Creation of the soul

Hi glo, thanks for your question.

I personally do not have much knowledge on this topic, but I can say a few things which I do know.

Whether we were all created at the same time I do not know. But we all existed before this life in what we call, 'the realm of souls'. We exist in the realm and we interact with one another.

In one article that I read, it said that the people whom we tend to like in this life are the people (souls) with whom we got along in the realm of souls before coming to this life. Sometimes we like to be friends with someone, but it just doesn't work. Nothing connects us and we never connected/got along with them in that realm too.

The following might give some insight into the Islamic belief of the soul's existence before coming to this life:

Did All Souls Prostrate Allah?
It's reported that, in the realm of souls some of the souls prostrated Allah while some didn't. Is it true? Were souls subjected to a test before coming into this world and some became rebellious while the others were obedient?

Answer:
In the realm of souls, all souls prostrated Allah (swt). The rumours reporting the opposite are not authentic. This event took place in the realm of souls is not a test; it is a promise taken from humanbeings by Allah. Man has been sent to this world in order to be tested. Those who fail their tests are the ones who break their promises.


“What aileth you that ye believe not in Allah, when the messenger calleth you to believe in your Lord, and He hath already made a covenant with you, if ye are believers?” (Surah al-Hadid, 8)


“And (remember) when thy Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily. We testify. (That was) lest ye should say at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this we were unaware; “ (Surah al-A’raf, 172)


As mentioned in the aforesaid ayahs, Allah (swt) has asked the souls: “Am I not your Lord?” they replied: “Yes.” Allah (swt) said: “I make the seven heavens and the seven earths and your father Adam witnesses (to your reply) so that you shall not say “We were unaware of this.” on the Day of Judgment. Never attribute a partner to Me. Verily, I’ll send messengers who will remind you My covenant. I’ll reveal My books to you. They said: “We testify that You are our Lord and Ilah. There is no other lord and illah for us, but You.” and they acknowledged their obedience to Allah. (Ibn-i Kathir)

http://askaquestionto.us/question-an...rostrate-allah

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

Can anybody tell me more about this?

format_quote Originally Posted by glo

According to Islam, were all souls created at the same time? Do we know where they are until they are born into a human body?

This is gonna be a bit of a read, sorry.

Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported in his Saheeh that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying: ‘Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with.’” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab Ahaadeeth al-Anbiyaa’, Baab al-Arwaah junood mujannadah).

Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the hadeeth: “Concerning the phrase ‘Souls are like conscripted soldiers…’ al-Khattaabi said: ‘This may refer to their similarity as regards good or evil, righteousness or corruption. Good people are inclined towards other good people, and evil people are similarly inclined towards other evil people. Souls feel affinity with others according to the nature in which they were created, good or evil. If souls’ natures are similar, they will get along, otherwise they will not be on good terms with one another. It could be that what is being referred to is the beginning of creation in the realm of the unseen when, it is reported, souls were created before bodies, and used to meet one another and express their pessimism about the future. When souls have entered bodies (come to the physical realm) they may recognize one another from the past, and may be on friendly terms or otherwise based on that past experience.”

Someone else said: “What it means is that when souls are created, they are made in two parts, and when the bodies in which the souls reside meet in this world, they either get along together or do not, based on the way in which these souls are created in this world.”

I say that this is not contradicted by the fact that some people who do not like one another at first may get along well later on, because the hadeeth is probably speaking about the moment of first meeting, which has to do with the original creation and nothing else. If they dislike one another at first but later come to like one another, it is because of something new, a new quality that makes them love one another after the initial dislike, such as a kaafir becoming a Muslim or a sinner being reformed.

The phrase “conscripted soldiers” refers to different types or classifications, or groups brought together. Ibn al-Jawzi said: “What we learn from this hadeeth is that when a person finds that he feels dislike towards someone who is known to be virtuous or righteous, he should try to find out the reason for that so that he can make the effort to rid himself of something undesirable. The opposite (if a person finds himself liking someone who is known to be evil) also applies.”

