CHAPTER II: Quranic Synonyms for Souls

Hearts Are Souls

Introduction:

 The Holy Quran has its unique terminology which must be understood only within the Quranic text itself without any outside references, lexicons, or dictionaries of the Arabic tongue authored by many grammarians and lexicographers in different regions, eras, and schools of thought. Any human tongue is changeable regarding its grammar and diction/vocabulary; the Arabic of the 7^th century Arabia differs from that of the Abbasid, Mameluke, and Ottoman eras and from the modern classical Arabic of today. Scientific methodology of research entails that researchers study books of Sufism, Shiite and Sunnite religions, and philosophy of the Middle Ages of Arab authors by examining and defining the terms they have coined. The Quran is no exception to this rule of scientific methodology of research. It is very wrong to use Shiite, Sufi, and Sunnites books and sets of terminology to understand the Quran unless the intention is to distort, warp, falsify, and twist  the meanings of Quranic verses by haters of the Quran who follow their own whim and select and choose and impose their own contradictory notions and their discrepancies/perspective on the Quranic text. The Quranic terms are to be defined from within the Quran itself by examining and studying how terms and their derivations are employed in all verses containing them within local contexts and general contexts within the entire Quranic text while locating the definitive verses and the similar ones covering the topic/term at hand; this is exemplified in tens of articles of ours, in English, under the title  (Quranic Terminology). The objective Quranist researchers must be willing to readily discard any old, traditional notions when refuted by the results of the Quranist research. In light of the above, we discuss the Quranic term "heart(s)" which is synonymous with "soul(s)".

Firstly: hearts are souls with awareness and discernment and the ability to realize and think:

 The hearts/souls which control bodies are linked to eyesight and hearing also of the souls and not eyes/ears of the physical human bodies; i.e., souls have their own hearts, eyes, and ears: "Then He proportioned him, and breathed into him by His Spirit. Then He gave you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the heart - but rarely do you give thanks. (32:9). Human babies are born as blank slates or tabula rasa. "God brought you out of your mothers’ wombs, not knowing anything; and He gave you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the brains; that you may give thanks." (16:78). When they explore the world around them as they grow up, the inner hearts, eyes, and ears of their souls begin to function and absorb; they discern when they reach adulthood and choose freely to be (mis)guided. "It is He who produced for you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the hearts. But little gratitude you show." (23:78); "Say, “It is He who produced you; and made for you the hearing, and the vision, and the hearts. But rarely do you give thanks.”" (67:23). When polytheistic ingrates/disbelievers are never thankful to their Lord God for bounties He bestowed on them, their hearts inside their souls (or conscience or superego of the souls) are dulled/numbed or broken down because of human devils and jinn devils who misguide souls with devilish narratives/hadiths (about deified mortals and intercession and justifying committing sins...etc.) ascribed by force to Divine Revelation to repel people from the Path; i.e., the Quran. "Likewise, We have assigned for every prophet an enemy - human and jinn devils - inspiring one another with fancy words in order to deceive. But had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. So leave them to their fabrications. So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, and be content with it, and that they may perpetrate whatever they perpetrate. “Shall I seek a judge other than God, when He is the One who revealed to you the Book, explained in detail?”..." (6:112-114) This is about the misguided ancient nations destroyed by the Lord God: "We had empowered them in the same way as We empowered you; and We gave them the hearing, and the sight, and the minds. But neither their hearing, nor their sight, nor their hearts availed them in any way. That is because they disregarded the Verses of God; and so they became surrounded by what they used to ridicule." (46:26). The eyes/ears and the hearts of human souls influence the bodily/physical organs of the eyes, the ears and the hearts/minds of people. This explains why the Muhammadans with their physical ears and eyes hear and read the Quranic verses which refute and debunk the myth of the so-called intercession of human souls on behalf of other human souls on the Resurrection Day but the awareness of their souls hardly pays any attention. This is because their souls adhere to disbelief and polytheism; i.e., the Muhammadans prefer devilish hadiths (e.g., the ones about intercession) to the Quranic verses; this is why their souls are screened from the Quran by thick veils which prevent the Quranic preaching, guidance, and Light from reaching the awareness and senses of their souls. "And if you call them to guidance, they will not hear. And you see them looking at you, yet they do not see." (7:198). The same meaning is repeated here: "We have destined for Hell multitudes of jinn and humans. They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. These are like cattle. In fact, they are further astray. These are the heedless." (7:179); "Or do you assume that most of them hear or understand? They are just like cattle, but even more errant in their way." (25:44); "Have they not journeyed in the land, and had minds to reason with, or ears to listen with? It is not the eyes that go blind, but it is the hearts, within the chests, that go blind." (22:46); "Only those who listen will respond..." (6:36); "...the hearing, and the sight, and the hearts - all these will be questioned." (17:36); "Their necks outstretched, their heads upraised, their gaze unblinking, their hearts void." (14:43). This is in contrast to monotheistic believers whose keen awareness inside hearts of their souls make tem obey the Quranic Message and heed its warning. The losers inside Hell will realize how the fire examines their hearts/souls: "God's kindled Fire. That laps to the hearts." (104:6-7).

