A man who owns himself, and who settles his heart, mind and soul with wisdom, justice and light

Rooting the knowledge model

The knowledge paper and the discussions and contents it contains, should be rooted in our culture, emanating from our original intellectual and social system, not imported or quoted randomly. We need an intellectual model that emerges from the meanings of our lives and expresses our environment, our history, and our spiritual and social experiences. A model of thought that belongs to us, no stranger to us; a model that resembles us, understands us, and proceeds from our real needs and deep values. For this reason, it was necessary to root the concepts we address (especially concepts such as sovereignty and self-sovereignty) according to our intellectual and spiritual reference, so that our talk about them is modern and vibrant with the meanings of authenticity, not tradition. When we address a concept like sovereignty in our societal contexts, we do not want to project imported models on top of our reality, but rather aspire to deconstruct and reconstruct the concept from our self-awareness and cultural identity. Sovereignty here does not mean just formal freedom or organizational independence, but rather sovereignty over decision-making, sovereignty over the construction of the concept, and sovereignty over the way of understanding and application, in accordance with the person, place and context.

Exploring the Dimensions of Sovereignty: Towards an Integrated Understanding of Self and Society

In the upcoming meetings, we will discuss in depth  the six dimensions of sovereignty, exploring each dimension in detail to understand its relationship to the self, society and reality we live in. We will begin with self-sovereignty, where we address the ability of a person to consciously manage his body, health and psychological state to ensure his inner balance and ability to withstand challenges. Then we move on to financial and economic sovereignty, which is the ability of the individual or society to achieve financial independence, and ensure his resources to ensure freedom of decision-making away from external economic pressures. Next, we will address intellectual sovereignty, which relates to the ability to produce knowledge, freedom from incoming intellectual domination, and the formation of subjective visions emanating from our own culture and experience. We will also discuss political sovereignty, in terms of understanding the role of the individual and society in political decision-making, and active participation in the management of public affairs, in a way that ensures the representation of free will and the preservation of dignity. We will also stop at social and cultural sovereignty., which is represented in preserving cultural identity, and developing the social fabric to reflect our authentic values and promote social cohesion. Finally, we will examine the prevalence of meeting human needs, through the ability to achieve self-sufficiency in basic needs, and the provision of decent conditions that ensure the inclusive growth of the individual and society.

Building self-sovereignty

For all this, what we are discussing is not just fleeting perceptions, but a serious attempt to create an intellectual model that emerges from ourselves, and serves us before serving others. When we talk today about concepts such as self-sovereignty and awareness of the human being, we do not seek to import ready-made intellectual models, nor to ruminate on concepts born in contexts different from our reality and identity. We need a self-emanating model of thought It feeds on our historical, cultural and spiritual experience; a model that reflects our reality, addresses the issues of our society, and expresses our real needs. This model we are building should be rooted in our local cultural reference, inspired by the depth of our intellectual heritage. We are not looking for ready-made templates to import, but rather create our own model, enlightened by our rich heritage. Rooting is a necessity, and self-sovereignty is a cornerstone of this rooting. We are not talking about sovereignty as mere organizational independence or formal freedoms; we are talking about deeper sovereignty: the supremacy of thought, the supremacy of feeling, the supremacy of decision-making, the supremacy of value and knowledge structure. For example, when we talk about the role of a civil society institution in a governorate, we are not looking for a ready-made recipe for what it should be. Rather, we establish understanding based on the needs of the community, its identity, and its relationship to its culture and values.

Constitutive concept

Self-sovereignty: Self-sovereignty is based on controlling the powers of the soul with the mind and heart. “Sovereignty” according to the Arabic phonetic root denotes stillness (S) and strong action (D), suggesting that sovereignty is a balance between sobriety and effectiveness. Self-sovereignty means tightening control over the various forces of the human entity: soul, heart, mind, spirit, and body, according to a delicate balance based on moderation.