Al-Qurtubi said: “Although they are all souls, they differ in different ways, so a person will feel an affinity with souls of one kind, and will get along with them because of the special quality that they have in common. So we notice that people of all types will get along with those with whom they share an affinity, and will keep away from those who are of other types. [“Birds of a feather flock together” – Translator]. We may also note that within any given group or type, people may get along with some and dislike others, and this is in accordance with issues or qualities that form the basis of love or hate.”

We have narrated a mawsool report in Sunan Abi Ya’laa, at the beginning of which is the story narrated from ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, who said: “There was a woman in Makkah who liked to joke, and she came and stayed with a woman in Madeenah who was like her. When ‘Aa’ishah heard about this, she said, ‘My beloved spoke the truth. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying…’ and mentioned a similar hadeeth.”

The hadeeth was also narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 4773. Al-Nawawi said: “With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with’, the scholars said that the meaning is groups gathered together, or different types. As for them getting along, this happens because of something in common between them that Allaah has created. It was said that they are similar attributes that Allaah has created in them, or that they were created in a group and then dispersed in their bodies, so people who have similar characteristics will like one another, and those who do not have similar characteristics will not like one another. Al-Khattaabi and others said: this getting along with one another has to do with what Allaah decreed from the outset about the ultimate destiny of souls, whether they will be among the blessed [in Paradise] or the doomed [in Hell]. Souls are of two opposing kinds, and when they meet in this physical world, they will either love or hate one another depending on the way they were created. Good souls will be inclined towards other good souls, and evil souls will be inclined towards other evil souls.

Source: http://islamqa.info/en/ref/3864

It is understood that the creation of souls was before the creation of bodies. We are on a journey starting from the world of souls and continuing through our mothers’ wombs, then childhood, youth, agedness, graveyard, purgatory (waiting place between Hell and Heaven), and finally ending in Hell or Heaven. The beginning of the journey is the world of souls. In this sense, the creation of souls was before the creation of bodies.
“Souls are like crowds which gather together. The ones who met before get on well. The ones, who did not meet before, cannot get on very well and separate.” (Bukhari, Anbiya, 2; Muslim, Birr, 159; Abu Dawud, Adab, 19). That hadith states that people met somewhere before they came to world. Clearly, as it cannot have happened in mothers’ wombs, it means they existed before and were created before they came into mothers’ wombs.

While interpreting that hadith, Azimabadi expresses what is meant with “souls meet each other before they get into their bodies” is that souls were created before bodies. (Azimabadi, Awnu’l Mabud, XIII, 124).

There is another point about the issue. When the agreement which we call “Qalu Bala (lit. they said yes)” and in which souls promised Allah to obey Him, happened. When Allah asked souls “Am I not your Lord?”, the souls answered “Yes, You are our Lord”. So, when did it happen? Scholars’ views on it are as follows in summary:

Some Interpreters of the Quran stated that it was a divine guidance via “simile” and “metaphor”. They said:“It is a figure of speech. The fact that people were created with capability of recognizing Allah’s godhood is somehow likened to their promise.”

On the other hand, the majority of the Quran Interpreters adopted the view that both Allah’s address to souls and their answer are not symbolic, but true. A contemporary Quran Interpreter named Mehmed Vehbi puts this view into words as follows: “Although there exists the possibility that they answered by gesturing, as they were not yet given minds and lives, it is better to say that they were given minds, lives and tongues and shown evidence of His Godhood and Lordship… They comprehended the question with their minds and answered with their tongues verbally.”

There is no young or old soul. These are physical characteristics. Souls do not have gender. Human beings gain their personalities both from their spirits and bodies. A soul entering a body tries to adapt to the physical characteristics of the body which determine the gender.

