrast, ru'yā ṣādiqah is presented as a structured, meaningful experience rooted in divine communication, characterized by clarity, truth, and eventual realization in historical reality. Their temporal structures also diverge: déjà vu involves retrospective recognition, while ru'yā ṣādiqah embodies prospective anticipation later confirmed. The study proposes a framework of phenomenological correspondence with epistemological divergence, maintaining the distinction between cognitive experience and revelation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between déjà vu in modern psychology and ru’yā ṣādiqah in the Qur’an as forms of anticipatory inner experience that appear to precede real events. The research aims to identify points of convergence at the level of human experience while critically distinguishing their epistemological foundations. A qualitative interdisciplinary design was employed, combining thematic Qur’anic exegesis with conceptual analysis of contemporary psychological theories. Relevant Qur’anic verses concerning ru’yā were systematically collected and interpreted using a thematic approach, then analytically compared with psychological explanations of déjà vu, particularly those related to memory processing, perceptual familiarity, and dream-based cognition. The findings reveal that both phenomena produce a strong sense that an event has been previously experienced before its actual occurrence, indicating a shared phenomenological structure. However, this similarity does not extend to their underlying nature. Déjà vu is identified as a cognitive phenomenon arising from internal processes such as memory mismatch and subconscious activation, resulting in uncertain and non-verifiable impressions. In contrast, ru’yā ṣādiqah is presented in the Qur’an as a structured and meaningful experience rooted in divine communication, characterized by clarity, truth, and eventual realization in historical reality. Their temporal structures also differ, with déjà vu reflecting retrospective recognition, whereas ru’yā ṣādiqah embodies prospective anticipation that is later confirmed. This study contributes by proposing a framework of phenomenological correspondence with epistemological divergence, offering a rigorous interdisciplinary perspective that maintains the distinction between cognitive experience and revelation.