examining the effect of conscious habits on performance of religious duties: exploring a lifestyle based on the quranic, biological and cognitive principles

abstract the nature and origin of human behaviors, as the main factors in the development of body and soul, have been studied and analyzed from different perspectives, including philosophy, psychology and physiology. in religious teachings, human behaviors are addressed through being classified into active and stative and also conscious and non-conscious behaviors and their effects on the life of human being are examined. this point can be of interest from two perspectives: (a) for their physical and experiential nature, and (b) for their metaphysical and non-experiential nature. although the experiential life gives form to the metaphysical and non-experiential life, these behaviors are of interest because of both their conscious and non-conscious natures and the way they give form to the mundane life (the material lifestyle) and the eternal life (the afterlife). therefore, the goal of religious teachings in analyzing human behaviors is to prepare a lifestyle in this world which is endorsed by both the human intellect and god so that happiness and felicity in the afterlife is guaranteed. religious texts are replete with such analyses. in addition, in the religious contexts these analyses go beyond mere theory to the border of action by adherents in the form of specific duties. physiologically, human behaviors are a product of complex and organized processes which through studying their development we can more attentively monitor our behaviors that ultimately turn into habits. the present paper attempts to provide an answer to a fundamental question from religious and experiential points of view: how do conscious behaviors play a role in the performance of religious duties and what is the physiological mechanism of those behaviors?