Secondly: (hearts) in the Quranic stories refer to human souls:

  This is about Abraham after he made Ishmael and his mother settle in Mecca and he left them behind as per the Lord God's commands: "“Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley of no vegetation, by Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may perform the prayers. So make the hearts of some people incline towards them, and provide them with fruits, that they may be thankful.”" (14:37); this is about the mother of Moses after throwing the casket containing the baby Moses into the River Nile: " The heart of Moses’ mother became vacant. She was about to disclose him, had We not steadied her heart, that she may remain a believer." (28:10); this is about the heart/soul of Muhammad which received the Quranic text from the archangel Gabriel during the Night-Journey on the Night of Decree in Ramadan within an ethereal, Barsakh vision; Muhammad's soul's eyes saw Gabriel and not the physical eyes of his physical head: "The Honest Spirit came down with it. Upon your heart, that you may be one of the warners." (26:193-194); "Say, “Whoever is hostile to Gabriel - it is he who revealed it to your heart by God’s leave, confirming what preceded it, and guidance and good news for the believers.”" (2:97); "Everything We narrate to you of the history of the messengers is to strengthen your heart therewith. The truth has come to you in this, and a lesson, and a reminder for the believers." (11:120); "Those who disbelieve say, “Why was the Quran not revealed to him at once?” Thus in order to strengthen your heart thereby, and We revealed it in stages." (25:32); "It is but a revelation revealed. Taught to him by the Extremely Powerful. The one of vigor. He settled. While he was at the highest horizon. Then he descended, and hovered around. He was within two bows’ length, or closer. Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart did not lie about what it saw." (53:4-11); "The sight did not waver, nor did it exceed. He saw some of the Great Signs of his Lord."  (53:17-18). 

Souls and Chests

 The Quranic term "chests", indicating hearts and their hidden secrets, is synonymous with the term (souls); in fact, they are like chests/coffers containing the souls. They are like the black box of a plane or a motor inside vehicles; souls control bodies and it takes all decisions to perform good deeds or to engage into evildoing. Souls are chests/hearts. Such words are exact synonyms in the Quranic tongue. The term (chests) has its connotations of hidden secrets/deeds/facts which one does not desire to divulge though nothing can be hidden from the Omniscient Lord God. "He knows the deceptions of the eyes, and what the chests conceal." (40:19); "Your Lord knows best what is in your souls..." (17:25). A measure/level of omniscience was not granted by the Lord to every prophet/messenger; only some had it and some did not. As per the Quran, Jesus was granted a measure of omniscience but Noah and Muhammad did not deceive such miracle. The Lord God's Omniscience is linked to creation of the universe (to test human souls) and to knowing all secrets inside the chests/souls of human beings and this is the basis of Judgment: "God is the Knower of the future of the heavens and the earth. He knows what the chests contain." (35:38); "To Him belongs the kingship of the heavens and the earth, and to God all matters are referred. He merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night; and He knows what the chests contains." (57:5-6); "He created the heavens and the earth with truth, and He designed you, and designed you well, and to Him is the final return. He knows everything in the heavens and the earth, and He knows what you conceal and what you reveal. And God knows what is within chests." (64:3-4); "Whether you keep your words secret, or declare them - He is Aware of what is within chests." (67:13); "...Then to your Lord is your return; and He will inform you of what you used to do. He is aware of what the chests contain." (39:7); "Among the people is he who says, “We have believed in God.” Yet when he is harmed on God’s account, he equates the people's persecution with God’s retribution. And if help comes from your Lord, he says, “We were actually with you.” Is not God aware of what is inside the chests of the people? God certainly knows those who believe, and He certainly knows the hypocrites." (29:10-11). This is about the chest/soul of Muhammad: "Or do they say, “He forged a lie about God.” If God so willed, He could have sealed your heart. But God obliterates the false, and confirm the true by His Words. He knows what is within chests." (42:24). The Omniscient Lord God has told us in the Quran how disbelievers in Arabia hated the Quran and how hypocrites tried to deceive the believers and He knows what is hidden in the souls/chests of believers: "They wrap their chests to hide from Him. But even as they cover themselves with their clothes, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. He knows what lies within chests." (11:5); "There you are, you love them, but they do not love you, and you believe in the entire Book. And when they meet you, they say, “We believe;” but when they are alone, they bite their fingers in rage at you. Say, “Die in your rage; God knows what is within the chests.”" (3:119); "And Remember God’s blessings upon you, and His covenant which He covenanted with you; when you said, “We hear and we obey.” And remain conscious of God, for God knows what the chests contain." (5:7); "God made them appear in your dream as few. Had He made them appear as many, you would have lost heart, and disputed in the matter. But God saved the situation. He knows what the chests contain." (8:43); "Whoever disbelieves - let not his disbelief sadden you. To Us is their return. Then We will inform them of what they did. God knows what lies within chests." (31:23).

