[Brief report].Near-death experiences among a sample of Iranian Muslims.

Abstract

Muslim near-death experiences (NDEs) have been rarely reported by comparison to the incidence of NDEs reported in other groups. Recently, after Kreps (2009) found no NDEs in a sample from Pakistan and Kashmir, he concluded Muslim NDEs may even be nonexistent. However, in Arak City, Iran, we easily identified 19 Iranian Muslims who reported having experienced an NDE. Thirty participants claiming to have memories from a period of unconsciousness associated with a close brush with death completed a Persian translation of Greyson’s (1983) NDE Scale as well as background and semi-structured questions. Of these, 19 (63%) scored 7 or higher on the NDE Scale, Greyson’s criteCheryl Fracasso, M.S., is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Saybrook University. She serves as adjunct faculty member for the University of Phoenix; Research Assistant at Saybrook University with Stanley Krippner, Ph.D.; and Associate Managing Editor of the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies. Seyed Ali Aleyasin, Ph.D., is a faculty member with the Department of Clinical Psychology at Islamic Azad University, Ashtian Branch, in Iran. Harris Friedman, Ph.D., is a practicing clinical and organizational psychologist who was affiliated with Walden University at the time of the study; he now is Research Professor (Retired) of Psychology at the University of Florida, Professor Emeritus at Saybrook University, Senior Editor of the International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, and Associate Editor of The Humanistic Psychologist. M. Scott Young, Ph.D., is Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida. Correspondence regarding this article should be sent to Ms. Fracasso; email: cherylfracasso@hotmail.com. 266 joURNAL oF NEAR-DEATH STUDIES rion for a valid NDE. The presumed NDErs were 10 female and 9 male; aged 16 to 65 years old with a mean age of 33; ranging in education from no high school diploma (5%), to high school diploma (37%), to bachelor’s degree (58%); reporting NDE circumstances of accident (58%), attempted suicide (16%), illness (11%), natural disaster (11%), and emotional trauma (5%); and reporting time since NDE ranging from less than one to 20 years with a mean of 8 years. Although low reliability precluded further statistical analysis of the data or comparison of them to results of previous Western studies, our informal assessment was that both the contents and aftereffects of the Muslim NDEs were quite similar to those of Westerners. We concluded that NDEs are not particularly rare in Muslim groups and that their similarity to Western NDEs suggests they may be a cross-culturally universal and transpersonal phenomenon.