CHAPTER I: THE MEANING OF TASWIYAH
After taking God’s name and praising Him, al-Ghaza1i said:
Some of the inquirers have asked us to cast a ray of light on the mysteries of
the human soul. As we found their question based on sincere faith, and since we
believed that they could be profited in a general way from the personal vision
of the sufis, we acceded to their request and begged the Almighty Allah to
enable us to be of real service to them, for all the human beings will
eventually return to Him. He guides whom He pleaseth to His own light and
rewards His believing servants for their acts of obedience in the spirit of
generosity and encouragement. Asking us the meaning of the Qur’anic verse:
"..."
[And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My
spirit, then fall down before him prostrate (xv. 29).]
They first wanted us to explain what taswiyah meant.
How and When is Matter fit to attract Soul?
We said: When the matter is fit enough to attract the soul,
and consequently the latter enters the former, this entry is called taswiyah.
That matter is the refined and specially prepared dust in respect of Adam and
sperm in respect of his descendants, i.e. human beings, for purely dry objects
like earth and stone cannot be kindled into flames, nor does a wet thing like
water attract fire, which is composed of various component parts, but this does
not mean that all compound things like mud are capable of attracting fire. It is
essential that the earth be compounded several times in order to become suitable
for catching fire. In like manner Allah the Almighty, prepares the earth in a
special manner till it becomes fit for vegetation, and when man eats it, it is
introduced into the stomach, the liver receives the cream and essence of it and
transmits it to the heart; the heart in like manner extracts the essence of this
in the shape of pure blood, which is further purified in the form of sperm, as a
result of the sexual intercourse, and when the womb receives it, it is assisted
by the blood cf menses. Then the compound becomes moderate enough to be heated
by the womb, till, because of its purity and moderation, it is fit enough to
attract and sustain the soul, like the candle which kindles a flame and sustains
it. When God finds that the best of moulds in which man is created is ready to
welcome the soul, He, in His infinite mercy and love, is pleased to send the
soul to nourish the germ. Man’s life is the result of fertilization of a womb by
a drop, which comes out of the marrow of a man’s body. Then this drop grows to
be a lump, then a clot, then an infant, then a youth and then an old man.
Wonderful are the ways of God in creation, and the love with which He guides His
creatures’ destinies and gives them the means by which to strive for maturity by
ordered steps and reach the end most fitted for their natures. God’s grace flows
freely. His blessings are infinitely more than what the merits of man can ever
deserve.
The Meaning of Nafkh
Then these inquirers asked us to explain the meaning of
nafkh. We told them that it means the light of the instinctive spirit which,
like oil, feeds and supplies the flame in a lamp. Nafkh has a definite
form. The blower blows a breath into something. The wood capable of catching
fire can easily attract the latter, when air is blown into the burning wood.
Nafkh is the cause of burning, but it would be wrong to think that the
blower in this case is God, though the result, i.e. burning, can be safely
attributed to Him. Sometimes by cause we do mean the effect of it, though
apparently the effect is not a cause. God says "..." [Allah is angry with them
(al-Qur’an, xlviii. 6)] and also "..." [We took retribution from them (al-Qur’an,
xv. 79)]. Wrath implies a change in the angry person, whose aim is to inflict
punishment on those who have caused anger. Here by ghadab (retribution) we mean
the result of anger and by retribution is meant the result of the retribution.
Similarly, nafkh here means the result of breathing soul into man. Asked
further: what is the cause of the light of the soul or the light in the candle
of the sperm? -- we replied: This is an attribute in the subject as well as in
the object. By the attribute in the subject we mean the generosity of God, Who
is the source of all our lives in this world. There is none like unto Him.
Exalted beyond measure is He Who has given life to all creation. For instance,
the sun casts its light upon the objects most fitted for receiving the light.
Such objects are colored ones. Air cannot receive light, as it has no color. By
the attribute in the object we mean well-balanced and moderately-refined things.
An object cannot be rejected from a mirror which is rusty, even though the
object is placed before it. It is only when the mirror is not rusty that objects
can be mirrored from it. In the same way when sperm is stable and moderate, God
breathes soul into it, and there is no change in God Himself. It is wrong to
believe that the human soul has no beginning. It is not eternal and it is
created when the matter is fit to receive it. Suppose a man looks into a mirror.