Of course, there is a relation between the soul and the personality. However, extrinsic factors play an important role on the formation of personal characteristics. Especially, the formation of moral qualities is largely dependent on people’s free will. Otherwise, having high moral qualities or low moral qualities would be meaningless. Although it is impossible to eliminate inborn characteristics, it is possible to direct them to goodness with one’s free will. For instance, a person who is naturally aggressive cannot be expected to quit that trait and be calmer. However, it is possible for him to direct his aggressiveness towards a good reason, for instance, towards his own lower-self and Satan.

And Allah knows best.

Source: http://www.questionsonislam.com/ques...s-have-genders

The following are excerpts taken from Ibn kathirs (the reputable Islamic scholar from Damascus)
book Qisas al Anbiyya (stories of the prophets)

Ibn Masud and other companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah the Almighty sent
Gabriel onto the earth to said that Allah the Almighty sent Gabriel onto the earth to get Him clay
therefrom. The earth said: "I seek refuge in Allah from your decreasing my quantity or disfiguring
me." So Gabriel returned and did not take anything. He said: "My Lord, the land sought refuge in
You and it granted."
So Allah sent Michael for the same purpose, and the land sought refuge with Allah and it was
granted. So he went back and said to Allah what Gabriel has said before him. Then Allah sent the
Angel of Death, and the land sought refuge in Allah, the angel said: "I also seek refuge with Allah
from returning without carrying out His command." So he took clay from the face of the earth
and mixed it. He did not take from one particular place, but rather he took white, red, and black
clay from different places.
The Angel of Death ascended with it, Allah soaked the clay till it became sticky. Then Allah said
to the angels:


"Truly, I am going to create man from clay. So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him
(his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him." (Chapter 38:71-72 Quran).


So Allah shaped Adam into a human being, but he remained a figure of clay for fourty years. The
angels went past him. They were seized with fear by what they saw, and Iblis felt fear most. He
used to pass by the figure of Adam, buffeting it, which would make a sound like pottery. Allah
told us:


"He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery." (Chapter 55:Quran).


When the time drew near to breathe the spirit into Adam, as Allah decreed, He commanded the
angels: "When I breathe My spirit into him prostrate before him." Allah breathed His spirit into
Adam and when it reached his head Adam sneezed. The angels said: "Say all praise belongs to
Allah." Adam repeated: "All praise belongs to Allah." Allah said to him: "Your Lord has granted
you mercy." When the spirit reached his eyes, Adam looked at the fruits of Paradise. When it
reached his abdomen Adam felt an appetite for food. He jumped hurriedly before the spirit could
reach his legs, so that he could eat from the fruits of Paradise. Allah, therefore, said:
"Man is created of haste." (Chapter 21:37 Quran).

And then:


"The angels prostrated themselves all of them together. Except Iblis, he refused to be among the
prostrators." (Ch 15:31-32 Quran).


Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Allah created Adam from dust
after He mixed the clay and left him for some time until it became sticky mud, after which Allah
shaped him. After that Allah left him till it became like potter's clay. Iblis used to go past him
saying 'You have been created for a great purpose.' After that Allah breathed His spirit into him.
The first thing into which the spirit passed was his eye and then his nose. He sneezed. Allah said:
"May your Lord have mercy upon you, O Adam! Go to those angels and see what they would
say.' So Adam went and greeted them. they replied saying: "Peace be upon you and the mercy and
blessings of Allah." Allah said: "O Adam! This is your greeting and that of your offspring." (Sahih
al Bukhari).

Adam's Progeny Accept Allah


Allah the Almighty revealed:


"Remember when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their loins, their seed
(or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves saying: 'Am I not
your Lord?' They said: 'Yes! We testify' lest you should say on the Day of Resurrectio:. 'Verily
we have been unaware of this'. Or lest you should say: 'It was only our father aforetime who took
others as partners in worship along with Allah and we were merely their descendants after them;
will you then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practiced al batil (polytheism) and
committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allah?'
Thus do We explain the Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations etc) in detail
so that they may turn unto the truth". (Ch 7:172-174 Quran).