 Of course, souls/chests of ordinary criminals (i.e., thieves and murderers) and big criminals like enthroned tyrannical rulers drive them to commit more sins and grave injustices; we do not see their souls/chests but we see their bodies and crimes; the body is the garment of the Barsakh creature known as the soul and its chest and senses (for souls, as per the Quran, have their own minds/hearts, eyes, and ears). The Omniscient Lord God knows all what is inside chests/souls of disbelievers, hypocrites, believers, and all human souls in general; devils and Satan whisper into souls/chests of human beings: "And your Lord knows what their chests conceal, and what they reveal." (27:74); "And your Lord knows what their chests conceal, and what they reveal." (28:69); "...Is not God aware of what is inside the chests of the people? " (29:10); "Say, “Whether you conceal what is in your chests, or disclose it, God knows it.” He knows everything in the heavens and the earth. God is Powerful over everything." (3:29); "And the contents of the chests are obtained." (100:10); "In fact, it is Clear Verses in the chests of those given knowledge. No one renounce Our Verses except the unjust." (29:49); this is about Satan: "Who whispers into the chests of people." (114:5). Hence, chests are synonymous with hearts/souls in the Quranic text.

 The Quran and monotheism/Islam are embraced by hearts of seekers of guidance and healing for their souls/chests: "O people! There has come to you advice from your Lord, and healing for what is in the chests, and guidance and mercy for the believers." (10:57); "Whomever God desires to guide, He spreads open his chest to Islam; and whomever He desires to misguide, He makes his chest narrow, constricted, as though he were climbing up the sky. God thus lays abomination upon those who do not believe." (6:125).

 Moses' soul/chest/heart felt the magnitude of the difficult mission of addressing his call to Pharaoh; he implored the Lord God to send Aaron as his helper and to grant him peace of mind/heart/soul/chest: "...“My Lord, put my chest at peace for me." (20:25).

 This is about Muhammad whose heart/chest or soul was saddened by the stances and demands of disbelievers in Arabia: "Among them are those who listen to you; but We place covers over their hearts, to prevent them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. Even if they see every verse, they will not believe in it. Until, when they come to you, to argue with you, those who disbelieve will say, “These are nothing but myths of the ancients.”" (6:25); "And let not their sayings dishearten you..." (10:65); "So do not let their words sadden you..." (36:76); "Perhaps you wish to disregard some of what is revealed to you, and your chest is strained because of it, since they say, “If only a treasure was sent down to him, or an angel came with him.” You are only a warner, and God is Responsible for all things." (11:12); "We are aware that your chest is strained by what they say." (15:97).

Hearts Are Souls Contained in Human Bodies (1)

 The human souls are referred to in the Quranic text in both terms (chests) and (hearts) as we have shown previously; souls have eyes and ears and minds; this is about disbelievers: "... It is not the eyes that go blind, but it is the hearts, within the chests, that go blind." (22:46). This is addressed to believers since all human beings are being tested in this life: "...God thus tests what is in your chests, and purifies what is in your hearts. God knows what the chests contain." (3:154); this is about the Lord God's control of the Quranic revelation descended upon the heart/soul of Muhammad: "Or do they say, “He forged a lie about God.” If God so willed, He could have sealed your heart. But God obliterates the false, and confirm the true by His Words. He knows what is within chests." (42:24). Of course, souls are invisible while bodies are visible; the Omniscient Lord God sees and knows all deeds/thoughts/faith inside souls/chests/hearts of human beings and all is registered in the Book of Deeds of each soul so that in the Day of Judgment, each soul will be united with its new body/garment woven of such deeds either in Hell or in Paradise forever. thus, the chest/heart of the soul differs from the physical chest and the vital organ known as the heart which pumps blood throughout the human body. Polytheism and monotheism cannot be combined in one soul which has but one chest/heart: "God did not place two hearts inside any person..." (33:4). That souls are referred to, within metonymy, as hearts/chests is exemplified here: " Have they not journeyed in the land, and had minds to reason with, or ears to listen with? It is not the eyes that go blind, but it is the hearts, within the chests, that go blind." (22:46); "...God thus tests what is in your chests, and purifies what is in your hearts. God knows what the chests contain." (3:154). This is a  comparison between souls/hearts of pious believers and heedless disbelievers: "And those who give what they give, while their hearts quake, knowing that to their Lord they will return. It is they who race towards goodness. It is they who will reach it first. We never burden any soul beyond its capacity. And with Us is a record that tells the truth, and they will not be wronged. But their hearts are puzzled because of this; and they have deeds that do not conform to this, which they continue to perpetrate. Until, when We seize the affluent ones among them with torment, they begin to scream. " (23:60-64). The faces and hearts of the souls of sinners will be (or are) blackened even if we cannot see this in this world, we will see this on the Resurrection Day: "...Their hearts have become blackened by what they used to earn." (83:14); "On the Day when some faces will be whitened, and some faces will be blackened. As for those whose faces are blackened: “Did you disbelieve after your belief?” Then taste the torment for having disbelieved." (3:106).