His face seems to be reflected into it, though actually the face is not in the
mirror. It is still attached to the body of the person in question. One cannot
make use of the rusty mirror, not because the face of the user is incapable of
reflection, but because the mirror itself is unclean and does not accept things
to be reflected into it. Then these inquisitors further asked us what Divine
benevolence is. We explained that it cannot be compared to the container pouring
clean water on our hands. The use of water consists in its elements, leaving the
container and washing our hands.
God’s Benevolence
God’s benevolence can be likened to the light of the sun
falling on a wall. Some of the learned are sadly mistaken to believe that the
rays of the sun, being detached from it, strike the wall and spread on it. The
fact of the matter is that, due to the light of the sun, an image is formed on
the wall, which is as bright as light itself. To illustrate this, suffice it to
say that the face of a person is reflected into a mirror. Obviously the facial
features of the person do not separate themselves from the person concerned, nor
do they attach themselves to the mirror. As a matter of fact the reflection of
the face, which resembles the latter in all respects, is in the mirror. In
reality there is neither attachment, nor detachment. The image so produced is a
matterless form which does not exist by itself. It is impossible for the mirror
of the soul to reflect in the imagination anything which does not stand before
it. Thus the whole sensible world, as it is thought and as it appears, is
illusory. The soul is neither any particular state of matter as it is considered
by some, nor is it attached to it. It passes or rides over it and leaves matter
as defective and powerless as it was. Matter, when it is fit for life, is
blessed with the light of life by one Universal God, the Gracious, the Merciful.
This is called God’s generosity, which is no longer of the usually accepted
order of His generosity, because God neither feels nor is He felt. He does not
induce variations into His nature. No one knows the nature of His kindness to
His creatures, since it is a Divine kindness which only God can know and do.
Then the inquirers further said to us: Having explained the meaning of
taswiyah and nafkh, please tell us something about the mysteries of
the human soul. What is it - whether it penetrates our bodies like water filling
the contents of a pot or is it like an accident (`arad) in an essence (jauhar)
or is it a subsisting substance? If it is a substance, does it occupy space or
is it formless and boundaries do not contain it? If it occupies space, please
tell us where it dwells. Is it reasonable to assume that it lives in the heart
or ventricle of the brain or some other limb? lf space does not contain it, how
can an essence be without space?
The Reality of the Human Soul
Having arrived at the conclusion that no other problem
arouses the inquirers’ interest so much, or sets their minds to thinking, as
this universal problem concerning the nature of the human soul and its destiny,
we answered: This question relates to the secrets of the human soul, and there
seems little doubt that Absolute Truth is unattainable by the human mind.
Moreover, the soul is a mystery unholy for men to know and the Prophet (may
peace be upon him) has emphatically forbidden common folk and laymen to ask and
discuss such questions as are beyond the reach of their understanding. The thing
in itself is subtle and beyond the comprehension of most minds. Imagination
fails to imagine its truth. Consequently its comprehension is restricted to the
elite, who should not divulge it to those who are unable to grasp it, lest
whenever their minds fail to comprehend it or to understand the concealed
secrets of the spirit, it becomes a calamity to them. But if you are the seekers
after truth with a major talent in creative thinking and an insight for
realities, we would not hesitate to explain things in this regard. Know that the
soul does not resemble other bodies either in limitation or in accepting
division. It is not an accident, so as to necessitate attachment to body like
blackness in a black thing, or knowledge in the mind of the learned. It is an
essence and can produce consciousness or intelligence, which is the important
factor and only the property of the living soul. It recognizes itself and its
Creator and knows spiritual realities. An accident does not contain these
attributes. It exists independent of the body and does not accept division.
