2  Belief in the Human Soul

2.1 Chapter Introduction

The Kitáb-i-Aqdas regularly describes the human soul and the station of humans and humanity. Bahá’u’lláh does not explicitly state that belief in the human soul is required in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas or other writings, but like belief in God, it is strongly implied. This will be the second foundation of this book upon which the Kitáb-i-Aqdas rests.

The soul is an idea that appears across languages, eras, and peoples. Even when cultures are distant, people still speak of an inner reality that remembers, chooses, struggles, and longs for meaning. In Chapter 1, we looked outward—toward God’s names and attributes, and toward the Breath of God as the active influence that gives life and fragrance. Here we turn inward, toward the receiver of that Breath: the human soul. This shared human question becomes one more doorway for honest conversation, because whatever else we are, we are equally human.

This chapter will be divided into four main sections: the Reality of the Human Soul, the Unique Nature of the Soul, the Inner Struggles of the Soul, and the Fate of the Soul. These sections are derived from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas as the primary source document. Any supplementation from other sources from the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh will be noted.

Reflection: When you say “I,” what part of you is speaking—body, mind, or something deeper? We first need to establish what it means to say the soul exists at all.

2.2 The Reality of the Human Soul

The first belief is the fact the human soul exists and is real. All living things have a soul, but the human soul is distinct to humans. The human soul is capable of self-awareness, moral choice, and a conscious which can turn towards God.

The human soul in its form did not eternally pre-exist but was created by God, uniquely for each individual. Bahá’u’lláh says, simply, that we are created from water.1 This water is both the physical foundation of the body and a symbol for the flowing grace of the Divine Will. Bahá’u’lláh says water is one of the key components of all creation, celestial and terrestrial, along with fire, air, and earth as they combine to make heat, moisture, cold, and dryness.2 He also describes various kinds of water used in the creation of spirit, soul, and body in the same tablet. Bahá’u’lláh describes the water of semen as being pure, not something itself which needs purified.3 Water, regardless of the source, is the foundation of all life.

Bahá’u’lláh says that we are brought to life with a spirit from God4, through the divine breath.5 All living things are animated by this breath of God, which is spirit itself. Spirit is the animating breath of life; the soul is the inner life of a living thing; and the human soul is the unique form of soul in humanity. This breath works as the catalyst upon water and the other elements, giving life to everything living. This includes organic entities such as animals, plants, bacteria, and other things biology classifies as living. This spirit also is within other non-organic objects such as the sun, the moon, earth, and other objects whose lifespan endures for millions and billions of years. The spirit animates the body of every living thing, and within that living animation each creature has its own soul; in humans, this is the human soul.6 The soul is not created at the moment of conception, as it does require the body to be the vessel and for its elements to reach a stage of maturity. The body is the soul’s womb. Bahá’u’lláh does not define exactly when this occurs but this could occur during embryonic of fetal development.

The human soul is the innermost part of ourselves. The human soul provides the “direction of the spirit towards one orientation over others.”7 The soul can be ignited by fire of the love of God or by one’s own whim. This expresses the soul itself has free will. Despite God’s names and attributes of power and knowledge, God has imparted every thing made of spirit, and every soul within it, the freedom to move as it wishes, according to its temperament and direction.

Bahá’u’lláh expresses all souls, whether in animals or in humans, and all humans are Signs of the divine reality.8 In Chapter 1, we learned how these signs are subtle and when manifested, are a foundation for us in understanding God and His purpose. The soul is also a sign, functioning as a mirror capable of reflecting God’s reality. This is true for all people.9 The names and attributes are manifested in the human soul.10 This mirrorship is a way to recognize God within us.11 These manifestations of Signs can occur in the same way God’s names and attributes can also be believed in, perhaps in stages or through periods of continued realization.

Reflection: What makes you irreplaceable, even if no one else can see it? From existence, we can move to the soul’s distinct qualities and capacities.