Hearts Are Souls Contained in Human Bodies (2): The Freedom of Souls/Hearts to Choose Guidance or Misguidance

 The use of the terms hearts/chests and souls in the Quranic text assert that these terms are 100% synonymous in the Quranic tongue. The soul/heart has the freedom to choose to (dis)believe and to (dis)obey and to choose being (mis)guided while bearing full responsibility for the outcome in the Hereafter as we have explained before. This time, we trace Quranic verses (containing ''hearts'' and not ''souls'') about the same topic of this test of life. Souls are tested within ordeals, hardships, adversities, calamities, and persecution, and injustice because the vast majority in any given society in all eras consists of misguided misguiding people. Tests of ordeals are worse and more difficult in the societies of the Muhammadans where the clergymen of Satan dominate citizens. It is very wrong to assume that once one would declare one's monotheistic faith that one will live in bliss and tranquility: "Have the people supposed that they will be left alone to say, “We believe,” without being put to the test? We have tested those before them. God will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liars." (29:2-3); "And among the people is he who worships God on edge. When something good comes his way, he is content with it. But when an ordeal strikes him, he makes a turnaround. He loses this world and the next. That is the obvious loss." (22:11). Pious monotheists pass this test of calamities; hypocrites and skeptics undoubtedly fail it. Hearts here are souls: "...those are they whose hearts God has tested for piety. They will have forgiveness and a great reward." (49:3); "...But God has given you the love of faith, and adorned it in your hearts, and made disbelief, sinning, and disobedience hateful to you. These are the rightly guided." (49:7). Hypocrites and disbelievers never repent or remember when they face hardships and ordeals within the test of life: "Do they not see that they are tested once or twice every year? Yet they do not repent, and they do not remember." (9:126); " Among the people is he who says, “We have believed in God.” Yet when he is harmed on God’s account, he equates the people's persecution with God’s retribution. And if help comes from your Lord, he says, “We were actually with you.” Is not God aware of what is inside the hearts of the people? God certainly knows those who believe, and He certainly knows the hypocrites." (29:10-11).

 Regardless of the level of misguidance in the soul/heart, the Quranic Light partly enters into it because of the instinct of monotheism instilled in the Barsakh DNA of souls despite arrogance, defiance, and stubbornness of polytheists; hearts here are souls: "Thus We slip it into the hearts of the criminals. They do not believe in it, though the ways of the ancients have passed away." (15:12-13); "Thus We make it pass through the hearts of the criminals. They will not believe in it until they witness the painful torment." (26:200-201). The misguided ones will feel remorse after it is too late when they see the devilish companions: "Whoever shuns the remembrance of the Dominant Lord, We assign for him a devil, to be his companion. They hinder them from the path, though they think they are guided. Until, when He comes to Us, he will say, “If only there were between me and you the distance of the two Easts.” What an evil companion! It will not benefit you on that Day, since you did wrong. You are partners in torment." (43:36-39); "We had assigned companions for them, who glamorized to them what was in front of them, and what was behind them. And the Word proved true against them in communities of jinn and humans that have passed away before them. They were losers." (41:25). It is no use preaching the Quran to such souls which willingly have chosen misguidance since the devilish companion dominate their hearts/souls: "What of him whose evil deed was made attractive to him, and so he regards it as good? God leads astray those willing to be misguided, and He guides those willing to be guided. Therefore, do not waste your soul sorrowing over them. God knows exactly what they do." (35:8); these Quranic verses apply to hypocrites/disbelievers in all eras and regions: "As for those who disbelieve - it is the same for them, whether you have warned them, or have not warned them - they do not believe. God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. They will have a severe torment. Among the people are those who say, “We believe in God and in the Last Day,” but they are not believers. They seek to deceive God and those who believe, but they deceive none but their souls, though they are not aware. In their hearts is sickness, and God has increased their sickness. They will have a painful torment because of their denial." (2:6-10).    

  The hearts/souls of hypocrites/disbelievers who deny the Last Day are sealed by their misguidance and disbelief; they never understand, discern, or reflect. "God thus seals the hearts of those who do not know." (30:59); "That is because they have preferred the worldly life to the Hereafter, and because God does not guide the people who refuse. It is they whom God has sealed their hearts, and their hearing, and their sight. It is they who are the heedless." (16:107-108); they will regret it after it is too late for them upon their moment of dying: "Until, when death comes to one of them, he says, “My Lord, send me back. That I may do right in what I have neglected.” By no means! It is just a word that he utters. And behind them is a Barsakh/barrier, until the Day they are resurrected." (23:99-100). The belief in the Hereafter means to adhere to monotheism, piety, and good deeds; in contrast, the heedless never think of death and the Hereafter as their polytheistic hearts/souls hate the Quranic warning: "When you read the Quran, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter an invisible barrier. And We drape veils over their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and heaviness in their ears. And when you mention your Lord alone in the Quran, they turn their backs in aversion." (17:45-46). Aggressors, hypocrites, and polytheists have hearts/souls that are sealed: "Then, after him, We sent messengers to their people. They came to them with the clear proofs, but they would not believe in anything they had already rejected. Thus We set a seal on the hearts of the aggressors." (10:74); "Is it not guidance for those who inherit the land after its inhabitants, that if We willed, We could strike them for their sins? And seal up their hearts, so that they would not hear? These towns - We narrate to you some of their tales. Their messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they would not believe in what they had rejected previously. Thus God seals the hearts of the disbelievers." (7:100-101); "That is because they believed, and then disbelieved; so their hearts were sealed, and they cannot understand...It is the same for them, whether you ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them; God will not forgive them. God does not guide the sinful people." (63:3-6).