The Proof of the Non-Divisibility of Soul
There is a reason why the divisibility of the soul should be
rejected as contrary to rational necessity. Let us say: Is the soul of Zaid
identical with that of `Amr or other than it? If it is identical, it would be a
self-evident absurdity, for each one of the two is conscious of himself, knowing
that he is not the same as any other. If the souls were the same, they would be
equal in respect of cognitions. But if you say that the soul of Zaid is other
than that of `Amr and that the duality is the result of the division
necessitated by the relation of the two souls to bodies, we will say: The
division of that which is one and which possesses no magnitude or quantity is
evidently impossible. How can that which is one become two and then regain
oneness? Such a thing is conceivable in the case of that which has magnitude or
quantity. The presence of both knowledge and ignorance in the personality of an
individual is an absolute impossibility, While they can exist separately in two
different persons. An eye cannot be both green and black, while the eyes of two
different persons can be green and black. This shows that the soul is an
indivisible being. All the learned of all ages have agreed to lead the human
mind to the belief that the human soul is a part of the universe which is
indivisible - of course to call it a part is fallacious, since a part belongs to
the whole, and here there is no whole. We can call it a part only in the sense
in which we can suppose one to be a part of ten. When you have understood that
soul is an indivisible thing, you should further know that either it occupies
space or it is maiterless. It is absurd to think that it occupies space, for
that would imply its divisibility. It is a mistake to think of a thing which
occupies space, and yet does not allow divisibility. This is against the rules
of logic and geometrical science. If the individual atom is between two other
atoms, does one of its two sides come into contact with the same thing as the
other does, or are the two things different? It is impossible that the two
should be identical, for then the two sides at the atom would coincide. For if A
touches B and B touches C, then A will be in touch with C. If, on the other
hand, things in contact with the two sides of the atom are different, that only
proves multiplicity and division. If we could place the soul between two
opposite things, it would be evident that it would touch either one or the
other. From one end it would attain knowledge and from the other ignorance. It
means that it would know and would be ignorant at one and the same time which is
ridiculously absurd. If we were to liken a spacious indivisible thing to the
surface of a solid object, say, a circular table, we would be able to see only
that part of the surface which stands before our eyes, while the inner hidden
part of the surface is invisible. There is no such thing as is visible and
invisible at one and the same time. Only the part of the earth exposed to the
sun receives light, while the other part remains in darkness. Any spot we can
specify on the earth is brightened by the sun in day time and becomes dark by
night. If a thing has two ends, it is no longer an indivisible thing.
The Attachment or Non-Attachment of Soul to
Body
The inquisitors asked us: If the human soul is a spiritual
substance, how is it related to body? Is it connected with or disconnected from
it? We said: It exists in itself, is not impressed upon body, and is neither
connected with nor disconnected from it. These properties are found in a body,
and the soul is not a body. A stone is neither a learned sage nor an ignorant
infidel, for it is an inanimate being, and to judge wisdom or ignorance in a
being it is essential that we should experiment only with living beings. The
question of possessing knowledge or lacking it does not arise in respect of
things which have no life. Then we were asked: In which direction should one go
to find soul? We answered: It is not limited by directions, nor fixed in a
location. Accidents do not exist in it, because, being a spiritual substance, it
is free from the imperfections found in body. Again, they asked us: Why was the
Prophet (peace be upon him) forbidden to divulge the secret of lhe human soul?
We said: Because it is beyond human knowledge. People are of two kinds: (1)
those who are laymen and common folk and (2) those who are learned. Most of the
common people have denied the existence of God, because of their ignorance; how
could they be expected to believe in the existence of soul? That is why, some of
the sects in Islam called Karaamiyyah and .Hanaabilah do not admit
the reality of God and human soul, as it is laid down in religion. They believe
that God has a body, for they hold that only those things exist which can be
perceived. Since God does exist, it follows that He has a body. They are
confused in their recognition, since the incorrect state appears to them like
the correct one, while the height of complete proximity to God is concealed from
them. Such belief is not held by anyone of any insight, but by those who are
ignorant and, having acquired some knowledge in their youth, did not advance any
further. Some of them made some progress and arrived at the conclusion that God
is not a body possessing form, but they could not eliminate directions with
reference to Him, and we know that directions do not surround Him, as they
relate to bodies and He is not a body. Some of them rose still higher and
believed that He is beyond space. Such people are called Ash`ariyyah and
Mu’tazilah.
Asked why it is not advisable to divulge the secret of the
human soul to those who have attained a degree of knowledge, we continued:
Because they consider that the combination of the two, i.e. the attributes of
God and human soul, is impossible. If you say that the combination is possible,
they will publicly accuse you of the sin of polytheism (shirk) and say: Since
you do not realize that there is a difference between soul’s attributes and
those of God in nobleness and perfection, you are an atheist, for you claim
things for your soul which exclusively belong to God. Such heresy results from
theoretical inquiries which are the outcome of stupidity and stumbling. Then
they asked us: Why do they consider that the combination of the Divine
attributes with those belonging to others is impossible? We said: Because they
believe that just as the owners of two different houses cannot reside in the
same house, two things cannot exist in a spaceless space. Two black things are
two only when they are in two different places or in the same place, but at
different times, or blackness and motion in the same place and at the same time
are two things, because of their different natures. If it were possible to speak
of two black things in the same place and at the same time, it would be possible
to say that each person is two persons. Then they asked further: You have simply
confounded us by adding more difficulties to the ones we already have. We told
them that they should know that in this particular respect men go to excess and
exaggeration. Their fallacies arose from their failure to understand certain
generalities. They thought things are different, in view of three aspects -
firstly, in their relation to space like two bodies in two houses; secondly, in
their relation to time, like two black things at two times; and, thirdly, in
their relation to nature, like color, taste, smell, coolness and moisture, found
in a body. Though they are related to space and time, yet they are different
from one another in respect of their nature; therefore, taste is different from
color in nature, not in space or time, and knowledge is different from will and
inclination possessed by the same individual. The difference here does not lie
in space or time, but is based on nature. Thus it would be clear that a place
can contain accidents of various natures. Similarly, it is also possible that
things of various natures may exist in the vast inner world of images.
