Hadith 1

ed. One of these is the question about the essence of the soul, and the second is about its being ancient (eternal) and it been a newly occurrence. As for the first discussion, it is, they said, ‘What is the reality of the soul and its essence? Is it an equivalent to the bodies existing in the inside of this body, produced from a mixtures of natures and the blends, or an equivalent of a self of this mixture and the composition, or it is an equivalence of another display standing with these bodies, or it is an equivalent of existence different to these bodies, and for these displays. Allah-azwj Answered about it by, that it is an existence different to these bodies, and to these displays, and that is because these bodies and these displays are things having come into occurrence from blending mixtures, and the elements. And as for the soul, it isn’t like that, but it is a simple abstract essence not coming into occurrence except with the occurrence of His-azwj Words: “Be! ” It comes into being. They said, ‘It does not happen to be a thing different to these bodies, and for these displays’. Allah-azwj Answered by, that it is an existence coming into occurrence by a Command of Allah-azwj, and in its coming into being and its impact on the benefit of the life of the body, and the lack of knowledge with its specific reality does not negate its existence, for most of the realities of the things and their natures are unknown, and their being unknown does not negate its existence. And this is the intent by His-azwj Words: and you are not Given from the knowledge (of it) except a little’ [17: 85]. As for the second discussion, it is that the wording of the Command has come with the meaning of the deed. Allah-azwj the Exalted Said: and Pharaoh’s orders were not rightful guidance [11: 97]. And Said: And when Our Command came, [11: 58] – i. e. , Our-azwj Deed. So His-azwj Words: Say: ‘The soul is from a Command of my Lord, [17: 85], is from a Deed of my‑saww Lord-azwj. And this answer evidence’s upon that they had asked, ‘Is the soul ancient (eternal), or a newly occurrence? ’ He-saww said: ‘But, it is an occurrence’. And rather it has resulted by a Deed of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Bringing it into being and His-azwj Innovation. Then he argued upon the occurrence of the soul by His-azwj Words: and you are not Given from the knowledge (of it) except a little’ [17: 85] – in the meaning that the souls in the beginning of the nature happen to be devoid of the knowledge(s), then the recognition and the knowledge(s) are obtained in it. So these do not cease to be in changing from a state to a state, and in the altering from a deficiency to perfection, and the changes and the alterations are from the symptoms of the occurrences. His-azwj Words: Say: ‘The soul is from a Command of my Lord, [17: 85], evidence’s upon, they had asked, ‘The soul, it is an occurrence or nor? ’ So he answered that these are occurrences having occurred by a Creation of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Bringing into being. Then it can be evidences upon the occurrences of the souls by their changing from a state to a state. So this is what we are saying regarding this subject, and Allah-azwj is more Knowing with the correctness’. I (Majlisi) am saying, ‘Then he mentioned other words regarding the interpretation of the soul in this Verse. From these is, it is the Quran, like what has passed, and from these is that it is an Angel from the Angels. It is their mightiest of power, and strength, and it is the intent from Words of the Exalted: A Day on which the Spirit and the Angels would be standing in rows, [78: 38]. And we are saying, from Ali-asws having said: ‘It is an Angel having seventy thousand faces for it, and for each face there are seventy thousand tongues, for each tongues there are seventy thousand languages. He glorifies Allah-azwj the Exalted with those languages, all of them, and Allah-azwj Creates from every glorification of an Angel flying with the Angels u