  This is about Quran-hating souls which argue/strive against the Lord God's Verses while seeing to ridicule, undermine, and cast doubt on them to repel others from the Path: the Quran itself: " Those who argue against God’s Verses, without any proof having come to them - a heinous sin in the sight of God, and of those who believe. Thus God seals the heart of every proud tyrant." (40:35); "Among the people is he who argues about God without knowledge, and follows every defiant devil...leading him to the Hell torment." (22:3-4); "And among the people is he who argues about God without knowledge, or guidance, or an enlightening book. Turning aside in contempt, to lead away from the Path of God. He will have humiliation in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection We will make him taste the torment of burning. That is for what your hands have advanced, and because God is not unjust to the servants." (22:8-10); "But those who strive against Our Verses - these are the inmates of Hell." (22:51); "Those who disbelieve argue with false argument, in order to defeat the truth thereby. They take My Verses, and the warnings, for a joke. Who commits graver injustice than he, who, when reminded of his Lord’s Verses, turns away from them, and forgets what his hands have put forward? We have placed coverings over their hearts, lest they understand it, and heaviness in their ears. And if you call them to guidance, they will not be guided, ever." (18:56-57); "As for those who strive against Our Verses, seeking to undermine them - for them is a torment of a painful plague." (34:5); "But those who work against Our Verses, seeking to undermine them - those will be summoned to the torment." (34:38); "And they say, “Our hearts are screened from what you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a barrier. So do what you want, and so will we.”" (41:5); "And they said, “Our hearts are sealed.” Rather, God has cursed them for their disbelief. They have little faith." (2:88). Upon hearing the Quranic verses, the belief of believers increases and the abominations of hypocrites increases: "O you who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who attack you...Whenever a chapter is revealed, some of them say, “Which of you has this increased in faith?” As for those who believe: it increases them in faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is sickness: it adds abomination to their abomination, and they die as disbelievers." (9:123-125); "It is He who revealed to you the Book. Some of its verses are definitive; they are the foundation of the Book, and others are similar. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow the similar part, seeking dissent, and seeking to derive an interpretation. But none knows its interpretation except God and those firmly rooted in knowledge say, “We believe in it; all is from our Lord.” But none recollects except those with understanding. “Our Lord, do not cause our hearts to swerve after You have guided us, and bestow on us mercy from Your presence; You are the Giver.”" (3:7-8). Responsibility of souls for their fate in the Hereafter is the result of their being granted free will and freedom of choice in this world: "O you who believe! Respond to God and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will revive you. And know that God stands between a man and his heart, and that to Him you will be gathered." (8:24).

Hearts Are Souls Contained in Human Bodies (3): God's Omniscience Regarding Souls/Hearts

 The Quran asserts the Omniscience of the Lord God and this includes knowing all secrets of the souls/hearts of all human beings: "To God belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. Whether you reveal what is within your souls, or conceal it, God will judge you for it..." (2:284). The Lord God has known what lies in the hearts of the contemporaries of Muhammad who mostly were disbelievers in Mecca and disbelieving hypocrites in Yathreb: "Among the people is he whose speech about the worldly life impresses you, and he calls God to witness what is in his heart, while he is the most hostile of adversaries." (2:204). "...God knows what is within your hearts. God is Omniscient and Clement." (33:51). Such Quranic warnings predict that the sinners who ascribed their crimes (i.e., Arabic conquests) to the name of Islam died without repentance years after the death of Muhammad. The Quran, which is the Omniscient Lord God's Word, exposes them beforehand in many verses about the story of Muhammad and his contemporaries in Arabia. The Lord God says the following in the Quran: "Muhammad and the Messenger of God....God has promised those among them who believe and do good deeds forgiveness and a great reward" (48:29). This means not everyone among the contemporaries of Muhammad was a good soul; for more details, we refer readers to these articles of ours, in English, about the Quranic verse 48:29 and the division made by the Omniscient Lord God of groups among the contemporaries of Muhammad as per what was in their hearts/souls:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=19417

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/English/show_article.php?main_id=19420

We also refer readers to read our further analysis of 48:29 in PART IX of our book, in English, titled: "Those Who Believe in Muhammad Are Disbelievers", found on this link:

http://ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=170

Here is the link for Chapter IX:

http://ahl-alquran.com/arabic/chapter.php?main_id=1129

We have explained the history of the sinful contemporaries of Muhammad after his death within these two books of ours, in English:

