THE SPIRIT: IT’S EXISTENCE AND IDENTITY

The spirit is from the world of Divine Commands

There are many other worlds than those we commonly think of, such as those of plants, animals, human beings, and of the world of jinn. Our visible, material world addresses itself to our senses. From tiny particles to galaxies, this world is the realm where God Almighty gives life, fashions, renews, changes, and causes things to die. Science concerns itself with these phenomena.

Above this visible, material world is the immaterial world of Divine Laws or Commands. To learn something about this world, consider how a book, a tree, or a human being comes into existence. The main part of a book’s existence is its meaning. Regardless of how excellent the printing machine is or how much paper we have, a book cannot exist without meaning. In the case of a tree, the essence of life and the law of germination and growth (with which it is endowed) stimulates its seed to germinate underground and grow into a tree. We can observe the entire growth process with our own eyes. If this invisible essence and these unobservable laws did not exist, there would be no plants.

We derive the existence of such laws from the almost never changing repetition of these processes. Likewise, by observing the “natural” phenomena around us, we derive the existence of many other laws, such as gravitation and repulsion, and the freezing and vaporization of water.

Like these laws, the spirit is also a law issuing from the world of Divine Laws or Commands. This is stated in the Qur’an: Say: “The spirit is of my Lord’s Command” (17:85) But it is unique in one way: it is a living, conscious law. If the spirit were stripped of life and consciousness, it would be “regular” law; if “regular” laws were given life and consciousness, each one would become a spirit.

Science cannot define or perceive the spirit

While matter or anything in the material world is composed of atoms, and atoms are made up of more minute particles, the spirit is a simple, non-compound entity. We cannot see it, but we can know it through its manifestations in this world. Although we accept its existence and observe its manifestations, we cannot know its nature. Such ignorance, however, does not mean that it does not exist.

We see with our eyes, as they are our instruments of sight. The main center of sight is located in the brain. But the brain does not see. You do not say: “My brain sees”; rather, you say: “I see.” It is the individual who sees or hears or senses. But what is this “I”? Is it something composed of a brain, a heart, and other organs and limbs? Why can we not move when we die, although all our organs and limbs are there? Does a factory operate by itself, or does something else (i.e., electrical energy) cause it to work? Any defect or error in a factory that causes a disconnect between it and its electrical energy can reduce a once highly productive and invaluable factory to a heap of junk. Is such a relation at all comparable to that between the spirit and the body?

When the body’s connection with the spirit is cut by death, the body is reduced to something that must be disposed of quickly, before it begins to rot and decompose.

The spirit is not an electrical power, but rather a conscious, powerful thing that learns, thinks, senses and reasons. It develops continually, usually in parallel with the body’s physical development, as well as mentally and spiritually through learning and reflection, belief and worship. The spirit determines each individual’s character, nature, or identity. As a result, although all human begins are substantially made of the same elements, each individual is unique.

The spirit commands our inner faculties

According to the Qur’an, God has given a particular nature to each creature: All that is in the heavens and the earth submits to Him, 68 An Introduction to Islamic Faith and Thought willingly or unwillingly, and they will be returned to Him (3:83); and Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High, Who has created (all things) and well proportioned (them); Who has assigned for each a particular form and a particular way to follow and ordained their destinies, and guided (them) (87:1–3).

Whatever exists in the universe, including the human body, acts according to the primordial nature (fitra) God Almighty assigned to it. This is why we observe determinism in how the universe operates. The primordial nature of things does not deceive. For example, since God orders the earth to revolve around its own axis as well as the sun, it always does so. A seed says in the tongue of its being or primordial nature: “I will germinate underground in proper conditions and grow into a plant,” and it does what it says. Water declares that it freezes at 0ºC and vaporizes at 100ºC, and does what it declares.

Similarly, the human conscience, as long as it remains sound, does not lie. If it is not deluded by the carnal soul or harmful desires, it deeply feels the existence of God and finds peace through believing in and worshipping Him. Thus, the spirit directs or commands our conscience and other faculties. It seeks the world from which it came, and yearns for its Creator. Unless it is stunted and spoiled by sin, it will find the Creator and attain true happiness in Him.

The spirit has deep relations with the past and the future

Animals have no concept of time, for their God-given primordial nature causes them to live only for the present, without feeling any pain for the past or anxiety for the future. On the other hand, we are deeply influenced by such pain and anxiety, for our spirit is a conscious, sentient entity. The spirit is never satisfied with this mortal, fleeting world, and our accomplishments or possessions (e.g., money, status, satisfied desires) cannot make it content. Rather, especially when considered for their own sakes or for that of the carnal soul alone, such things only increase its dissatisfaction and unhappiness, for the spirit finds rest only through belief, worship, and remembrance of God.

Every person feels a strong desire for eternity. This desire cannot come from the physical dimension of our existence, for our mortality precludes any feeling of and desire for eternity. This desire for eternity originates in the eternal dimension of our existence, which is inhabited by our spirit. Our spirit causes us to lament: “I am mortal but do not desire what is mortal. I am impotent but do not desire what is impotent. What I desire is an eternal beloved (who will never desert me), and I yearn for an eternal world.”

The spirit needs our body in this world

The spirit, a non-compound entity issuing from the world of Divine Commands, must use material means to be manifested and function in this world. As the body cannot contact the world of meanings and immaterial forms, the spirit cannot contact this world if there is no human heart, brain, or other bodily organs and limbs to mediate. The spirit functions through the body’s nerves, cells, and other elements. Therefore, if one or more bodily system or organ goes awry, the spirit’s relation with them is disconnected and can no longer command it. If the failure or “illness” causing this disconnection severs the spirit’s relation with the entire body, what we call death occurs.

