The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 399
The Soul 399 in the Holy Qur'ān that he was unaware of anything concerning the soul? I realize that you have, on account of your defective intelligence, been misled in your interpretation of the following verse of the Holy Qur'ān: وَيَسْلُوْنَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَ مَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنَ العِلمِ إِلا قَلِيلًا 0 170 (Part Number 15, Sūrah Bani Isrā'il) (O Muḥammad) the disbelievers enquire of thee about the soul, as to how and from what it has been created. . Tell them: The soul is by the command of my Lord and you O disbelievers have been bestowed but little knowledge about the soul and Divine mysteries. . You have on account of your lack of intelligence fallen into the error of thinking that it was the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him) who was told that he had little knowledge about the soul. The context and the use of the plural pronoun make it clear that this admonition was addressed to the disbelievers. . . . . The fact is that a company of the disbelievers enquired from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be on him) about the soul. This company of disbelievers was told that the soul is by the command of Allāh, that is to say, it is a word of Allāh or a reflection of it which, through the wisdom and power of God, manifests itself as the soul. It does not partake of Godhood but is created and is a servant of God. This is a subtle secret of Divine power of which you disbelievers have only a little perception, on account of which you are invited to have faith and to exercise your understanding. . . . . The statement that the soul is by the command of the 170 Bani Isrā'il, 17:86 [Publisher]