Word 58: The one who deeply thinks about the soul (Nafs) and the body will find that they act in different ways regarding creation and assistance. One creates, and the other is helper.

Word 58: The one who deeply thinks about the soul (Nafs) and the body will find that they act in different ways regarding creation and assistance. One creates, and the other is helper.

The relationship between the soul and the body is a profound one. While we understand them as two distinct entities—the body being physical and the soul being non-physical and beyond material laws—their connection goes far deeper than mere attachment. In fact, they are united.

Imagine the body as a lower, more tangible expression of the soul, or consider both as a single, continuous entity. This unified existence stretches, with one part existing in the physical realm and the other in the non-physical. They are not separate pieces, but rather a seamless whole, where the material and immaterial aspects coexist within a singular, unbroken entity.

This deep integration leads to a reciprocal, “opposite” influence between them. Because they are so intimately linked, the soul and body constantly affect each other. The soul, for instance, has a “creating” impact on the body, initiating and producing various phenomena within it. Conversely, the body serves as a crucial means of “preparation or helper” for the soul. It is through the body’s help that the soul progresses and reaches its full potential. Should this vital connection with the body be severed, the soul’s development would cease, effectively bringing its earthly journey to a close.

This crucial concept is extensively explored in “The Springshead of Soul’s Matters” by Allameh Hassanzadeh. This work explores the perspectives of philosophers and mystics on the soul, supported by numerous narratives. The mutual influence of soul and body is indeed a cornerstone of understanding human existence. How could they not affect each other when the soul gathers all its worldly information through the body? The soul sees with the eyes, hears with the ears, smells with the nose, and feels with touch. Even though the soul itself is non-physical, it relies on the physical body to perceive the material world.

Even our “Illusory perceptions” (known as wahm) are partly rooted in the material world. This power enables us to grasp specific, non-physical meanings that are associated with physical actions. For instance, affection, while a non-material concept, is understood through someone’s physical gestures. You possess an inherent ability to interpret a physical action, like a bow or a frown, and derive an abstract, non-physical truth, such as respect or anger. This power enables us to understand meaning from written words—seeing lines of ink on paper and comprehending a profound, non-physical truth.

Animals also possess the Wahm power. A dog instinctively understands its owner’s affection, and a sheep recognizes the hostility of a wolf. It is from the wahm power that fear is born. When darkness is perceived, a terrifying meaning might emerge in one’s mind—a clear manifestation of wahm at work.

So, “fear” really comes from our imagination. For example, when someone sees darkness, their mind might create a terrifying idea about it – that’s our imagination at work.

Sometimes, our imagination plays tricks on us, like making us afraid of the dark. But darkness isn’t actually scary; whatever exists in the light also exists in the dark. There’s no real difference. It’s just our imagination assigning scary meanings.

The body serves as a tool for the soul to understand and experience the material world. The soul uses the body to gain its perceptions. These bodily actions prepare and help the soul grow and reach its full potential. So, physical movements play a crucial role in developing our soul.

Consider the numerous physical movements that are part of our religion. What is prayer (Namaz)? It’s a series of bodily actions! When we bow (rukūʿ) or prostrate (sujūd), these are all physical movements, aren’t they? We say that prostration brings us closest to God. This physical act helps to prepare our soul and supports it in its journey towards perfection.

Pilgrimage (Hajj) rituals, such as walking around the Kaaba (Tawaf), and the brisk walk (Harwala) between Safa and Marwa, are also physical movements. Additionally, consider how fasting helps to cultivate the soul.

In prayer, when we say “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greater), for example, after lifting our head from prostration or bowing, we say “Allahu Akbar.” It’s recommended to raise our hands to our ears each time we say “Allahu Akbar.” The Prophet Muhammad (S) said that when someone raises their hands during “Allahu Akbar,” seventy of their sins are forgiven, seventy good deeds are written for them, and they are elevated seventy spiritual ranks.

So, what is this act of raising hands? It’s because it impacts the soul; it affects our inner self and carries a deep meaning.

