Washington, June 7 : Militant jihadists in the Middle East and elsewhere are inspired by their night dreams or ruya, according to a new study by a social anthropologist at Durham University.
Militant jihadists in the Middle East and elsewhere are inspired by their night dreams or ruya, according to a new study by a social anthropologist at Durham University.
In the study, Dr Iain Edgar study reported the dreams of many of the best-known al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders.
The study included analysis of transcripts from proclamations by notorious Islamic jihadists.
These showed that dreams were interpreted to justify violence and legitimise actions.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival on the cultural significance of sleeping and dreaming Edgar said: "Islam is probably the largest night dream culture in the world today. The night dream is thought to offer a way to metaphysical and divinatory knowledge, to be a practical alternative and accessible source of inspiration and guidance, to offer clarity concerning action in this world."
Edgar interviewed individuals in the UK, Pakistan, Northern Cyprus and Turkey to identify the key features of the inspirational night dream.
He also reviewed transcripts including that of Osama Bin Laden, who has spoken of the night dream in the context of his concern that "the secret [of the 9/11 attacks] would be revealed if everyone starts seeing it in their dreams."
"It has been suggested that dream narratives are cynically adopted for propaganda purposes", says Edgar.
"This could of course be the case for some individuals but the range and number of reported narratives I have researched strongly argue against this.
"Even if reported jihadist dream narratives are fabricated, the fact that Muslims often believe them and are mobilized to jihad partly on their account is of significance".
On the significance of the research Edgar said. "Overall, how Moslems, and people in general, understand their night dreams is a powerful tool in assessing their worldview and implicit key motivations."
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