Effect of Salat Prayer and Exercise on Cognitive Functioning of Hui Muslims Aged Sixty and Over

Abstract

We compared the cognitive functioning of Hui Muslims aged 60 and over who practiced salat prayer (SP) and/or did physical exercise (PE) with individuals in the same age group who did not engage in such practices. Our sample comprised 205 ethnic Hui Muslims aged between 60 and 86 years who completed the Scale of Cognitive Functioning in Older People (Hong, 1990) and it was found that those in the group of participants who practiced SP or did PE demonstrated a similar level of cognitive functioning which was better than that of individuals who neither exercised nor prayed regularly. SP may be considered as an alternative type of exercise for older Muslim adults who cannot do strenuous PE.