Although such psychoanalysts as Freud offered various explanations for dreams, dreams cannot only be the subconscious mind’s jumbled activities. Almost everyone has had dreams that have given news of some future events and have come true. Many scientific or technological discoveries have been made because of true dreams. So, dreams point to the existence of something within us that can see in a different way while we are sleeping. This something is the spirit.

The spirit manifests itself mostly on a person’s face and our spirit makes us unique

Truly, our face is a window opened on our inner world, for its features disclose our character. Psychologists assert that almost all of our movements, even coughing, reveal our character. The face’s ability to reveal one’s character, abilities, and personality resulted in physiognomy, the art of judging character from facial features. The spirit determines these features.

Our body’s cells are renewed continuously. Every day, millions of cells die and are replaced. Biologists say that all bodily cells are renewed every six months. Despite this continuous renewal, the main features of every individual remain unchanged. We recognize individuals from their unchanging facial features, and each individual can be detected or recognized even from their DNA, hair and fingerprints. The cells of a finger change, due to renewal or injury and bruising, but its prints never changes. Each individual’s unique spirit makes these distinguishing features stable.

Our moral, spiritual, and intellectual differences have nothing to do with our physical structure

Our body experiences ceaseless change throughout its existence. This change is directed toward physical growth and development until a certain period, gradually becoming stronger and more perfect. When this growth stops at a certain point, decay begins. Unlike our body which is decaying, we can grow continuously in learning and development. Our moral, spiritual, and intellectual education does not depend on our bodily changes.

It is not the physical body which receives education

Although we are composed of the same substantial, physical or material elements, we are morally and intellectually unique. Which part of us receives this moral and intellectual education, and which part is trained physically? Does physical training have any relation to learning or moral and intellectual education? Are physically well-developed people smarter and more moral than others?

If physical training or development does not affect our scientific, moral, and intellectual level, why should we not accept the spirit’s existence? How can we attribute learning and moral and intellectual education to some biochemical processes in the brain? Are those processes quicker in some people? Are some smarter because they have quicker processes, or are the processes quicker because some study and thus become smarter? What relation do these processes have with our spiritual and moral education and development? How can we explain the differences regular worship makes to one’s face?

Our physical changes engender no parallel changes in our character, morality, or thinking. How can we explain this, other than by admitting that the spirit exists and is the center of thinking and feeling, choosing and deciding, learning and forming opinions and preferences, and is the cause of unique characters?

Our spirit feels and believes or denies

 All people have innumerable, complex feelings: love and hate, happiness and sadness, hope and despair, ambition and the ability to imagine, relief and boredom, and so on. We like and dislike, appreciate and disregard, experience fear and timidity as well as courage and enthusiasm. We repent, become excited, and long for various things. If we look through a dictionary, we find hundreds of words that express human feelings. Moreover, we do not all “feel” the same way. We may reflect on what is going on around us, the beauty of creation, develop ourselves through learning, compare and reason, and thus believe in the Creator of all things. Worshipping and following His commandments causes us to develop morally and spiritually, until finally we are perfected. How can we explain such phenomena other than by admitting that each human being has a conscious spirit? Can we attribute them to chemical processes in the brain?

Are we only physical bodies?

If we are only a physical entity of blood and bones, flesh and tissues, and attribute all our movements to biochemical processes in the brain, why should we obey any laws? We have established that our physical body is renewed every six months. Therefore, if we are tried for a murder we committed a year ago, will it be unreasonable and unjust to punish us if we are composed of only a physical body, which is renewed every six months?

How can anyone be merely a physical entity? Can their movements, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and decisions be the results of the brain’s biochemical processes? Such assertions are untenable. The main part of our being is our living and conscious spirit. This part of our body feels, thinks, believes, wills, decides, and uses the body to enact its decisions.

The spirit is the basis of human life

God acts in this world through causes. However, there are many other worlds or realms: the world of ideas, symbols or immaterial forms, the inner dimensions of things, and spirits, where God acts directly and where matter and causes do not exist. The spirit is breathed into the embryo directly, making it a direct manifestation of the Divine Name the All-Living, and therefore the basis of human life. Like natural laws, which issue from the same realm as the spirit, the spirit is invisible and known through its manifestations.

In this world, matter is refined in favor of life. A lifeless body, regardless of size, such as a mountain, is lonely, passive, and static. But life enables a bee to interact with almost the entire world so that it can say: “This world is my garden, and flowers are my business partners.” The smaller a living body is, the more active, astonishing, and powerful life becomes. Compare a bee, a fly, or even a micro-organism with an elephant. The more refined matter is, the more active and powerful the body becomes. For example, wood produces flame and carbon when it burns, and water vaporizes when heated. We come across electrical energy in the atomic and subatomic worlds. We cannot see it, but we are aware of its presence and power though its manifestations.

This means that existence is not limited only to this world; rather, this world is only the apparent, mutable, and unstable dimension of existence. Behind it lies the pure, invisible dimension that uses matter to be seen and known. As the spirit belongs to that dimension, it is therefore pure and invisible.

Our spirit has its own cover

When the spirit leaves the body at death, it retains this cover, which is like a body’s “negative.” It is called by many names: the envelope of light, the person’s ethereal figure, energetic form, second body, astral body, double (of that person), and phantom.16

 

Gulen, Muhammed Fethullah. The Essentials of the Islamic Faith. The Light, Inc. 2005.