Reinterpreting Al-Isrā' wal-Mi'rāj: Bridging Quantum Science and Islamic Spirituality in Contemporary Education

This empirical study presents a groundbreaking interdisciplinary framework that reinterprets the Islamic narrative of Al-Isrā' wal-Mi'rāj—the Prophet Muhammad’s night journey and ascension—through the lenses of quantum physics and ecological interconnectedness, while assessing its efficacy in fostering cross-cultural understanding within Nigerian tertiary institutions. Leveraging a mixed-methods approach, including pre- and post-intervention surveys (N=320 students) and qualitative discourse analysis, the research introduces a seven-module curriculum integrating Qur’anic exegesis, classical commentaries, and modern scientific theories. Key findings demonstrate statistically significant improvements in participants’ scientific literacy (p<0.01, Cohen’s d=0.67) and intercultural competence (IDI score Δ=+14.3, p=0.003), with 82% of students demonstrating enhanced ability to reconcile spiritual and scientific perspectives. The framework’s quantum entanglement metaphor, drawing parallels between non-local particle behavior and transcendent spiritual experiences, proved particularly effective in recontextualizing the Prophet’s journey across spatial-temporal dimensions. The study operationalizes four hypotheses through psychometric instruments, rejecting all null hypotheses at α=0.05. Quantitative analysis reveals strong correlations (r=0.71) between understanding quantum non-locality and acceptance of metaphorical interpretations of Al-Mi’rāj’s celestial ascension. Qualitative data from focus groups highlight paradigm shifts among Sufi enthusiasts in perceiving the Buraq (celestial steed) as a symbol of consciousness-mediated spacetime traversal rather than literal transportation. The curriculum’s Module 3 on quantum interconnectedness emerged as the most transformative, with 76% of participants recognizing parallels between quantum field theories and Sufi concepts of divine unity (wahdat al-wujūd). This research contributes to global discourse on faith-science integration by demonstrating how sacred narratives can serve as pedagogical tools for 21st-century challenges. The empirical validation of this framework offers replicable models for educational institutions seeking to cultivate epistemic humility and/or Tauhidic epistemology, as well as cross-cultural dialogue through interdisciplinary learning. By mapping the Prophet’s ascension to higher dimensions against modern cosmology’s 11-dimensional spacetime constructs, the study provides a hermeneutic bridge between Islamic spirituality and contemporary physics, while maintaining fidelity to theological foundations.