Adam's progeny declared: "Our Lord, we bear witness that You are our Lord; we have no other
Lord but Allah. Allah raised their father Adam, and he looked at them and saw those of them who
were rich and those who were poor, and those who had good forms and those who did not. Adam
said: "O Allah! I wish You to make Your servants equal." Allah replied "I love being thanked."
Adam saw among the prophets like lamps among his progeny.


The Prophet's Covenant


Almighty Allah declared:


"Remember when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (o Muhammad), and
from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary. We took from them a strong covenant. (Ch
33:7 Quran).


In another verse Allah the Exalted commanded:


"So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion of pure Islamic Monotheism Hanifan
(worship none but Allah Alone) Allah's Fitrah (Allah's Islamic Monotheism), with which He has
created mankind. No change let there be in khalqillah (the Religion of Allah--Islamic
Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most men know not." (Ch 30:30 Quran).


Another version of the story relates that Allah took a handful of the dust of the earth and mixed
into it the colors, white, black, yellow and red. That is the reason why men are born different
colors. When Allah mixed the dust with water, it turned into potter's clay that makes a sound. It
was fermented and had a smell. Iblis passed by, wondering what was going to be made of that
clay. From the clay Allah created Adam. he molded his form with His own hands and blew His
spirit into him. Adam's body quivered as life was imbued into it.


"Then We drowned the other (disbelievers and polytheists, etc.)." (Ch 37:82 Quran).


Similarity between Adam and Jesus (PBUT)


Allah the Almighty declared:


"Verily the likeness of Jesus, in Allah's Sight is the likeness of Adam, He created him from the
dust then He said to him "Be!" --and he was. (Ch 3:59 Quran).


The Meaning of the Angel's Prostration


Adam opened his eyes and saw all the angels prostrating before him except one being who was
standing at a distance Adam did not know what kind of creature it was that did not prostrate
before him nor did he know its name. Iblis was standing with the angels so as to be included in the
command given to them but he was not one of them. He was a jinn, and as such he was supposed
to be inferior to the angels. What is clear is that this prostration was to show respect and did not
mean that the angels were worshipping Adam. Prostrating in worship is done only for Allah..
Almighty Allah recounted the story of Iblis's refusal to prostate before Adam:
"Remember when your Lord said to the angels, 'I am going to create a man (Adam) from
sounding clay of altered black smooth mud. So when I have fashioned him completely and
breathed into him (Adam) the soul which I created for him then fall you down prostrating
yourselves unto him'. So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together, except Iblis, he
refused to be among the prostrators. Allah said: 'O Iblis! What is your reason for not being
among the prostrators?' Iblis said: 'I am not the one to prostrate myself to a human being, whom
You created from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.' Allah said: 'Then get out from
here for verily you are Rajim (an outcast or cursed one). Verily the curse shall be upon you till
Day of Recompense (Day of Resurrection)'". (Ch 15:28-35 Quran).


In another surah Almighty Allah recounted it thus:


"Surely We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a
human being), then We told the angels: 'Prostrate to Adam and they prostrated except Iblis he
refused to be of those who prostrate".
Allah said: "What prevented you Iblis that you did not prostrate when I commanded you?" Iblis
said: 'I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire and him You created from clay.'
Allah said: 'Get down from this Paradise, it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you
are of those humiliated and disgraced.' Iblis said: 'Allow me respite till the Day of
Resurrection).' Allah said: 'You are of those allowed respite.'" (Ch 7:11-15 Quran).


Ibn Jarir reported that Muhammad Ibn sirin said that the first one to reach a conclusion by
reasoning was Iblis and that the sun and moon were not worshiped except through this method.
This means that Iblis tried to compare himself to Adam. He believed that he was more honorable
than Adam. Therefore he abstained from prostrating even though Allah had commanded him to do
so, just as He had commanded the angels.