Practices indicative of self-sovereignty

Through dialogue with the group, we found that the following points are aspects of achieving or reaching self-sovereignty:

• Development of self-skills and abilities: The development of self-skills and abilities is the basic building block of self-sovereignty. The more a person develops his mental, practical and cognitive abilities, the more self-confidence and independence is strengthened. Self-development includes critical thinking skills, effective communication, time management, problem solving, and technical and technical skills that are related to their field of work or interest.  Investing in oneself is not a luxury, but rather a conscious act that builds a personality capable of facing life’s challenges with flexibility and strength.
• Emotion control such as anger and nervousness: Impulse control, especially anger and nervousness, is an essential condition for achieving internal sovereignty. Anger, if not controlled, takes man out of his phase and wisdom and plunges him into the absurdity of words and deeds. True sovereignty means that emotions are under the authority of an enlightened mind and a reassuring heart. The man who is the master of himself is the one who owns the reins of his feelings, releases them if necessary and curbs them if necessary, according to the controls of wisdom and not the wildness of passion.
• Controlling daily habits (such as sleeping, eating, and exercising): Controlling daily habits is a practical manifestation of sovereignty over the body and soul. Whoever can manage the details of his day owns the reins of his life. Moderate sleep gives the body its rest without dependence, balanced eating preserves health without gluttony, and exercise energizes the body and enhances strength and will. Sovereignty begins with winning the battle of small everyday details that seem ordinary but shape the self in the long run.
• Self-accounting and behavior evaluation/evaluation: Self-accountability is a cornerstone in building internal sovereignty because the soul is inherently a sign of bad and needs constant monitoring and evaluation. Accounting means reviewing actions, words and intentions and comparing them with the standards that a person sets for himself based on his values and principles. So daily self-review and questioning for shortcomings and successes was a sign of maturity and self-sovereignty. Without this control, man becomes a follower of his whims, oblivious to his destination, and out of control.
• Making free, independent decisions based on conviction and awareness: Free and informed decision-making is the most prominent manifestation of self-sovereignty. A free man is the one who makes his own decisions after careful study of the data, weighing choices, and judging reason and values, not those who are driven by pressure or blind imitation. Free decision means that a person takes responsibility for his choices with full awareness, and is prepared for the consequences of his actions, which enhances his maturity and strength of personality. True sovereignty is revealed at the moment of decision-making without fear or dependence.
• Maintaining personal freedom without external pressures: Preserving personal freedom is the crown with which self-sovereignty is crowned. Freedom here is not an escape of controls, but rather the ability to live according to one’s deep convictions while respecting others and without succumbing to social, economic or psychological pressures that impose on him behavior that does not satisfy him. Self-sovereignty means being free in your conscience, responsible for yourself, chosen for your steps, not controlled by external influences that control you without Wake up.

 The challenges of self-sovereignty

Although building self-sovereignty is a noble goal, the path to it is fraught with radical challenges that hinder man from achieving inner harmony and true freedom. The most prominent of these challenges, according to the Group’s point of view, are:

1. Weakness of will: It is the first and greatest challenge to self-sovereignty. The will is the driving force of the soul towards perfection, and its weakness makes man vulnerable to inaction and hesitation, dependent on circumstances rather than being a maker of them. The will is what makes the heart rise to inner jihad, restrain the soul and control anger. When the will is weakened, man becomes lazy, hesitant in making a decision, unable to resist his desires. Without a strong will, dreams of self-sovereignty wither in the currents of passion and laziness, and talk of personal freedom becomes Hollow talk has no balance. For this, the will needs constant struggle and practice until it strengthens and becomes a habit firmly rooted in the soul.

2. Disorder in prioritization: Self-sovereignty is not only about willpower but also requires wisdom in prioritization. Disturbance in the perception of what is most important and what is secondary leads to a dispersion of energy, the distraction of efforts to useless work, and the neglect of major tasks. Prioritization is a mental heart skill, starting with knowing the higher goal of man and then reflected on how to choose actions, times and efforts to serve that end. Sovereignty can only be achieved for those who know the most important and the most important, He adjusts his steps according to the balance of wisdom.