"The Unspoken-of History of the Pre-Umayyad 'Righteous' Caliphs", found on this link:

 http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=83

"A Historical Overview of the Emergence and Development of the Earthly", found on this link:

http://www.ahl-alquran.com/arabic/book_main.php?main_id=107

Hearts Are Souls Contained in Human Bodies (4): Souls/Hearts between Sickness and Healing

 The ailment/sickness or disease of souls/hearts is misguidance resulting from, or hosen based on, arrogance, disbelief, defiance, disobedience, and envy/hatred. The cure/healing or guidance for the human soul is the Lord God's Word: the Holy Quran. In it, one finds guidance, Light, and comfort based on the Absolute Truth. Of course, sickness/healing are employed figuratively and literally in the Quranic text. The literal sense of disease/sickness can be found in the Quranic verses containing sharia legislations especially in relation to the performance of Islamic duties and acts of worship and excuses within this topic related to the Quranic higher value of ease/facilitation. We have written about this topic a lot in English. The literal sense of healing is mentioned in relation of consumption of certain food items mentioned in the Quran: honey, figs, olives,...etc. and in relation to the fact that healing of any bodily sickness/disease occurs only by the Lord God's leave and permission, as per the words of Abraham about the Lord God: "And when I get sick, He heals me." (26:80). Sickness in the figurative sense in the Quranic text is polytheism/disbelief and misguidance and all of the m are linked to hearts/souls of human beings and not literal hearts which are the organs that pump blood into the human bodies. Sickness in the figurative sense is also linked to the idea of sinning/fornication (see 33:32), hypocrisy, and transgression: "As for those who disbelieve - it is the same for them, whether you have warned them, or have not warned them - they do not believe. God has set a seal on theirhearts and on their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. They will have a severe torment. Among the people are those who say, “We believe in God and in the Last Day,” but they are not believers. They seek to deceive God and those who believe, but they deceive none but their souls, though they are not aware. In their hearts is sickness, and God has increased their sickness. They will have a painful torment because of their denial." (2:6-10); sickness is part and parcel of the psyche of hypocrites: "The hypocrites and those in whose hearts is sickness said, “Their religion has deluded these people.”..." (8:49). This is evident in all Quranic verses which describe the stances, deeds, and words of the Yathreb hypocrites who hated and mocked the Quran; this is exemplified here about their stance when they heard Quranic verses read to them: "But as for those in whose hearts is sickness: it adds abomination to their abomination, and they die as disbelievers." (9:125); they refused to use the Quran as Criterion for arbitration: "And when they are called to God and His Messenger, in order to judge between them, some of them refuse. But if justice is on their side, they accept it willingly. Is there sickness in their hearts? Or are they suspicious? Or do they fear that God may do them injustice? Or His Messenger? In fact, they themselves are the unjust." (24:48-50); they hated the Quran as it has exposed their grudges, hatred, animosity, and envy inside their souls: "Do those in whose hearts is sickness think that God will not expose their malice?" (47:29). The same applies to polytheists/disbelievers in addition to their cruelty and hardheartedness inside their souls which result in the believe in falsehoods/lies and fabricated devilish narratives known as hadiths; no heart/soul can combine the belief in the Quran and the belief in such devilish revelations known as hadiths which continue to exist as a test to see which souls will choose misguidance of the devilish narratives/hadiths (as they cast doubt on the Quran) or the guidance of the Quranic Light; this test goes on within all eras after the death of Muhammad after the completion of the Quranic Revelation. "We never sent a messenger before you, or a prophet, but when he had a desire Satan interfered in his wishes. But God leaves intact what Satan interjects, and God affirms His Verses. God is Omniscient and Wise. In order to make Satan’s narratives a test for those whose hearts are diseased, and those whose hearts are hardened. The unjust ones are in profound discord. And so that those endowed with knowledge may know that it is the Truth from your Lord, and so believe in it, and their hearts soften to it. God guides those who believe to a Straight Path. Those who disbelieve will continue to be doubtful about it, until the Hour comes upon them suddenly, or there comes to them the torment of a Desolate Day." (22:52-55). Those who seek extramarital sex are sick at heart/soul and their secretive, unrestrained, lustful looks of their eyes are known to the Lord God and registered by His angels: "He knows the deceptions of the eyes, and what the chests conceal." (40:19).

 The Quran is the only source of guidance in Islam; it is the healing/cure from the disease/sickness of doubtful, disbelieving, and polytheistic chests/hearts/souls; the Lord God has addressed the following to all human beings: "O people! There has come to you advice from your Lord, and healing for what is in the chests, and guidance and mercy for the believers." (10:57). Some of those whose hearts/souls are sick with doubt and polytheism try to undermine and ridicule the Quran and to manipulate its verses by twisting and distorting their meanings in order to repel others from the Quran; their penalty is that their sickness/abomination, misguidance, and loss increase with the passage of time: "We send down in the Quran healing and mercy for the believers, but it increases the unjust ones only in loss." (17:82); this is about the Quran: "...“For those who believe, it is guidance and healing. But as for those who do not believe: there is heaviness in their ears, and it is blindness for them..." (41:44). Such reference to ears and blindness is about those of souls/hearts and not the physical body, of course.