If an analogy is made we see that Iblis is vain. For indeed clay is better than fire because in it can
be found the qualities of calmness, clemency, perseverance and growth; whereas in fire can be
found heedlessness, insignificance, haste, and incineration.

Iblis tried in vain to justify his refusal:


"Shall I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?" Iblis said: "See? those whom You have
honored above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will
surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!" (Ch 17:62 Quran).


Adam was following what was happening around him and had feelings of love, awe, and
astonishment. Deep love of Allah,Who had created and glorified him and Who had made His
angels prostrate before him. Awe of the Creator's wrath when He excluded Iblis from His mercy.
Adam was surprised by this creature, Iblis who abhorred him without even knowing him and who
imagined himself better than Adam without having proved that he was worthier. What a strange
creature Iblis was, and how strange was his excuse for not prostrating!
He imagined that fire is better than clay, but how did he get such an idea? Such knowledge is
exclusive to Allah Who created fire and clay and Who knows which is the better of the two.
From the dialogue Adam realized that Iblis was a creature characterized by cunning and
ingratitude. He then knew that Iblis was his eternal enemy. He was greatly astonished at Iblis's
audacity and Allah's tolerance. Immediately after his creation Adam witnessed the large amount of
freedom that Allah gives to His commissioned creatures.
Allah knew that Iblis was not going to obey Him in prostrating before Adam. Allah could have
totally annihilated him or turned him into a handful of dust or stifled the refusal in his mouth. Yet,
Allah gives His commissioned creatures absolute freedom even to the extent that they can refuse
Allah the Almighty's commands. He grants them the freedom of denial, disobedience, and even
disagreement with Him. His kingdom will not diminish if the disbelievers do not believe in Him
nor will it be extended if many people believe in Him. On the contrary, the disbelievers will lose,
and the believers will gain but Allah is above all of that.

The Reason for Adam's Creation


After this lesson about freedom Adam learned another lesson, one about knowledge. Adam
realized that Iblis was the symbol of evil in the universe and that the angels were the symbol of
good. However he did not yet know anything about himself. Then Allah made him perceive his
true identity and the reason for his creation, and the secret of his glorification.
Allah the Exalted said: "He taught Adam all the names of everything". (Ch 2:31 Quran).


Teaching Adam


Almighty Allah granted Adam the power to know the natures of all things and to summarize them
by names; that is a bird, that is a star, that is a tree, etc Allah implanted in Adam an insatiable need
for and love of knowledge and a desire to bequeath knowledge to his children. This was the
reason for his creation and the secret of his glorification.


After Adam had learned the names of all things, along with their properties and uses, Allah
presented them to the angels and said:


"Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful."(Ch 2:31 Quran)


The angels admitted their inability:


"Glory be to You, we have knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily it is You the All
Knower, the All Wise." (Ch 2:32)


Allah Almighty then turned to Adam:

"O Adam! Inform them of their names," and when he had informed them of their names, He said:
'Did I not tell you that I know the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you
reveal and what you have been hiding?'" (Ch 2:33).


Allah wanted the angels to know that He knew of their astonishment when He had told them
about the creation of Adam and that He also knew of their confusion which they had not revealed,
as well as what Iblis had concealed of his disobedience and ingratitude.
The angels realized that Adam was the creature who knew what they did not know and that his
capacity to learn was his noblest quality. His knowledge included knowledge of the Creator which
we call faith or Islam, as well as the knowledge he would need to inhabit and master the earth. All
kinds of worldly knowledge which are included in this.
Adam knew the names of everything. Sometimes he talked to the angels, but they were
preoccupied with worshipping Almighty Allah. Therefore Adam, felt lonely. One day he slept and
when he awoke he found near his head, a woman gazing at his face with beautiful tender eyes.
The angels asked him her name he replied: "Eve (Hawa)." (means living things). They asked:
"Why did you call her Eve?" Adam said: "Because she was created of me and I am a living being."