2.3 The Unique Nature of the Soul

Bahá’u’lláh describes the body as being a temple, and the collection of all people as being temples of humankind.12 The figurative heart serves as a malleable lens within the body which serves to perceive divine truth. This helps a person with receptivity to God, which in turn helps a human soul determine its destiny and spiritual path.

The Suriy-i-Haykal (Surah of the Temple) describes how Bahá’u’lláh, being a Manifestation of God, is a sacred vessel in the highest form. Every human body, although temporary, is also a sacred vessel although in a lower station than that of the Manifestation of God. The temple is temporary but is a place of worship and the development of spiritual qualities, according to its capacity as a mirror. This means the body is also capable of being used to nurture the human soul, not just through material means but through being used for spiritually purposeful conduct and expression of divine attributes.

The human soul is capable of having an exalted and noble station.13 There are various stations and ranks a soul is capable of achieving. The soul itself was born noble14 but requires effort to remain so by turning one’s sight inward. There is no higher station than a person bearing witness to God.15 The human soul’s natural station is higher than that of animals, but can descend to the level of an animal’s soul if it is neglected.16

Each person and each human soul has its own capacity.17 Not every person’s soul will express the divine attributes and names equally or in the same exact way. They are expressed according to one’s capacity.18 This means every soul may have its own distinct strengths and weaknesses, bound by the human temple and its position in time and space. These different combinations of capacity, reflections of divine names and attributes, and effects of the body ensures every soul is distinct, much like the iris of the eye or the lines of the palm of the hand.

Reflection: What inner habit most often steals your freedom—fear, suspicion, or pride?

Once the soul’s potential is clear, we can be honest about the conflicts that dim it.

2.4 The Inner Struggles of the Soul

Bahá’u’lláh describes a suspicious soul19 as an opposition to one who uses reason. This suggests that the soul and reason are meant to be allies. When we are ‘headless’ or suspicious, we aren’t just losing faith; we are losing the proper use of our intellect. We begin to use our minds to build walls (idols) instead of bridges to the truth.

A suspicious soul could be someone who is ruled by doubt and is not sure who or what to trust. This doubt could be about God, God’s purpose, or even their own purpose in life. This skepticism may exist even if truth or a path forward is evident. They may not understand the good in certain situations, understand the potential wisdom in difficult situations, and due to this, lack discipline to truly submit to God.

This lack of discipline could lead to self-destructive acts and habits, which can lead a person further down the road of headlessness and suspicion. For example, a person may seek externally induced mystical experiences by depriving themselves of their mental faculties such as reason. A suspicious soul could be someone who is deceptive, also known as hypocritical. They may outwardly portray belief but inwardly or in private has other beliefs and actions. With the example of externally induced experiences, the mirror of the soul isn’t reflecting the light of God; it is merely caught in the glare of its own internal chemistry.

Bahá’u’lláh teaches these suspicions act as idols.20 These idols are the cause of humiliation and loss and keep a soul from ascending to the station they are rightful to inherit and claim. However, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas does include the most simple perspective to help alleviate these inner struggles the soul may face.

Bahá’u’lláh says all are servants.21 The soul’s fundamental purpose is in relation to the divine. All souls are servants. Belief not only in the soul, but in the soul’s purpose as a servant of God. This establishes trust and humility, eliminating the symptoms of a suspicious soul such as distrust, skepticism, arrogance, or hypocrisy. Belief in servitude to God is the source of freedom for the soul22 and reveals our true human rank.23

Reflection: In your recent moments of doubt, was your reason acting as a lamp to find the truth, or an idol to justify your own whim?

From struggle, the chapter turns to the question every soul eventually faces: its departure and destination.

