" (Syed, 2006) The Two Views Debated

Whether one is following the Islamic or the Christian religious dogma, training, or theology the 'key' to the proof is just as suggested by Richard Bentall in his refutation of mystical experiences is that which is an 'inner' perspective of the individual. The Sufi follow a process referred to as 'Shagal' which is the closing 'off' of the five physical sense of self in order to look and listen 'inward' for a higher voice. In Christianity it is much the same as followers of the faith seek to find the 'inner door' of which Jesus spoke as being the place that the believer would find Him, or He who is "The Way," "The Truth." (Holy Bible, n.d.) in the book of John Chapter 10 and verse 9 Jesus states: "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture." The Sufi state: "But the opening of hearing and sight is not sufficient for the purpose, because it is simply an opening; illumination is something else. With the development of those two faculties by Shaghal the necessity for illumination remains nevertheless. You must know the language of the voice that speaks from within, and you must recognize the letters that you find written on the record within. The mystics heard it and read it and kept quiet; the prophets on hearing and reading this gave it out but little; and this that was given is the only Scripture there is, call it Bible, Kabala, Vedanta or Qur'an." (Khan, n.d.)

IV. Science Provides the Proof

The work of Syed includes studies that have located the regions of...

For instance, the middle temporal lobe has been proven to the "linked to emotional aspects of religious experience, such as joy and awe." (Syed, 2006) the lower temporal lobe is stimulated during the "viewing of sacred images such as candles or crosses..." (Ibid) the "juncture of three lobes" or the Broca's region is stimulated when the individual is stimulated through a "response to language." Finally, when the individual enters a state of deep spirituality or mystical experience the region of the brain that finally "quiets down" and signifies that the person has entered the place where they may "feel at one with the universe" is the region of the brain which is called the "parietal lobes." (Syed, 2006)
Conclusion

It is clear that in the attempt of Science to disprove the experiences of the Sufi it seems that science has instead provided ample proof for the experiences which the Sufi claim as real through the studies of Neurotheology and Biotheoloy.

Bibliography

Syed, Ibrahim B. Ph.D. (2006) Sufism and Neurotheology. Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc. Online available at http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_301_350/sufism__and__neurotheology.htm.

Tart, Charles, (1996) State of the Art in Transpersonal Psychology - Charles T. Tart Consciousness Library. Online available at http://www.paradigm-sys.com/ctt_articles2.cfm?id=64

Holy Bible (n.d.) King James Version. Nelson Regency Publishers.

The "Spark' of the Sufi: Mystical Experiences Debate