 Of course, the comfort provided by the Quran to hearts of pious monotheists adds a lot to their psychological wellbeing and peace of mind and, therefore, their good physical health; they live in peace and they adhere to patience, tolerance, contentment, satisfaction, and praising their Lord God; they know that their existence on earth is temporary as death is inevitable; their focus is on the Eternal Life in the Hereafter inside Paradise; they perform many good deeds within monotheism and piety to earn Paradise; they pass tests of life within patience and prayers in times of ordeals and hardships they never experience anxiety as they never vie for transient possessions of this world; they never seek power, wealth,...etc. like those heedless ones whose hearts/souls are sick with denying the Hereafter. The true believers in the Holy Quran realize the fact that their physical bodies are temporary garments for their souls which are being tested on earth; they prepare for their souls in the Eternal Life after the Day of Judgment a radiant garment of Light woven of their good deeds performed within repentance, sincerity, devotion, monotheism, and piety.             

Hearts Are Souls Contained in Human Bodies (5): Believing Souls/Hearts in Contrast to Disbelieving Souls/Hearts

Features of the piety within hearts/souls of the believers:

 The vital organ named as (heart) which bumps blood into the human body has nothing to do with (dis)belief and (mis)guidance which are linked to hearts/chests of the human souls. Of course, human souls/hearts/chests feel all the range of sentiments and feelings such as sorrow (we have mentioned examples of it about Muhammad and Moses' mother) and fear (e.g., within the Quranic story of Moses as we have explained before).

 We give more examples about that topic in relation to the Quranic verses which employ the term "heart(s)" to denote the soul(s); this is about fear during the siege of Yathreb: "When they came upon you, from above you, and from beneath you; and the eyes became dazed, and the hearts reached the throats, and you harbored doubts about God." (33:10); of course, fearing any (non-)human creatures can be removed by reading the Quran within fearing only the Lord God the Creator: "That is only Satan frightening his allies; so do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are believers." (3:175); "Those who believe, and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of God. Surely, it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find comfort.”" (13:28); "God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds, that...He will substitute security in place of their fear. They worship Me, never associating anything with Me..." (24:55). This is about anger: "Fight them. God will punish them at your hands, and humiliate them, and help you against them, and heal the hearts of a believing people. And He will remove the anger of their hearts..." (9:14-15). It is OK that believers seek comfort for their hearts: this is about Abraham: "And when Abraham said, “My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.” He said, “Have you not believed?” He said, “Yes, but to put my heart at comfort.”..." (2:260); this is about the disciples of Jesus: "And when the disciples said, 'O Jesus son of Mary, is your Lord able to bring down for us a feast from heaven?' He said, 'Fear God, if you are believers.'“ They said, “We wish to eat from it, so that our hearts may be reassured, and know that you have told us the truth, and be among those who witness it.”" (5:112-113). This is about comfort/tranquility granted to the believing People of the Cave who fled from their disbelieving persecutors: "We relate to you their story in truth. They were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. And We strengthened their hearts, when they stood up and said, “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; we will not call on any god besides Him, for then we would have spoken an outrage.”" (18:13-14).

 The Lord God says the following about the piety within hearts/souls of the believers: "The believers are those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and when His Verses are read to them, they strengthen them in faith, and upon their Lord they rely." (8:2); this is addressed to two wives of Muhammad who rebelled against him at one time: "If you repent to God, then your hearts have listened..." (66:4); "So it is. Whoever venerates the rituals of God - it is from the piety of the hearts...Your God is One God, so to Him submit, and announce good news to the humble. Those whose hearts tremble when God is mentioned, and those who endure what has befallen them, and those who perform prayers and spend from what We have provided for them." (22:32-35); "And hold fast to the rope of God, altogether, and do not become divided. And remember God’s blessings upon you; how you were enemies, and He reconciled your hearts, and by His grace you became brethren...." (3:103); "And He united their hearts. Had you spent everything on earth, you would not have united their hearts, but God united them together. He is Mighty and Wise." (8:63).