2.5 The Fate of the Soul

One matter which is not a matter of belief is the fact death of the body is inevitable. Death is the singular inescapable certainty of the material condition. It is also absolutely true once the body has died, the energy which used to be within the body no longer exists within it. It is also a fact that the body’s heat and motion no longer remain in the same way once life has departed. In the material world, what we call energy changes form rather than vanishing, and this can be a useful reminder that endings are not always simple. This is not offered as proof of the soul, but as a way to keep the mind from collapsing death into mere emptiness. Where does that life go?

Bahá’u’lláh reminds us we will return to dust.24 The temple of the human body will end. The human soul will take flight.25 Taking flight symbolizes the soul’s transcendence over material life, to a real place higher than where it was. The soul is also capable of transcending the human body even before the body has perished, if a person so desires and believes. “If you are a person of mystery and longing, take flight with the wings of the saints’ aspirations so that you may see the secrets of the beloved and reach the light of the loved one. ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’”26 Bahá’u’lláh throughout His teachings reminds us the importance of the soul being allowed to take flight while the body is alive while constantly being aware of the inevitable flight when the body no longer exists. The first is not inevitable but desired by God, and the second is inevitable and desired for a believer and God. A suspicious soul might show fear for the second flight, fearing the end of everything. A soul in belief is prepared for flight. A soul prepared for flight is a liberated soul.

The desired journey of the human soul is onboard the Crimson Ark.27 Crimson often represents the blood from sacrifice and the victory of divine authority. The Crimson Ark represents salvation and refuge, much like how the Noah’s Ark led the people of the time to salvation. Belief in the salvation of the soul during the life of the body and after is important, especially within the belief of all the names and attributes of God. The journey in the Crimson Ark requires belief in God, in all the names and attributes of God. The journey in the Crimson Ark requires belief that you have a soul. The journey in the Crimson Ark requires belief that every person has a soul, even a person you feel might be an enemy. The fate of the soul doesn’t require only consideration of your own salvation, but in the salvation of others.28 The fate of the soul requires a belief that other souls deserve salvation. All souls deserve liberation. All souls are capable of transcending the bounds of self and body. All souls are able to take flight.

Reflection: If death is certain, what would it mean to live as if your soul is preparing for flight?

This chapter has treated belief in the soul as more than a comforting idea. It is a lens for reading the Kitáb-i-Aqdas itself: commands become training for the inner self, virtues become capacities the soul can grow into, and struggle becomes a sign that the soul is alive and capable of change. Belief in the soul is one of the roots of true liberation, because it insists that you are not trapped inside appetite, habit, or fear, and that your life has meaning beyond what can be measured.

The next chapter will discuss the potential destinations of the soul, the worlds of God.

  1. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #148↩︎

  2. Tablet of the Light Verses and Disjointed Letters↩︎

  3. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #74↩︎

  4. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #73↩︎

  5. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #158↩︎

  6. Suriy-i-Rais (Tablet to the Chief) - This tablet provides a very good sermon about the nature of the soul↩︎

  7. Suriy-i-Rais↩︎

  8. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #72↩︎

  9. Kitab-i-Badi - This book offers an in-depth explanation of what it means to be a mirror↩︎

  10. Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude) - Another great source about the potentials of the soul↩︎

  11. The Qur’an: “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.” Also repeated in the Persian Bayan, the Seven Valleys, and the Kitab-i-Iqan.↩︎

  12. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #96↩︎

  13. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #120↩︎

  14. The Arabic Hidden Words #13↩︎

  15. Persian Bayan, Vahid 1 Gate 2↩︎

  16. Persian Bayan, Vahid 5, Gate 14↩︎

  17. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #176↩︎

  18. Kitab-i-Iqan↩︎

  19. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #119↩︎

  20. Lawh-i-Dunya (Tablet of the World)↩︎

  21. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #72↩︎

  22. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #125↩︎

  23. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #120↩︎

  24. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #148↩︎

  25. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #97↩︎

  26. Haft Vadi (The Seven Valleys)↩︎

  27. Kitáb-i-Aqdas #84↩︎

  28. BH00093 (Letters to the Land of Kha)↩︎