Commenting upon our answer they remarked: In all your
explanations you have tried to meet difficulties by raising other difficulties.
You talk far above our heads and have left us in a whirl. It follows from what
you say that soul can be compared to God, for you have proved the attributes of
God to be belonging to soul. We said: You are sadly mistaken. How could the
comparison be possible? We say man possesses life, knowledge and power, and he
can see, hear and speak. These attributes also belong to God, but there is no
comparison between God and man in these attributes, because they do not belong
to God exclusively. His being free from the limitation of space, direction and
time is also not one of His essential attributes. Most of our emphasis would,
therefore, be on the attribute of His qayyumiyyat (i.e. His unparalleled
existence, which is not shared by any other being). This means that His
existence is noble existence and that the existence of all other beings is
derived from and subordinate to His existence, like the relation of light to the
sun or that of heat to fire. They asked again: You have explained the meaning of
taswiyah and nafkh, but you have not told us why God has
attributed soul to Himself and called it "..." (min ruhi), i.e.
"My own soul". If soul is derived from Him, all universal beings proceed from
Him. He has also said: "..." [Lo! I am about to create a mortal out of mire (al-Qur’an,
xxxviii. 71)]. Then he says: "..." [And when I have fashioned him and breathed
into him of My spirit" (;il-Qur’an, xv. 29)]. If it means that soul is a part of
God, and man’s body receives it as a gift from Him, like a beggar who receives
alms from a generous person who says: "I have helped the poor man out of his
financial difficulties," then it will follow that the personality of God, like
the money of the generous person, is divisible, though you have already refuted
this argument. We said: If it were possible for the sun to say: "..." [I have
blessed the earth with my light], of course it would be right on the part of the
sun to say so. This would mean that the earth receives a part of the light from
the sun, though the light itself is dimmer than its source. You know that soul
does not stand in need of space or direction and that it knows all the beings -
in all their species by a knowledge which is not particular but universal. As
God also does know himself as the Principle of the emanation of all that
emanates from Him, that is why God has attributed soul to Himself.
The World of Matter and the World of
Creation
They inquired further: What is the meaning of "..." (al-Qur’an,
xvii. 85) and what is meant by the world of matter and the world of creation? We
said: Said Allah, the Exalted to His Prophet (peace be upon him): "They will ask
you of the spirit, say: The spirit comes at the bidding of my Lord." "..." means
that the spirit is by command of my Lord. All things which can be measured or
surveyed are included in the world of matter and by the world of creation we
mean all things which depend on the decrees of God. His will is ancient. In its
eternal nature it governs the origination of phenomena in their appointed times
in accordance with the eternal foreknowledge of God. Here the world of creation
does not mean the act of creating or inventing. Things which have no body or
quantity are included in the decrees of God, resulting in the creation of the
world of images and memories; the world of souls belonging to human beings, as
well as angels, therefore, includes `Alam-i-Amr which means things which
are removed from form and quantity and unlimited by directions and climes, in
spite of their having existence. It is impossible to doubt the existence of this
mental or psychical world, the extent of which cannot be conjured up by
imagination. Then the inquisitors further asked: Perhaps you mean to say that
soul is not originated. It is eternal. We answered: Some of the sages and
learned have slipped into this error. Their ignorance has led them astray. You
can call soul eternal only in the sense that having no quantity it is matterless
form which is indivisible and which does not exist materially. You should know
that soul is originated and that it is not eternal. Refrain from speculations on
the decrees of God. If we were to relate all the arguments advanced by saints
and sages and the counter-arguments which have been handed down to us by
philosophers and scientists, we should have to devote innumerable pages to the
problem. But we prefer brevity lest the discussion should lengthen out and our
attention should be diverted from the main question to its side issues.