Adam Sees Eve


Ibn Abbas and a group of companions of the Prophet (PBUH) narrated that when Iblis was sent
out of Paradise and Adam was accommodated therein, Adam was alone in Paradise and did not
have a partner from whom he could get tranquility. He slept for some time and when he woke up,
he saw a woman whom Allah had created from his ribs. So he asked her, "Who are you? She
replied, "A woman" He asked: "Why have you been created?" She said :"So that you could find
tranquility in me." The angels, trying to find out the extent of his knowledge, asked him: "What is
her name, O Adam?" He replied, "Eve". They asked: "Why was she so named?" He replied,
"Because she was created from something living."


Eve's Creation


Muhammad Ibn Ishaaq and Ibn Abbas related that Eve was created from the shortest left rib of
Adam while he was sleeping and after awhile she was clothed with flesh. That is why Allah the
Exalted said:


"O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from
Him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women.
(Ch 4:1)


Allah also said:


"It is he Who has created you from a single person (Adam) and then He created from him his
wife (Eve), in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her."(Ch 7:189).

Prophet Isa AS (Jesus)


Allah Declares He Has No Son. In many verses of the Glorious Qur'an Allah the Exalted denied the claim
of the Christians that He has a son.


A delegation from Nagran came to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). They began to talk about
their claim about the Trinity, which is that Allah is three in one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, with some disagreement among their sects. That is why Allah affirmed in many verses of
the Qur'an that Jesus is a slave of Allah, whom He molded in the womb of his mother like any
other of His creatures, and that He created him without a father, as He created Adam without a
father or a mother. Almighty Allah had chosen Isa to be one of his messengers to humanity.

Mary's High Status - Prophet Muhammad


Ali Ibn Abi Talib narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "The best of the world's
women is Mary (in her lifetime), and the best of the world's women is Khadija (in her lifetime)."
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)


Abu Musa Al-Ashari also narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "May among men
attained perfection but among women none attained perfection except Mary the daughter of
Imran, and Asiya the wife of Pharaoh, and the superiority of Aisha to other women is like the
superiority of Tharid (an Arabic dish) to other meals."


Mary Receives News of Jesus


While Mary was praying in her temple, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled
with terror, she tried to flee, praying:


"Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah."
The angel said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a
righteous son."
She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?"
He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: "That is easy for me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint
him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by
Allah).'" (Ch 19:18-21 Quran)


Mary Receives News of Jesus


Allah the Exalted revealed:


"And mention in the Book (the Qur'an, O Muhammad, the story of) Mary, when she withdrew in
seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from
them; then We sent to her Our Ruh (angel Gabriel), and he appeared before her in the form of a
man in all respects.


She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah."
The angel said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a
righteous son."


She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?"
He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: "That is easy for Me (Allah): and (We wish) to appoint
him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by
Allah).'" (Ch. 19: 16-21)


The Birth of Jesus


So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (Bethlehem valley, about four to
six miles from Jerusalem). And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She
said: "Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!"
Then (the babe "Jesus" or Gabriel) cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your
Lord has provided you a water stream under you; and shake the trunk of palm tree towards you,
it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad, and if you see any human
being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most Beneficent (Allah) so I shall not speak to
any human being this day.'" (Ch. 19: 22-26)


Mary and Jesus Return to the City


"Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: "O Mary! Indeed you
have brought a thing Fariyya (an unheard mighty thing). O sister (the like) of Aaron (not the
brother of Moses, but he was another pious man at the time of Mary)! Your father was not a man
who used to commit adultery, nor was your mother an unchaste woman."
Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
He (Jesus) said: "Verily! I am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a
Prophet; and He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined me prayer, and Zakat,
as long as I live, and dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. And Salam
(peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!"
(Ch. 19:27 - 33)