Our movements carry meaning. How so? If you see someone biting their finger, you understand they are regretful. If you see someone slapping their thigh, you understand they are expressing distress or discomfort. For instance, people sometimes use hand gestures from a distance to swear at someone when their voice can’t reach, and those gestures have meaning. Hand movements, eye movements – like winking at someone. It might seem like just moving one eye, but if you wink at a woman on the street, she might confront you, asking what you want. Or if her husband is there, he might grab you by the collar, asking why you winked at his wife. This is because the action is conveying a meaning; our movements are full of meaning.

Therefore, bending in bowing (rukūʿ) has meaning. Falling to the ground in prostration (sujūd) has meaning. Holding hands up in supplication (Qunūt) has meaning. Raising hands to the ears when saying “Allahu Akbar” has meaning. In fact, raising the hands to the ears itself signifies “Allahu Akbar” through action.

When you perform “Allahu Akbar” with movement, you are communicating it through action. The way you move your hand, whether you drop it down (meaning no) or bring it up (meaning yes), or wave it side to side saying “uh-uh,” all have meaning. All our movements have meaning. And who understands these meanings? The soul. These movements affect the soul, just as our words do. What are words, after all? They are sounds. We understand the meaning of these sounds. When I say “you,” you understand that I am conveying a meaning to you; you grasp a meaning from this sound. Just as animals communicate with each other using sounds they produce, because those sounds carry meaning.

The body affects the soul. Fasting, performing prayer, and other bodily movements all have effects. For example, if you examine yoga, you’ll see various physical exercises. Some might ask, “What are these movements? Are you just making them up?” What are these movements, or even dancing? If you watch people dancing from a distance, without judging, and think about it rationally, what are they doing? They raise and move their hands, they stomp their feet – what does all that mean?

So, what exactly is dancing? Have you ever truly thought about what dancing means and why people enjoy it so much? It’s not like dancing makes hunger go away, but it clearly brings pleasure. Why do people move their bodies in that way? It suggests there are connections and influences at play.

Just as there are positive effects, there are also negative effects, both from sounds and from movements.

Why is certain music problematic in our religious law? This is a very broad topic. Why is some music an issue? We don’t say all music is problematic, because not all music is; only “Ghinā” (illicit music) is. What’s the philosophy behind Ghinā being problematic? It’s about the effects music has. In ancient Greece, they even had “music therapy.” Someone with a stomach ache might go to a music therapist, and by listening to a certain musical piece, their problem, like diarrhea, would stop. Or someone with a headache would visit a music therapist, and their headache would disappear after hearing a particular tune. Also, from the knowledge of that time, it was known that a person suffering from “khifaqan” (a condition often related to heart palpitations or chest constriction) should not listen to the sound of a flute, as it might cause them to suffocate. When we truly examine the effects of sound on our bodies, we understand why Ghinā has been forbidden.

The influences of the body on the soul are also numerous. Consider the spiritual reward that comes from crying. What is crying? It’s water coming from the eyes, but with a heartbroken feeling. Otherwise, if someone’s cry from peeling an onion, that’s different.

The body helps the soul grow, and the soul, in turn, affects the body. We can see a very clear example of this effect right now. Imagine someone holding a very sour green plum and taking a crunchy bite right in front of you. Suddenly, your mouth fills with water. Why does this happen when you see someone biting a sour green plum? The body shows a reaction on its own; it’s stimulated. Or when someone describes something disgusting, you might say, “I feel sick, don’t talk anymore,” or if you’re eating, some people are very sensitive and lose their appetite. They might say, “I have a delicate stomach.” Or if they see spit on the ground in the street, they might not be able to eat for three days. Why is this? It’s because of the effect the soul has on the body, on our physical nature. These are the effects the soul exerts on the body.

