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[Caution: The contents of this article might offend some readers]

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Where does an Islamic Soul Reside?

Since an Islamic soul is a physical entity, similar to other internal organs in a human body, it needs to be stored. Allah did not say precisely where in a body the human soul is ensconced. Ghazali (p.1.97) writes that Allah says: “it is not the eyes that are blind but the souls that are in breasts. He who is blind in the world will also be blind in the hereafter.”

This means that a living person’s soul resides somewhere inside his breast. Allah did not clarify where the souls of pictures and animals reside. We may assume that Allah stores their souls somewhere inside their bodies, or on the media on which they are drawn.

Allah needs storage facilities for the souls of dead persons. True to these requirements, Allah has separate storage facilities for Muslims souls and non-Muslims souls.

In verse 83:18 Allah says that He keeps the records of the righteous (that is, Muslims) in a high place with a register called Illiyyin. Ibn Kathir writes that Illiyyin is taken from the word `Uluw, which means highness. Illiyyin is located in the seventh heaven, paradise; it contains the souls of the believers.

Allah says in verse 83:7-9 that He collects the records of souls of wicked people (non-Muslims) in a register called Sijjin. Ibn Kathir writes that Sijjin means prison; it is an eternal prison and a painful torment; it is located beneath the seventh earth; it contains the souls of the unbelievers.

On the interpretation of the above verses, ibn Abbas says that the works of the children of Adam are written on a green rock under the seventh earth; this is Sijjin.

Previously, in verses 3:169-171, we noted that the souls of Islamic martyrs do not die. To explain these verses, ibn Kathir and Tabari (vii.156) write that the soul of a believer is in the shape of a bird in paradise. As for the souls of martyrs, they are inside green birds, like the stars to the rest of the believing souls. Sunaan ibn Majah (5.4271) writes that the soul of a believer (a Muslim) is a bird; it eats in the trees of paradise.

Sahih Muslim (20.4651) also writes that the souls of the martyrs live in the bodies of green birds who have their nests in the chandeliers hung from the throne of Allah; they eat the fruits of paradise. They will request Allah to return their souls to their bodies so that they may be slain in the path of Allah again, again, and again. In Sunaan Nasai (2.2077) we read that the soul of a Muslim assumes the form of a bird, hangs from trees in paradise until it returns to the body on the day of resurrection. Ghazali (p.1.237) writes that the souls of martyrs lie in the wombs of green birds.

Please note the difference: an ordinary Muslim’s soul resides inside an ordinary bird, whereas, the soul of an Islamic martyr resides inside a green bird of paradise.

This contradicts Allah’s contention in verse 19:71 that says all souls (including the souls of Muslims), even temporarily, will be in hell. Previously, we noted that Allah stores Muslims souls in Illiyyin.

Components of an Islamic Soul, and Types of Islamic Souls

Ghazali (p.3.7-8) says that the soul is the king of the body and its different organs are its servants to carry out its orders and commands. Ghazali’s idea of Islamic soul means, it (the soul) is the nerve centre or the control center of a human body. Contrast this to the modern medical evidence that our brain is the commander of our central nervous system. Ghazali (ibid) writes further that a man acquires the knowledge of Allah and His attributes by no other organs than the soul.

Ghazali even discovered different parts of an Islamic soul. These are:

• Qalb: it has two meanings. The first part is a piece of flesh in the left breast called heart, which is hollow in interior, filled up with black blood and which is a source of Ruh or life. The second meaning of Qalb is that soul is immaterial aspect of formless. Ghazali considers this part of Qalb (or soul) is just like unseen electricity.
• Ruh: it is a material thing within the heart, which vibrates the whole body like the current of electricity wind, which runs through the veins of the body. It is called life. It has the power of touch, hearing, sight, smell and the power of the other limbs of the body. Sourcing Qur’anic verse 17:85 Ghazali writes that Ruh is a command from Allah.
• Nafs: it is the passion part of a soul. It involves greed, evil, and other attributes.
• Aql: the first meaning of Aql is the intellect by which the true natures of material objects are known. The second meaning of Aql is the power to understand esoteric phenomena.

Ghazali (p.3.15) classifies the souls in four categories. These are:

• The soul of a Muslim
• The soul of an unbeliever (non-Muslim)
• The soul of a hypocrite
• The soul of a mixed person (that is, between a Muslim and a hypocrite)

He (p.3.53) even writes that the greatest desire for the soul is its meeting with Allah, and that there are heavy souls and there are light souls. Good habits create light souls, which show many wonderful things. The heavy souls are the souls of non-Muslims.

It is perplexing, no doubt. This is because the Qur'an is a repository of contradictions and confusions. Ghazali certainly adds more to it (the Qur'an).