Allah's Message About Jesus


Such is Jesus, son of Mary. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). It
befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son (this refers to the slander of
Christians against Allah, by saying that Jesus is the son of Allah). Glorified (and Exalted be He
above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, "Be!" - and
it is.
Jesus said: "And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the
Straight Path. (Allah's Religion of Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His
Prophets)."
Then the sects differed (the Christians about Jesus), so woe unto the disbelievers (those who gave
false witness saying that Jesus is the son of Allah) from the meeting of a great Day (the Day of
Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the blazing Fire).
How clearly will they (polytheists and disbeliveers in the Oneness of Allah) see and hear, the
Day when they will appear before Us! But the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) today are
in plain error. And warn them (O Muhammad) of the Day of grief and regrets, when the case has
been decided, while now they are in a state of carelessness and they believe not. (Ch 19:34-39 Quran)

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون = From HIM we come from, and unto HIM we return.

I hope this helps,

Scimi

Good question. I have asked this elsewhere and it's good to see that as I received similar replies. I commend Scimitar for making this great collection of texts available.

My explanation for the different approaches is that the Koran does not describe the creation processes in detail, but takes "snapshots" of the creation of humans by a creator. It does not say what happens when and using which elements, which is why it can't be compared to natural human reproduction as in embryology, but creation in stages.

What I found interesting is the notion that a human looses weight as the body dies and is transferred into the afterlife. This has been spread as a fact for decades. Also, ancient rituals were built around the transfer of the soul from the body as being represented as wood to an afterlife, represented e.g. as stone in the ancient Stonehenge ritual site. Another reason why even today we have tomb-Stones for the dead.

What nobody seems to have ever tackled is the exact time of the formation of the soul, the materials used and the process, which is probably due to a lack of a concerted definition of what exactly constitutes a "soul".

In The Name of Allah The Most Compassionate The Most Merciful.


Praise be to Allaah.


Allaah is the Creator of all things, and the soul is something that has been created just like everything else. The knowledge about its true essence is something that belongs exclusively to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. Allaah has kept this knowledge exclusively to Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “Whilst I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a farm, and he was resting on a palm branch stripped of its leaves, the Jews passed by, and some of them said to others, ‘Ask him about the soul.’ Some of them said, ‘What urges you to ask him about it?’ Others of them said, ‘Don’t ask him in case he says something you dislike.’ But they said, ‘Ask him,’ so they asked him about the soul. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kept quiet and did not respond to them, and I knew that he was receiving Revelation, so I stayed where I was. When the Revelation of the aayah was complete, he said (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And they ask you [O Muhammad] concerning the rooh [the spirit]. Say: ‘The rooh: it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.’ [al-Isra’ 17:85]” (Reported by al-Bukhaari). The rooh (soul or spirit) has been described by Allaah in His Book and by the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his Sunnah, and various verbs and adjectives have been used in conjunction with the word ‘rooh’, such as seizing or grasping, taking (as in death), it may be fettered or shrouded, it comes and goes, it goes up and comes down, it may be pulled out like a hair being pulled out of dough… It is obligatory (in Islam) to believe in these attributes which are narrated in the “two Revelations” (i.e., the Qur’aan and Sunnah), and also to realize that the soul is not like the body.

Read here if you wish to know more in shaa Allah:

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/4395

The Knowledge of the soul creation is unknown to us but to Allah and if we were in need to know about it then Allah would have taught us this kind of knowledge but it is not important thing for us to know and neither will it increase us in faith nor benefit us in any way...So, its knowledge is hidden from us and only known to The Creator.

And Allah knows the best.

format_quote Originally Posted by Amat Allah

‘And they ask you [O Muhammad] concerning the rooh [the spirit]. Say: ‘The rooh: it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little.’ [al-Isra’ 17:85]”

I am sure those who know/read Arabic will agree with me that translation couldn't able to justice with words of "al-ruh min amri rabbi"