3. Relying on imported intellectual templates that do not express oneself: One of the most serious challenges of intellectual sovereignty is that man relies on imported models and templates that do not reflect his reality and are not consistent with the roots of his culture and identity. When a person uncritically imports his way of thinking from other cultures, he becomes a mental follower, thinks in the tongue of others, and evaluates the world with standards that do not belong to him. Man who builds his consciousness by standards that do not belong to him loses his intellectual sovereignty and becomes soluble in cultures that do not belong to him. For this the essence of Self-sovereignty is for man to derive his consciousness from his original sources, to build his intellectual model from his experience, history and religion, not to be an unconscious consumer of the models of others.

4. Socio-economic context pressures: Even with a strong will and an orderly mind, the social and economic context remains a pressing force that can hinder sovereignty if not dealt with consciously.  Pressures may be stifling social norms, material demands that burden people, or economic policies that create dependency rather than independence. Hence, it was true sovereignty for man to learn how to react to the pressures of context in a free way; if he is poor, he does not make his poverty a reason to sell his values and if he is rich, he does not make his wealth a reason for inattention and arrogance. If he is surrounded by corrupt norms, he builds his consciousness independently of those norms, and remains steadfast in his vision.

5. Self-Triumph: The most dangerous enemy of sovereignty is the soul! The soul by nature tends to rest, pleasure, selfishness and lust. If left untamed, it enslaves man and turns him into a submissive to his desires and fears. Here self-sovereignty dissipates and the heart turns from a just king to a servile follower of the whims of the soul. Striving for the soul means accustoming it to resisting desires, enduring hatred and holding oneself accountable daily until it is cleared. Without this struggle, man cannot claim to have real sovereignty over his heart or mind or Behavior.

Factors for strengthening self-sovereignty

From the group’s point of view, the following are the factors that enable man to take root in his being and are essential foundations for building a free man who manages himself consciously and strongly.

Strengthening spiritual scruples: Spiritual scruples create in man an internal control that motivates him for good and prevents him from deviating, without waiting for an external watchdog. Also, through spiritual practices, the presence of this scruple is renewed daily in the human heart, which strengthens his sovereignty over himself and establishes his will against the passions.

Developing self-awareness: What is meant by self-awareness here is that man knows himself: he knows his strengths and weaknesses, he realizes his inclinations and desires, and he understands his motives and subtleties of intentions. Those who do not know themselves remain captive to it without knowing it; they think that they choose freely, while they are under the hidden influences of their nature or environment. The more self-aware a person has, the more he can lead them intelligently, instead of being dragged where his whims want. Developing self-awareness passes through daily self-accountability, meditating on Motives behind actions, acknowledging flaws without arrogance, and constantly reviewing goals and intentions.

Ordering priorities consciously and wisely: Prioritization is an indispensable spiritual mental skill to promote self-sovereignty. Man who confuses the most important with the important, wastes his effort in work that has no effect and loses his compass in the hustle and bustle of life. Human life thus becomes focused and meaningful, not scattered on the margins of events. Prioritization requires that man build his spiritual and moral self on what is below that, balance his physical, psychological, mental and spiritual needs, and give time and effort to what produces an impact. sustainable, not what satisfies a fleeting whim.

Partial or full financial independence: It is one of the pillars of personal freedom and self-sovereignty. Financial independence does not mean extreme wealth, but rather that a person has the limit of sufficiency that enriches him from people, and enables him to make his decisions freely. Those who do not need to lend a helping hand to others have the power to decide. Those who achieve self-sufficiency or partial sufficiency reduce their vulnerability to economic and social pressures.