Allah Examines Your Soul When You Sleep

It is quite fascinating that when we sleep Allah plays with our souls. Allah says in verse 39:42 that He takes the souls at death and at sleep. According to Islam, sleep is a kind of death, and while in sleep, some souls are taken to Allah. If the person is destined to die then Allah keeps the soul, otherwise He sends the soul back to the sleeping person.

Please note how Allah contradicts Himself. In verse 32:11 Allah says an angel takes soul.

It is more interesting to read verse 75:30. In this verse, Allah says that everything will be driven to Him. Ibn Kathir writes that, after due examination, when Allah is satisfied that it is not the time of death, Allah says to the couriers of the victim’s soul, "Return my servant to the earth, for verily, I have created them from it, I return them into it, and from it I will bring them out at another time.”

According to Ghazali (p.4.411), during death, the soul separates from the body. After burial, the body of a man is returned to his soul, so that he may taste the punishment.

Ghazali (p.1.256) says further that when a man sleeps with ablution, his soul is hung up with the Throne and his dream becomes true. If he sleeps without ablution, his soul cannot reach there and he cannot see dreams, which are true.

A Few More Interesting Features of Islamic Souls

We already read that in verse 79:1 Allah swears by the angels who tear out by force the souls of sinners (unbelievers). It is certainly a very painful way to extricate the soul of an unbeliever.

In contrast, in connection with verse 10:64, here is what ibn Kathir writes about the comfortable manner in which the angels remove the soul of a Muslim:

When death approaches a believer, angels, with white faces and white clothes, come to him and say: "O good soul! Come out to comfort and provision and a Lord who is not angry.'' The soul then comes out of his mouth like a drop of water pouring out of a water skin.

In verse 79:2 Allah confirms that the angels draw out gently souls of the believers.

According to Ghazali (p.3.15) if sins are committed one after another, the soul becomes dark and that is the seal on the soul. Ghazali (ibid) also writes that Muhammad said, “The soul of a believer is bright and there is a bright lamp in it. The soul of an unbeliever is black and blind.”

A strange property of an Islamic soul is that a Muslim’s soul has the sweetest fragrance, whereas the soul of a non-Muslim has the stench of a corpse.

Sunaan Nasai (2.1836) writes that during a Muslim’s death, his soul comes out with the sweetest smell. During an infidel’s death, the angels punish him; his soul comes out with the most unpleasant stench of a corpse.

This hadis is repeated in many other hadis books. Here are a few samples:

Sahih Muslim (40.6867) writes that two angels take the soul of dead person into sky, to Allah; if the soul is a believer’s then it has a beautiful fragrance; if the soul is of a non-believer then it has a foul smell.

Sunaan Tirmidhi (511) writes that a believer’s soul has the fragrance of musk; an unbeliever’s soul has foul stench.

Further, Tirmidhi (510) records that a good soul will be taken to Allah to reside in paradise; a bad soul will be grieved in boiling liquid and then returned to the grave of the deceased.

Here are a few more interesting features of Islamic souls:

• When the soul is taken away the sight follows it. So close the eyes of a dead person… (Sahih Muslim, 4.2003, 2005)
• The eye-sight of a person follows his soul…( Sunaan ibn Majah, 2.1454, 1455)
• A defaulter’s soul is suspended until he clears the loan…3.2423)
• If you did not clear your debt your soul will be held back until you clear the debt… (Sunaan Tirmidhi, 301)
• A believer's soul is attached to his debt till it is paid… (Sunaan Tirmidhi, 871)
• Human soul has power of sight as that of external eyes… (Ghazali, p.3.21)
• From the back of Adam, Allah created all the souls who are to be born… (Sunaan Tirmidhi, 37)
• Muhammad said that Allah is in the soul of a believer… (Ghazali, p.3.19)
• A soul is a container of knowledge. It is like a mirror  (Ghazali, p.3.15)

Allah has a Soul

It might sound incredible, but Allah, truly has a soul. In verse 2:87 Allah contends that He gave Moses the Book, followed by a succession of apostles; He sent Jesus as son of Mary but people called many apostles impostors; some were even slain. Ibn Kathir says that Allah sent Jesus, aided by His (Allah’s) Ruh al-Quddus, which most Islamist scholars believe to be Gabriel. Previously, we read that as per Ghazali, Ruh is a component of an Islamic soul. This means that Allah has, at least, a part of His soul, with Gabriel.

Verse 3:49 is more specific about Allah’s soul, Ruh al-Quddus. Jalayn explains this verse by saying that Gabriel breathed into the opening of Maryam’s garment and she became pregnant. This means Gabriel breathed into Mary’s body Allah soul or Allah’s Ruh.

Lastly, we read in verse 19:17 that an angel, as a man, appeared to Mary. As per ibn Kathir Gabriel is Allah’s Ruh, and he appeared to her complete and perfect in the shape of a man.

This means Allah’s soul made Mary pregnant.

>>>> Continued in Part 13b