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efore they were even born. It is this spirit that gives human beings
the ability for speech and a deep innate knowledge of the existence
of their Lord God (even if in their lifetimes the imperfections of
their own souls obscure—at a certain psychic level—the Truth
from them):11
And [remember] when your 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: “Yes, verily. We testify.” [That was] lest you should
say at the Day of Resurrection: Lo! of this we were unaware; /
Or lest you should say: “[It is] only [that] our fathers ascribed
partners to God of old and we were [their] seed after them.
Will You destroy us on account of that which those who follow
falsehood did?” (Al-A‘raf, 7:172–173)
Between—or perhaps connecting—the spirit and the soul there
are four other subtle realities, namely: (i) the breast (sadr); (ii) the
heart (qalb); (iii) the inner heart (fu’ad), and (iv) the heart’s core
(lubb). These may be explained as follows:
(i) The breast (sadr) is the seat of unbelief and misgivings, but
also the seat of ‘expansion’. God says:
Whoever disbelieves in God after [having affirmed] his
faith—except for him who is compelled, while his heart is
at rest in faith—but he who opens up his breast to unbelief, upon
such shall be wrath from God, and there is a great chastisement
for them. (Al-Nahl, 16:106)
…./ From the evil of the slinking whisperer, / who whispers in
the breasts of mankind, / of the jinn and mankind. (Al-Nas,
114:4–6)
Whomever God desires to guide, He expands his breast to Islam;
11 Indeed, human beings always know the truth deep down in themselves. God says in the
Holy Qur’an: Rather man has insight into his [own] soul, / though he should offer his excuses.
(Al-Qiyamah, 75:14–15).
16