Self-esteem and the development of a sense of dignity: Self-esteem is an inner sense of worth, entitlement and dignity. Whoever respects himself refuses to be insulted by himself or others, demands what he deserves without subservience, and does not allow himself to be cheap in the face of money or lust. Self-respect nurtures a sense of dignity, and dignity pushes man to abide by his principles and not to compromise his sovereignty even if he faces challenges. Thus, man becomes an impregnable barrier to all attempts of external or internal domination over him.

 

Annex: 

The concepts of body – soul – mind – soul and heart according to Imam Al-Ghazali

In his books, Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (505 AH) dealt with the basic concepts of man (body, soul, mind, soul, and heart) as the building blocks of his spiritual and moral philosophy. In her statement, he relied on a combination of religious foundations (texts of Sharia and terminology of the Qur’an and Hadith) and philosophical concepts (as in the previous Greek and Islamic tradition) ( Revival of  Religious Sciences  – Al-Ghazali, Abu Hamid). Al-Ghazali was keen on a precise definition of each concept and an explanation of its characteristics and function, and then explained its mutual relationships and how they interact in the formation of human behavioral and cognitive. Al-Ghazali traced the evolution of his view of these concepts through his various works from Maqasid al-Filasfa wa Mizan al-‘Aman al-Mu’amal al-Mu’lām al-Muḥamāl al-Muḥamār al-Mu’lām al-Muḥamār al-Muḥamār al-Muḥ The following is an organized presentation of each concept separately, followed by clarifying the relationships between them, and then how to employ them in Al-Ghazali’s educational, ethical and cognitive project, with a concluding reference to the development of his understanding between the stages of his intellectual life. We will rely on al-Ghazali’s original texts to highlight his intention, using appropriate evidence.

Body concept: Al-Ghazali’s body is the physical dimension of the human entity, and it is the vessel of the soul, its soul and its tool for carrying out actions in the tangible world. Al-Ghazali defines the human body as the attested organic structure that belongs to the realm of the king and the testimony (the world of matter). The body is  the visible part of the human being perceived by the senses., and man shares it with other animals in terms of being a perishable material. Al-Ghazali described the somatic heart, an organ of the body, as a coniferous piece of meat deposited on the left side of the chest, with a cavity in which black blood is the source of animal life (the nature of  the heart, and the difference between it and the soul).  Al-Ghazali’s primary bodily function is to serve the spiritual kindness (speaking heart/soul) as a tool and means by which worldly actions and experiences are realized. It is  the compound of the soul that enables man to travel in the world of dust and perform his life tasks. Hence, Al-Ghazali views the body as a kingdom The various forces of man revolve in it: the heart is the Sultan of this kingdom, the mind is its minister, and the senses are its soldiers who gather news from the outside world. Thus, man’s goodness or moral corruption is reflected in his body and limbs, for “the heart belongs to him and the members are his soldiers, so if the king is good, his soldiers are good, and if the king is malicious, his soldiers are malicious” as narrated in the impact. To sum up: Al-Ghazali’s body is a necessary but not independent element, as it is a servant of the soul and heart and a fold that the soul harnesses in the rise or moral decline of man.

The concept of the soul: The soul in Al-Ghazali’s terminology is a multi-layered concept, carrying material and spiritual meanings depending on the context. Al-Ghazali distinguishes between two basic meanings of the soul:

The first meaning (the spirit of life or gentle steam): It is a gentle body that originates from the bodily cavity of the heart, and flows through the veins of the predators (blood vessels) to the rest of the body. This soul in the sense of life is associated with blood and matter, for it is the one from which  the light of life and sense overflows  in the organs,  like the flood of the light of the lamp in the corners of the house: there is no part of the house except the light of the lamp, just as no part of the body reaches it unless it has reached the current of life through this spirit. Doctors and philosophers have pointed out to this meaning as the gentle hot steam emanating from the heart. The function of this soul is that it is the medium of bodily life: by spreading throughout the body, the forces of sense and movement occur. Al-Ghazali asserts that this meaning is natural and  material, which is not intended for religious scholars except in terms of being a machine that carries the soul.