Back then, schoolchildren usually didn’t like their teachers. One day, they all decided, “Let’s send the teacher home today so we can relax!” This was because, in those days, they didn’t really understand how to teach and educate without using a physical discipline. As the teacher entered the schoolyard, one child ran up and said, “Teacher, what’s wrong? Why are you so pale?” The teacher replied, “No, nothing’s wrong with me.” The child insisted, “But your face looks a bit yellow!” The teacher scolded him and walked on. Then two more children approached, “Hello, teacher! Sir, are you sick?” “No,” he said. “You don’t look well,” they continued. “Another child also said you look pale.” “No, it’s nothing,” he insisted. As he entered the classroom, two more children came up, “Hello, teacher, are you feeling okay? What happened? Should we get you some soup?” Gradually, by the time he reached his desk inside the classroom, he began to feel weak. He then told the children, “Class is canceled today; go home.” This shows the effect of suggestion or speech. When the soul truly believes something, it has a physical impact on the body.

There are accounts where belief and focused imagination are said to play a role in the healing process. If the soul believes, “I am well,” it will get well. If the soul believes, “I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me,” it will work. Just as, conversely, if you take someone who is perfectly healthy and feeling great, bring them to a doctor and say, “We want to take an MRI or scan, and the doctor says, “Sir, you have a brain tumor in your head, and it appears to be malignant. I doubt you’ll live more than three months. They probably fall to the ground when they get home! Why does the body become weak? Because the soul influences the body.

Here’s another example: You’ve walked a very long distance. It was also cold, your feet are frozen, your body is sore and tired, and you genuinely feel like you don’t have the strength to take another step. You sit down inside the house, and your mother says, “Son, go get some water from the yard.” You reply, “Mother, I swear by God, I cannot get up from my place.” But then, imagine you are engaged, and your fiancée is not from your city. A man comes in through the door and says, “By the way, your fiancée has arrived from Houston and is at your uncle’s house, which is on the other side of town.” Suddenly, you jump up! All your tiredness vanishes. You were genuinely unable to go to the yard before, and you were telling the truth. But this effect of the soul completely transforms the body.

In one of the older books—not extremely ancient, but from scholars who passed away many years ago—the author wrote about a very specific experiment. They brought two men sentenced to execution to test something. Both men were tied to chairs, their eyes open. They blindfolded the one who was actually going to be executed. They then cut a major artery in his neck with a blade. Blood immediately gushed out. They timed it: “1001, 1002, 1003, 1004…” until, at the 10-second mark, he collapsed and died.

The second man was watching this whole event; he was tied up and could see everything. Then, they brought the second man. They tied him up, and blindfolded him, drew a line on his wrist with a blade (just enough to feel a burn, without actually cutting his skin, and opened a hose of warm water over his wrist. In this account, it’s said that by the 10-second mark, the man collapsed, suggesting the powerful psychosomatic effects of belief and suggestion.

Even though his body suffered no actual harm, this was the effect of ” inculcation” (Talqeen). It’s the effect of the soul on the body.

This topic branches out in many directions. That’s why we have traditions about inculcation (Talqeen) and why Allameh Hassanzadeh explored this in his books. “At the moment of conception (when the sperm fertilizes the egg), the thoughts and state of mind of the father and mother affect the embryo. The souls of the parents influence the embryo”.

So, how does the soul influence the embryo? To the extent that it actually shapes the embryo’s form! This illustrates the profound connection and influence of the soul on the body and the embryo.

The Prophet Muhammad (S) says: “Do not have intimate relations with your spouse while imagining another woman or man.”

There’s a long narration about this, which we’ve shared with loved ones, written down, and published for them. Among the recommendations the Prophet Muhammad (S) gave to Imam Ali (A) regarding marriage, this is one of them. “Ali, my dear! Do not have Intercourse with your wife while imagining another woman. According to classical narrations, if a child is conceived in that state, the resulting child may experience ambiguity in gender identity or form.

What kind of effect does the imagination have on the embryo? There are many other examples in the above narration. Some of these are effects of the soul on the body—how the soul influences the body. This is the intersection of ethics and spiritual law.

It also discusses movements, stating: “Do not have Intercourse while standing.” Didn’t we say that movements have meanings? Didn’t we say they have effects? It says: ” Some traditional teachings advise against intimacy while standing, suggesting it may result in undesirable outcomes such as bedwetting.” Some people are 40 years old and still wet the bed at night. It’s understandable for a young child to wet the bed, but for a 40 or 50-year-old man, that becomes “bedwetting” in an undesirable way.

