Meditation and Religion: Buddhist Practice and Islamic Contemplative Analogues
Ahmad Nubail, Lazuardi Fadhlan Arrazy, Zul Fadhli Sultani, Haydar Syihabuddin
Misykat al-Anwar Jurnal Kajian Islam dan Masyarakat January 31, 2026 DOI: 10.24853/ma.9.1.27-38 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Islam Contemplation Spiritual practice Intervention counseling Perception Prayer Epistemology Religious studies Aesthetics Spiritual development Religious experience |
| Key points | Argues that the medicalization of meditation detaches it from its original spiritual meanings, and identifies both convergences and divergences between Buddhist meditation and Islamic practices, particularly within Sufism. |
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.