The second meaning (the gentle divine spirit): It is a divine spiritual essence that is especially attached to the heart. Al-Ghazali called him a gentle scientist and is the reality of man by which he knows his Lord and understands the sciences. This spirit is a wonderful divine command referred to in the Qur’an by saying: “Say the soul from the command of my Lord”, for it is from the world of heavenly command, not from the world of material creation. Al-Ghazali states that human minds are unable to grasp what this spirit is, as it is a divine mystery that transcends the stage of reason and imagination. The function of the soul in this sense is that it is the origin of perception, knowledge and commission, it is the one that “teaches and knows” the truths of things, and by it man is a charged and honored man.

Al-Ghazali thus links the two meanings: the first meaning  is bestial physical that  binds the soul to the body for worldly life, and the second meaning  is spiritual and kingdom, linking man to the world of the unseen and divine knowledge. If the term “spirit” is used by the scholars of Sharia, they often refer to the divine speaking soul, except in matters of medicine and physical structure. Al-Ghazali deliberately did not dwell on the essence of the divine spirit. Adhering to literature with the divine mystery that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not explain its details. From the perspective of self-education, the “commanding spirit” (if understood in the sense of the animal soul) must be striven and controlled, while the “reassuring spirit” (meaning the divine essence when it is cleared) is the end of mystical behavior.

The concept of mind: Al-Ghazali’s mind is a flexible and multi-meaning concept, and it sometimes refers to  the distinctive perceptual power in man, and sometimes to  the outcome of knowledge and perception itself. Al-Ghazali explained that the term “mind” is shared by different meanings, the most important of which are two meanings related to his research:

The first meaning (reason as an attribute and perception): It means knowledge of the facts of things, that is,  the light of knowledge by which man distinguishes between truth and falsehood. In this sense, the mind is a human characteristic, replaced by the heart (gentle soul). The mind is that moral light with which the heart guides to knowledge, and it is  the most honorable human attribute as it is unique to man from other animals. Al-Ghazali likened it to the divine light that illuminates the path of seeking truth (reason).

The second meaning (the mind as the essence and the perceptive): It means the same perceiver, that is, the object of perception itself, which is the divine gentleness that understands science. The mind here is the spiritual heart as the tool of understanding. Al-Ghazali cites the hadith of the Prophet: “The first thing that God created is the mind,” explaining that what is meant is the essence of the first perception and not science itself, because science is a presentation It is not created first, but is preceded by the existence of the perceptive sapiens. Reason, then, is the root of the human soul in terms of its ability to think and receive.

Al-Ghazali shows great respect for reason as  a great divine gift that God gave to man to distinguish him from beasts. He devoted a chapter on the revival of religious sciences to illustrate the honor and elevation of the mind. At the same time, however, it places the mind within the limits of its energy: the work of the mind is linked to the purity of the heart and the exposure of the light of faith. Therefore, he describes the mind as a servant of the heart and its minister in the kingdom of man (from the  treasures  of Imam al-Ghazali:   The function of  the heart), directs and advises the king (the heart), but he is not the supreme ruler. When the heart is enlightened by faith and gratitude,  the mind perceives truths beyond its abstract perceptions, and when  the heart is troubled by desires, the  light of reason is unable to illuminate. In short: for Al-Ghazali, the mind is a great means of knowledge,  but it is not independent of the light of God in the heart; it is a light quoted like sight that needs a light that shows it visually. Al-Ghazali criticized  philosophers  who exaggerated the exaltation of reason alone, and discussed Sufis who marginalized his role, seeking to Striking a balance between reason and revelation in the methodology of true knowledge.

