Dear Editor

The interaction of thoughts and health and its influence on mental and, consequently, physical health is well-established. Reframing thoughts is one of the effective cognitive techniques used in certain treatment and care procedures. Cognitive reframing can help reduce negative thinking patterns. Reframing thoughts can also affect physical health. By correcting negative thoughts, stress levels are reduced, and sleep quality and well-being are improved. Interestingly, from a cognitive linguistics perspective, the linguistic structure of the Holy Quran evokes diverse cognitive frames that alter a person’s perspective to a more positive and constructive outlook. This, in turn, affects physical and mental health and overall well-being.

Meanwhile, the contribution of multiple disciplines to the evolving concept of health and care call for an interdisciplinary approach, integrating Transcendental Health, Cognitive Linguistics, Psychology, and Nursing based on the cognitive patterns of (re)framing thoughts found in the Holy Qur’an. Harnessing the Qur’anic-based cognitive reframing patterns can be employed not only to improve individual health but also to contribute to a healthier society.

In the following paragraphs, we discuss how thoughts interact with health, signaling a shift toward a holistic paradigm and highlighting the intersections among diverse fields that shape health and care. In fact, the contributions of multiple disciplines should be considered throughout the current treatment and care processes, as they influence outcomes.

Despite the complexity and two-way relationship between thoughts and health, many studies have clearly demonstrated the impact of thoughts on well-being and physical and mental health. From a mental health perspective, thoughts play an important role in shaping emotions, behaviors, and mental state. Negative or distorted thoughts can contribute to the creation or exacerbation of mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Conversely, positive thoughts can increase resilience, emotional well-being, and psychological growth. In addition, thoughts have a direct influence on human physical health. Chronic stress, often caused by negative thinking patterns, can lead to various physical problems. On the other hand, positive thoughts and a healthy mindset can contribute to better outcomes for physical health, improved immune system function, and faster recovery from illnesses.

In a world increasingly focused on physical health and medical interventions, we must shift our paradigms toward a more holistic approach that incorporates transcendental medicine and the profound wisdom found in the Holy Qur’an. The Holy Qur’an offers numerous insights that promote positive thinking and resilience, guiding us to reframe our thoughts to foster inner peace and well-being. For instance, verses that emphasize patience, gratitude, and trust in divine wisdom can help individuals navigate life’s challenges with a renewed sense of hope and purpose, especially through reflection, as mentioned in Surah Al-An’am 50. Furthermore, the story of the prophets in the Holy Qur’an, including Prophet Yusuf, serves as a good instance about the role of the soul and inciting ill feeling (Surah Yusuf 18; Surah Yusuf 100). By integrating these cognitive patterns into our daily lives, we can cultivate a mindset that not only supports mental health but also enhances our overall transcendental health. This approach encourages us to see beyond immediate struggles and recognize the greater purpose behind our experiences. It invites us to embrace a paradigm where spiritual well-being is as vital as physical health. ¹

Moreover, as we explore the intersection of cognitive reframing and transcendental health, we must advocate for a broader acceptance of these concepts within healthcare systems. By training healthcare professionals to incorporate spiritual and cognitive dimensions into their practice, we can create a more comprehensive model of care that addresses the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. ²

With an interdisciplinary approach toward Transcendental Health, Cognitive Linguistics, and Psychology based on patterns from the Holy Quran, concepts and methods can be integrated to reframe or reconstruct thoughts. For instance, the interdisciplinary nature of what is currently done in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) necessitates applying the concept of mental frames in Cognitive Linguistics in the process of the psychological therapies that are directly based on linguistic elements, used in written or spoken communication during therapy sessions. With an interdisciplinary approach, CBT, similar to other therapeutic techniques used in modern psychology, lacks a linguistic approach while totally relying on linguistic elements and concepts to collect data through interviews, talk, or narration, both through written and spoken communication. Thus, there is a huge gap of a cognitive linguistic approach that will play a vital role in determining how the choice of words triggers certain mental frames and actively contributes to framing or reframing thoughts. Based on our work, manipulating the linguistic elements of a given frame directly accounts for a shift or change and transition between frames of thought.

For instance, while psychology intends to change or reconstruct cognitive distortions such as black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, overgeneralization, and personalization, the techniques currently used lack a linguistic approach and do not consider how linguistic choices can be applied to or integrated with therapeutic solutions intended by therapists. ³ That is, strategies involved in cognitive restructuring completely rely on using language and linguistic elements, thereby enforcing a linguistic perspective to ensure which linguistic elements directly trigger a certain frame, so that consultation can result in effective reframing or reconstructing. However, current approaches and techniques in Psychology focus on events that trigger a response or thought.

