Do We Have A Soul? - Amjad Khan, KS

[Dr. Shabbir]

Question: Dear Doctor Saheb,

Do we humans have a ROOH, a SOUL? What happens to it when we die?

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Answer: Dear Brother,

Contrary to the Bible, the Qur'an does not mention the existence of ROOH, Soul or Spirit in the human body. It does however mention the ROOH of Allah meaning Divine Energy.

Genesis:

Soul/Spirit
2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Qur'an:

15:29 And when I have perfected him in due proportion and breathed into him from My Energy, be of service to him.” [Note of My Energy = Free will. 76]

17:85 (O Messenger) they ask you about the ROOH (Revelation). Say, "Revelation is from my Lord's World of Command of which you have been given little knowledge.”

['Rooh' = 'Wahi' = Revelation = Divine Energy from which free will has been given to humans = ‘Spirit’ = 'Soul' = Angel of Revelation. ‘Spirit’ and ‘Soul’ are popular but non-Qur’anic terms. 'Nafs' (meaning Self) in the Qur’an comes closest to these two terms.The Qur’an does not mention the presence of ROOH or spirit or soul in humans. We are made of a physical body, mind and NAFS (‘self’)] ]

The ancient Italians and Greeks thought that the human spirit resided in the arteries. When an animal or human dies, the blood collects and clots in the veins. So, finding the arteries empty, scholars thought they only had air in them and the 'spirit' had escaped. Latin arteria, Greek artēria = Air.

According to the Qur'an, the humans consist of a physical body, mind and NAFS ('Self').

After death, the NAFS, or 'Self' goes to sleep until the Day of Resurrection. See 36:51-52. NAFS or 'Self' = I = I am = I amness = Me = The person in me = Conscious.

The body dies but the 'Self' survives the trauma of death. The Qur'an compares sleep and death. In both situations, Allah suspends the 'Self', temporarily during sleep, and until the Resurrection in case of death.

6:60 He suspends your consciousness during sleep at night, and knows what you do by day, when awake. He resurrects you every morning until your life span is completed. Death is, likewise, a temporary suspension of consciousness and afterward to Him is your return (39:42). Then, He will inform you of what you really accomplished.

36:51 And when the Trumpet is blown, out of their disintegrated states to their Lord they will run. [Ajdaath = Bodily remains = Physical remains in the graves or scattered anywhere = Disintegrated states]

36:52 They will say, “Oh, woe to us! Who has awakened us from our beds of sleep? This is what the Beneficent promised, and the Messengers spoke the truth.”

[Marqad = Bed of sleep = Resting place. These two verses strongly dismiss the clergy-peddled false concept of punishment in the grave. And how would God punish people after death before the Day of Judgment. Moreover, many kinds of suffering (‘Azaab) are named in the Qur’an, but not once is mentioned ‘Azaabil Qabr. In fact, God never punishes people. We only face His Law of Just Recompense, "As you sow, so shall you reap.”]