What Makes You Human?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

We are not human by merely a body. What makes us human is our soul. Truly important is constant purification of our souls.

وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلرُّ‌وحِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلرُّ‌وحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ‌ رَ‌بِّى وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٨٥

And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (85)

[Qur'an, al-Israa 17:85]

If we reflect on this, it is a truly amazing fact that with all the advances in science, mankind still has very little knowledge concerning the workings of our own inner selves. We are each unique individuals, no two of us are alike. Even amongst identical twins who share the same external physical features, we find the inner selves to be very different. Where does this uniqueness come from? It is truly one of the signs of the magnificence of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

The Qur'an describes the origin of the soul in the creation of humans.

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَ‌بُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرً‌ۭا مِّن صَلْصَـٰلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ ﴿٢٨﴾ فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّ‌وحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾ فَسَجَدَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ ﴿٣١

And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud. (28) And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration." (29) So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely, (30) Except Iblees, he refused to be with those who prostrated. (31)

[Qur'an, Al-Hijr 15:28-31]

The soul often urges people to do wicked things.

وَمَآ أُبَرِّ‌ئُ نَفْسِىٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَ‌ةٌۢ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ إِلَّا مَا رَ‌حِمَ رَ‌بِّىٓ ۚ إِنَّ رَ‌بِّى غَفُورٌ‌ۭ رَّ‌حِيمٌ ﴿٥٣

And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful." (53)

[Qur'an, Yusuf 12:53]

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا ﴿٩﴾ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا ﴿١٠

He has succeeded who purifies it, (9) And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].

[Qur'an, Ash-Shams 91:9-10]

The highest stage of development of the soul brings it lasting peace.

يَـٰٓأَيَّتُهَا ٱلنَّفْسُ ٱلْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ﴿٢٧﴾ ٱرْ‌جِعِىٓ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّكِ رَ‌اضِيَةً مَّرْ‌ضِيَّةً ﴿٢٨﴾ فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عِبَـٰدِى ﴿٢٩﴾ وَٱدْخُلِى جَنَّتِى ﴿٣٠

[To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul, (27) Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], (28) And enter among My [righteous] servants (29) And enter My Paradise." (30)

[Qur'an, Al-Fajr 89:27-30]

One of the most important task for which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was sent to this nation is the purification of the soul. Allah Almighty says, speaking of this mission,

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى بَعَثَ فِى ٱلْأُمِّيِّـۧنَ رَ‌سُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ لَفِى ضَلَـٰلٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٢

It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error - (2)

[Qur'an, Al Jumu'ah 62:2]

So whoever truly hopes for Allah and the Last Day should have a special interest in the purification of his own soul, for Allah has linked the success of His servant with the purity of his soul, after making eleven consecutive oaths. There is not to be found in the Qur'an another oath such as this. Allah Almighty says,

وَٱلشَّمْسِ وَضُحَىٰهَا ﴿١﴾ وَٱلْقَمَرِ‌ إِذَا تَلَىٰهَا ﴿٢﴾ وَٱلنَّهَارِ‌ إِذَا جَلَّىٰهَا ﴿٣﴾ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰهَا ﴿٤﴾ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا بَنَىٰهَا ﴿٥﴾ وَٱلْأَرْ‌ضِ وَمَا طَحَىٰهَا ﴿٦﴾ وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّىٰهَا ﴿٧﴾ فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَ‌هَا وَتَقْوَىٰهَا ﴿٨﴾ قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّىٰهَا ﴿٩﴾ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّىٰهَا ﴿١٠

By the sun and its brightness (1) And [by] the moon when it follows it (2) And [by] the day when it displays it (3) And [by] the night when it covers it (4) And [by] the sky and He who constructed it (5) And [by] the earth and He who spread it (6) And [by] the soul and He who proportioned it (7) And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness, (8) He has succeeded who purifies it, (9) And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]. (10)

[Qur'an, AshShams 91:1-10]

The concept of purification of the soul as a whole is and always will be central to the message of Islam and to the welfare of humans, both in this life and the Hereafter. The path described by the Qur'an and Sunnah is the only path that can result in a true purification of the soul. Indeed, it is the only path that is truly consistent with the purpose for which humans were created. Many Muslims themselves are today being influenced by secular, materialistic psychology, leading them to neglect the spiritual side of humans and to ignore the guidance that Islam offers for the purification of the soul. This influence often occurs at a level wherein the person himself may not be completely aware that it is occurring.

May Allah aid us in the true purification of our souls and grant us truthfulness, sincerity, certainty, contentment, forgiveness and health in this life and in the next life. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.