Analisis Komparatif Hadis dan Fenomena Sleep Paralysis: Pandangan Ulama dan Sains Modern

Abstract

The phenomenon of sleep paralysis, commonly known in Indonesia as ketindihan, is often interpreted as a supernatural disturbance. In Islamic tradition, the concepts of al-jatsum and satanic disturbance during sleep describe symptoms comparable to this condition. This study aims to analyze the relationship between hadith, classical scholarly interpretations, and modern neurological findings concerning sleep paralysis. This research employs a library research approach using thematic hadith (al-ḥadīṡ al-mawḍū‘ī) and an interdisciplinary comparative analysis integrating hadith studies with modern neurological literature. The findings indicate that hadith and classical commentaries emphasize the spiritual dimension of the phenomenon while recommending preventive sleep practices, including ablution, dhikr, and sleeping on the right side. In contrast, modern neurology explains sleep paralysis as a transitional disorder between Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness, in which REM atonia persists despite partial awakening. The study demonstrates a conceptual correspondence between Islamic sleep etiquette and modern sleep health principles without equating the epistemological foundations of religion and science. Therefore, hadith scholarship and modern neurology represent different yet complementary perspectives in understanding sleep paralysis.