The concept of the soul: The soul in the uses of Al-Ghazali has multiple connotations, and it is one of the most different terms in meaning according to the maqam. Al-Ghazali distinguishes between two main meanings of the soul:

 The first meaning (the soul of the prince, the set of lustful and angry qualities): It means the instinctive aspect of man, that is, the collective origin of the reprehensible qualities and the desires and anger of man. This is the soul that is referred to by  the people of Sufism in the context of jihad, and they say: “The soul must be fought and broken.” It is the center of desires, passion and selfishness in man, and is called in the Qur’an the soul that is bad if it is released for its desires, and it was stated in the hadith:  “Enemy your enemy is the soul that is between your sides” is an indication of the danger of this aspect if left undisciplined. The function of the soul in this sense is an epileptic one, as man must control and refine its impulses for spiritual elevation. It is the home of struggle: if it overcomes man, it leads him to the resources of perishing, and if it conquers it and becomes obedient, it rises in the runways of the walkers.

The second meaning (the human soul in the sense of self and spirit): It means the human self itself, that is, the gentle that is man in truth. This soul is the eye of what was previously called the divine heart or spirit, as it is the rational essence charged to man. But they are described with different descriptions according to their moral conditions: If  they obey God‘s command, And she submitted and was reassured and called the reassuring soul, and God addressed her by saying: “O reassuring soul, return to your Lord, satisfied and satisfied.” If it hesitates between good and evil and blames its owner when it is wrong, the soul is called blame. But if you surrender to lust and Satan and are led to them, the immoral soul is called bad (and this actually goes back to the first meaning of the soul). The function of the soul in this second sense is to be the object of responsibility and assignment; it is the one that is rewarded and punished, and it is the address to the law. If the soul is purified in the second sense, it becomes the source of virtues, and if it is neglected and immersed in the requirements of the first meaning, it sinks into vices.

We note that al-Ghazali uses the word “soul” sometimes in the sense of blameworthy (passion and lust), and sometimes in the sense of Mamdouh (the human spirit). To remove the confusion, it shows that the soul in the first sense is highly reprehensible, and in the second sense praiseworthy. Therefore, in his books, there are many phrases such as “refinement of the soul” and “striving for it”, referring to the inferior lustful soul. On the other hand, he speaks of  the dignity of the human soul and the need to preserve it, referring to the soul in the sense of the rational soul. Thus, the use of al-Ghazali is consistent With the context: If we talk about the defects of morality, the  soul must be carried to the first meaning, and if it is about the self and human identity,  it is the second meaning. In both cases,  al-Ghazali’s essence of the soul  remains something honorable in origin, transcendable if purified, and relegated if defiled. His educational goal in reviving religious sciences was to “reform the soul” through sports, retreats and breaking passions, so that the rebellious soul would return reassured and obedient to God.

The concept of the heart: The heart is  the most important and complex concept of Al-Ghazali, as he sees it as the core of the truth of man and the soul of his soul. He devoted an entire book entitled “The Wonders of the Heart” as part of the revival of religious sciences. Al-Ghazali first explains that the word heart has two meanings:

The first meaning (organic-sensory heart): It is the fleshy coniform organ deposited in the chest from the left. This heart  is a physical body from the king’s world, through which blood is pumped and life spreads into the body. Its vital function has made it the focus of doctors’ attention, but it is not the primary intention in the discourse of Sharia when mentioning “hearts”, except as a metaphor or as the seat of the animal spirit. Al-Ghazali states explicitly: “If we use the word heart in this book, we do not mean it [the piece of meat], it is a piece of meat that has no destiny… The beasts perceive it with the sense of sight.” That is, the physical heart is shared among the living (even animals possess it) and is not reserved for human honor. Al-Ghazali thus prepares the reader to move from the apparent to the inner meaning.