Furthermore, even deeply biased and inaccurate embedded cognitive distortions are easily influenced by the frame elements through choosing the right word that triggers a certain frame, and manipulating the frame elements, influencing how individuals perceive and understand a situation. When reframing and reconstructing thoughts in CBT, therapists can leverage this understanding by helping clients identify and challenge the mental spaces or frames associated with their negative thought patterns. ⁴ Thus, Quranic-Cognitive patterns of thought can be applied in psychological techniques, including CBT, for reframing or reconstructing thoughts by helping individuals understand the language they use to describe their thoughts and emotions. Therefore, not only psychology, but also nursing practice, in terms of providing care, especially to difficult patients, can benefit from this technique by analyzing the linguistic patterns and metaphors used by clients; that is, therapists can identify underlying cognitive processes and beliefs that contribute to negative thought patterns. This awareness allows therapists to guide clients in reframing their thoughts in a more positive and constructive way, ultimately leading to a shift in behavior and emotional well-being. By incorporating cognitive linguistics principles into care procedures, therapists can enhance the effectiveness of therapy sessions and help clients achieve lasting change.

In other words, through the current care provided in hospitals, therapists can guide clients in examining the language they use to describe their thoughts and emotions, identifying the mental spaces or frames that may be contributing to their distress. By bringing linguistic awareness to these cognitive structures and the impact of specific words, therapists can assist clients in reframing their thoughts in a more positive and constructive way, ultimately leading to a shift in cognitive patterns and emotional responses.

Accordingly, by analyzing the language used by clients and the mental spaces or frames triggered by specific words, therapists can also assist clients in reframing their thoughts more accurately if and only if they are aware of the linguistic elements of a given frame and how to manipulate each element to move between frames. This process involves identifying and replacing negative or unhelpful frames with more adaptive and empowering ones, ultimately leading to a shift in cognitive patterns and emotional responses. By addressing the underlying cognitive linguistic structures, therapists can help clients reframe their thoughts and achieve meaningful change in their behavior and well-being.

Moreover, through an interdisciplinary approach, supported by ample compelling evidence, therapeutic approaches in psychology and nursing practice must apply a cognitive linguistic approach when using language and linguistic elements, both in written and spoken communication, as the primary tool to collect and analyze data. Using a cognitive linguistic approach to (re)framing thoughts will guarantee effective therapeutic interventions. Accordingly, journals and scholars are recommended to welcome interdisciplinary research attempts that integrate a cognitive linguistic approach with psychological methods. Additionally, therapists and practitioners, especially in CBT, will benefit from applying cognitive linguistic knowledge in their therapy sessions.

Accordingly, it seems promising that addressing mental spaces and patterns of (re)framing thoughts in the verses of the Holy Quran can lead to healthy thinking, as one of the main elements of health and care. Moreover, current evidence on the integration of transcendental medicine, cognitive linguistics, and the teachings of the Holy Quran highlights the necessity for an interdisciplinary approach to health. By employing Quranic-based cognitive reframing patterns, this approach can enhance our understanding of health and care, fostering a more holistic perspective that bridges spiritual, cognitive, and medical insights. Such a synthesis not only enriches the discourse on health but also promotes a more comprehensive framework for addressing the complexities of human experience.

Given the evolving concept of health and care, it is essential to realign our perspectives towards a more comprehensive approach that integrates Transcendental Health along with the deep wisdom present in the Holy Qur’an. ⁵ The Holy Qur’an provides a wealth of insights that encourage positive thinking and resilience, directing us to reshape our thoughts in ways that cultivate inner tranquility and overall well-being. Therefore, it is time for us to embrace a transformative shift in how we perceive health and care from the perspective of Transcendental Health. The main beneficiaries of this approach in the healthcare system are psychologists and psychotherapists, nurses, and healthcare providers who can apply healthy thinking methods through a cognitive linguistic approach to cognitive reframing, in the light of the illuminating verses of the Holy Quran. Moreover, by harnessing the power of Quranic-based cognitive reframing patterns supported by the teachings of the Holy Qur’an, we might not only improve individual well-being but also contribute to a healthier society.

Authors’ Contribution

SZT: Study concept, study design, data interpretation, and drafting, reviewing the manuscript; MV: Study concept, study design, data interpretation, and drafting, reviewing the manuscript. Both authors have read and approved the final manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Declaration of AI

The authors declare that they have not used any AI tools or technologies to prepare this manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

None declared.

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