 The hearts/souls of disbelievers are more likely to be sealed: "Say, “Have you considered? If God took away your hearing and your sight, and set a seal on your hearts, what god other than God would restore them to you?” Note how We explain the Verses in various ways, yet they still turn away." (6:46); they are too arrogant to believe in Allah and in the Hereafter: "Your God is one God. As for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, their hearts are in denial, and they are arrogant." (16:22); this is a general rule: "Those who do not know say, “If only God would speak to us, or a sign would come to us.” Thus said those who were before them. Their hearts are alike. We have made the signs clear for people who are certain." (2:118); this is about Hell dwellers whose souls/hearts were heedless in this transient world: "We have destined for Hell multitudes of jinn and humans. They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear. These are like cattle. In fact, they are further astray. These are the heedless." (7:179); as much as they hate hearing/reading the Quran, they love to hear/utter words of disbelief and lies; this specially applies to clergymen of all types especially among the Muhammadans: "O messenger! Do not let those who are quick to disbelief grieve you - from among those who say with their mouths, “We believe,” but their hearts do not believe...listeners to lies, listeners to other people who did not come to you. They distort words from their places...Whomever God has willed to divert, you have nothing for him from God. Those are they whose hearts God does not intend to purify. For them is disgrace in this world, and for them is a terrible torment in the Hereafter.Listeners to falsehoods, eaters of illicit earnings..." (5:41-42); this is about disbelievers whose hearts/souls cling to lies: "Likewise, We have assigned for every prophet an enemy - human and jinn devils - inspiring one another with fancy words in order to deceive. But had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. So leave them to their fabrications. So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, and be content with it, and that they may perpetrate whatever they perpetrate." (6:112-113); the following about some of the People of the Book in Arabia who refused to believe in the Quran but declared the opposite stance out of hypocrisy: "O messenger! Do not let those who are quick to disbelief grieve you - from among those who say with their mouths, “We believe,” but their hearts do not believe...Those are they whose hearts God does not intend to purify. For them is disgrace in this world, and for them is an enormous torment in the Hereafter." (5:41). This is about the hardheartedness of disbelievers: "Then after that your hearts hardened. They were as rocks, or even harder..." (2:74); "Is it not time for those who believe to surrender their hearts to the remembrance of God, and to the truth that has come down, and not be like those who were given the Book previously, but time became prolonged for them, so their hearts hardened, and many of them are sinners?" (57:16); this is about gentleness of hearts/souls of pious monotheists who are winners in Paradise in the Hereafter: "We never sent a messenger before you, or a prophet, but when he had a desire Satan interfered in his wishes. But God leaves intact what Satan interjects, and God affirms His Verses. God is Omniscient and Wise. In order to make Satan’s narratives a test for those whose hearts are diseased, and those whose hearts are hardened. The unjust ones are in profound discord. And so that those endowed with knowledge may know that it is the Truth from your Lord, and so believe in it, and their hearts soften to it. God guides those who believe to a Straight Path." (22:52-54); "Then We sent in their footsteps Our messengers, and followed up with Jesus son of Mary, and We gave him the Gospel, and instilled in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy..." (57:27); "What about someone whose heart God has opened to Islam, so that he follows a Light from His Lord? Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the mention of God. Those are in manifest error." (39:22-23). Polytheists hate to hear about the Lord God only they insist on hearing about deified allies: "When God alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter shrink with resentment. But when those other than Him are mentioned, they become filled with joy." (39:45); this is why many among the Muhammadans in Egypt hated our Quran-only sermons (we read Quranic verses only to them in the microphone) since we never quoted any hadiths. they also hate the testimony of monotheism of (There is no God but Allah); they love to add the names of Ali and Muhammad to it. Pondering the Quran helps unseal the hearts hardened by polytheism: "Will they not ponder the Quran? Or are there locks upon their hearts?" (47:24).

 Doubts and skepticism fill the hearts/souls of hypocrites/disbelievers because of their allies/saints/gods/devils; this is in contrast to pious monotheists who follow only the Light of guidance within the Quranic insights. This is about hypocrites of Yathreb: The structure which they built will remain doubted in their hearts, until their hearts are stopped. God is Knowing and Wise." (9:110); "Only those who do not believe in God and the Last Day ask you for exemption. Their hearts are full of doubts, so they waver in their doubts." (9:45); "Is there sickness in their hearts? Or are they suspicious? Or do they fear that God may do them injustice? Or His Messenger? In fact, they themselves are the unjust." (24:50). Most of the disbelievers/skeptics/hypocrites in all eras until the end of days are heedless and their souls/hearts never ponder the Quranic Truth: "The humankind’s Judgment has drawn near, but they turn away heedlessly. No fresh reminder comes to them from their Lord, but they listen to it playfully. Their hearts distracted...”" (21:1-3); this applies to the Muhammadans, past and present. The hearts/souls of the misguided disbelievers/hypocrites are filled with fear: "We will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they attribute to God partners for which He revealed no sanction. Their abode is the Fire..." (3:151). The today's polytheistic Muhammadans in their civil strife and massacring one another in wars believe in devilish hadiths and never heed these Quranic verses (which apply now to them) about aggressors among the people of the Book in Arabia: "...and threw fear into their hearts. They wrecked their homes with their own hands, and by the hands of the believers. Therefore, take a lesson, O you who have insight. " (59:2); "...Their hostility towards each other is severe. You would think they are united, but their hearts are diverse. That is because they are a people who do not understand." (59:14). The fear which has seized the hearts/souls of polytheists and disbelievers will amplify on the Last Day: "And warn them of the Day of Imminence, when the hearts are at the throats, choking them. The unjust ones will have no intimate friend, and no intercessor to be obeyed. He knows the deceptions of the eyes, and what the hearts conceal." (40:18-19); "Hearts on that Day will be pounding." (79:8).