ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Emendation of A Shi‘ite Creed Concerning Souls and Spirits (Al-Arwah wa 'n-Nufus) ======================================================= ash-Shaykh Abu Ja‘far says: "Our belief concerning souls is that they are spirits, and that they were the first of created things; and that they were created for eternal existence; and that they bodies."are strangers in the earth and imprisoned in their ash-Shaykh Abu ‘Abdillah says that Abu Ja‘far's discussion of souls and spirits is based upon conjecture with no scientific investigation.

It would have been wiser had he contented himself with the mere mention of the reports, without involving himself in intricacies of inner meaning, since he is not well- equipped for such a task. As for 'soul'[^1], it has different meanings: l. The essence of a thing (dhatu 'sh-shay’); The moving blood (ad-damu 's-sail); The breath which is the wind (an-nafas); Desire and passion (al-hawa).

Now, the proof of the first meaning is the saying: "This is the very thing itself, that is, its essence and it itself." And the proof of the second meaning is the saying: "Whatsoever is classified as an animal with circulating blood is to be judged thus and thus." And the proof of the third meaning is the saying: "So-and-so has perished, if he ceases to breathe and no air remains in his body to inflate his lungs." And the proof of the fourth meaning is the speech of Allah; Surely, the soul of man incites to evil [12:53], which means passion instigates evil.

Soul (nafs) might designate the meaning of retribution, the proof of which is the saying of Allah, the Almighty: And Allah biddeth you beware of Him (nafsahu) [3:28], which means 'of His retribution and punishment.' Ruh (i.e., Spirit), also has several meaning: Life (hayat); Qur’an; A particular one of the angels of the Almighty Allah (malak); Jibril.

Now, the proof of the first meaning is the saying: "Everything that is classified as being endued with spirit is to be judged thus and thus," by which they mean every being that has life, and their saying in respect of him who died, "he gave up the Ghost", (lit. the spirit went out of him), which means his life. And the same is their description of the embryo, "a form not endued with spirit", which means that it lacks life.

And the proof of the second meaning is the speech of Allah: So We have revealed to thee a spirit of Our command [42:52], which means here the Qur’an.