The narration compares such conduct to the instinctual behavior of animals, warning that it may lead to undesirable behavioral traits in the child.

Imam Sadiq (A) taught us to keep three things private: your money, where you go, and what you believe. Don’t tell everyone about them.

First, your wealth. Whether you have a lot of money or a little, if you’re rich or poor, other people don’t need to know.

Second, where do you go? Keep your travels private. Don’t share your plans or whereabouts with everyone. In the past, people were very careful about this.

Why keep your movements private? Because people’s energies or intentions can affect things.

Imam Ali (A) said: “To achieve your goals, keep them secret.” If you want to accomplish something significant, don’t share it with everyone. If you do, it might not work out. Why? Because other people’s energies can influence your work and disrupt it.

You can try this yourself: If you’re planning to start an important business or a big project, and you tell everyone about it, see if you succeed! You probably won’t. However, if you keep it secret and tell no one, you’ll see your project unfold smoothly, step by step, because people’s energies have a significant impact.

The Quran says: “And from the evil of the envier when he envies” (Al-Falaq:5). The act of envying creates problems in affairs; the envier’s soul has an effect.

Another verse says: “And from the evil of the blowers into knots” (Al-Falaq:4). This refers to those who cast spells by blowing on knots, weakening any decision. This connects back to our discussion about the influence of souls. It’s about the evil of women who blow into knots, like witches. They tie knots, blow on them. These actions have effects.

According to traditional belief, such actions were thought to carry energetic or spiritual effects. This “blowing” helps focus a person’s inner energy or soul onto something. It’s like when you read a prayer and blow on food or around yourself—you’re directing your soul’s power.

Your soul and body are always affecting each other. It’s a two-way street: what you do with your body affects your soul, and what’s in your soul (your thoughts, feelings) affects your body.

How these affect you also depends on your personality. For example, a simple “hey!” might make one person furious, but an insult might not bother someone else at all. This illustrates how our soul and body continually influence each other.

Think about someone who’s deeply in love. They may become thinner and appear unwell. Why? It’s not because they changed their diet. It’s their thoughts and imagination that affect them. What you think and imagine can really change your body, just as your body can affect your soul.

You may have observed this: For instance, you visit someone who is unwell and expressing discomfort in their hand. After observing them groan from hand pain for a while, you may begin to experience mild discomfort in your own hand. One can assert, “My hand is somewhat troubled as well.” What is the source of this? It is the same reciprocal impact.

The less developed an individual’s soul, the more susceptible they are to external influences and the more pronounced their reactions become. If their spirits possess greater strength, the contrary occurs.

Additionally, our religious narratives establish the existence of the evil eye (Chashm-e Zakhm). It’s an impact that evil spirits leave behind. These evil spirits can have a profound impact and influence when they become stronger. By concentrating its intention, the soul itself can genuinely cure many illnesses.

A brain tumor seemed to be present in one of the children. The doctor informed him, “Listen, son, you have something like this in your brain.” Remain seated for one hour daily, just like in virtual reality when an airplane crashes into various obstacles. Persist in destroying its growth within your mind. The child diligently followed the doctor’s daily instructions, but his parents were unconcerned. Upon returning for a subsequent scan, they observed that the once-egg-sized object had contracted to the size of a pea. The parents were shocked. “How did the tumor disappear?”  The boy said, I followed the doctor’s instructions carefully. I sat down and mentally did this every day.

How did the prophets perform their miracles?  It is the power of their souls that influences the material world, and we all possess the same power. Because we have ignored the prophets and followed our own whims, this power has diminished. If the soul truly believes something, it can make it happen. It can influence the body’s nature and, beyond that, it can even move the body from one place to another. That level of power belongs to higher spiritual realms, where divine saints can pass their bodies through walls or transport them from one side of the Earth to the other, when their soul becomes strong. Anyone who properly understands the relationship between the soul and the body will find that they mutually influence each other. From the soul’s side, there is causation, meaning it brings about certain things for the body. And from the body’s side, there is preparation, meaning it helps the soul reach its perfection.

Muhammad Mahdi Me’marian

All praise is to God to the extent that He deserves it.