The second meaning (the spiritual heart of the divine kindness): which is the real meaning of Al-Ghazali: a spiritual divine latifice that has attachment to the sensory heart organ. This kindness is  the reality of man itself, “who is aware of the world that knows from man, who is the addressee, the demander, and the punisher.” Al-Ghazali refers here to  a spiritual essence that  he calls the heart at times, the soul at times, and the soul at times according to consideration. This spiritual heart is  the object of God‘s knowledge In man, he understands the truths of faith and receives the lights of guidance. Al-Ghazali describes it as a clear mirror that is ready to imprint images of all truths if the light of truth is manifested on it. It is also the object of piety and cruelty mentioned in the Qur’an: “They have hearts that they do not understand” is a reference to the disruption of this kindness, and “This is in remembrance of those who had a heart” as a reference to those who benefited from this essence. The characteristics of the spiritual heart is that it  is volatile (hence the name “heart” because of its fluctuation) between radiance and darkness, based on its connection with God or its distance from sins. If it is described and manifested, it becomes a mirror of knowledge, and if it rusts with sins, it becomes oblivious and dark.

Al-Ghazali emphasized  the peculiarity of the relationship between the heart in its spiritual sense and the physical body, as he believes that this divine kindness has a special relationship with the physical heart and through it with the rest of the body. It is the manager of the body, first related to the cardiac organ as a base and first place, and then branching from it to manage the rest of the organs. He used some Sufi metaphors to explain this, and Sahl al-Tastari was quoted as saying: “The heart is the throne, and the chest is the chair” as an analogy to the place of the heart in the human body for the soul, to the throne of the Most Merciful for the management of creation. The heart The authority of the body and its king, and the rest of the forces are soldiers and aides. The function of the spiritual heart is that it is  the object of God’s gaze from the servant, a place that “receives the divine flow” of wisdom and faith. Al-Ghazali narrated the hadith al-Qudsi: “I cannot satisfy my land or my heaven, but I can the heart of my faithful servant” to refer to the greatness of the heart when it is purified and prepared to know God. Hence, the education and purification of the heart was the focus of Al-Ghazali‘s entire project, as he took care of the sport of the soul, the refinement of morals and the treatment of heart diseases, referring all virtues and vices to what is in this inner essence From lights or darkness.

Interrelationships between these concepts

After understanding each concept individually, al-Ghazali’s integral vision of these five elements emerges into a single fabric, the human entity. He does not view them as isolated islands, but describes them within an interactive system governed by a hierarchical arrangement and precise functional harmony:

• Al-Ghazali’s spiritual heart (Latifa al-Rabbaniyya) is the center of the circle and the king of the human kingdom. It is the essence on which all other names appear: once it is called spirit, once a soul, once a mind according to its function. The heart is the self of the knowing human being who receives knowledge and directs powers.
• The mind in relation to the heart is a faithful minister and advisor. The function of the mind is to illuminate the heart’s path and guide it to the truth, using the power of sight and thinking. But the minister should not usurp the king’s place; if the authority of reason exceeds his limit by being independent from the light of faith, the order of the soul is disturbed. Al-Ghazali’s ideal harmony is for the mind to be an obedient servant of the heart, “leading the limbs under the banner of faith.” Al-Ghazali balances the role of Sharia (the divine revelation that guides the hearts) and the role of reason (the interpreting and applied tool for the rulings of Sharia), both of which are mutually reinforcing in achieving the knowledge of God and following the path of the hereafter.
• The soul (in its lower sense) represents in the human kingdom the forces of lust and anger – and al-Ghazali likened it to a traitorous governor (lust) and a violent policeman (anger). The soul that is left free, if left free, has caused corruption in the kingdom, as it tends to urgent pleasures, even at the expense of the consequences. Required role: restrain this soul and tame it to submit to the commands of the mind and heart. If the heart (the rational soul) dissuades the soul and breaks its evil, it turns from an inner enemy into a humiliating compound that carries man to the runways of perfection. This perception is evident in the words of al-Ghazali: “And we made the soul its compound [i.e., the compound of the heart] so that it may travel on it from the world of dust to the highest places.” That is, the soul, by its earthly nature, can be elevated and harnessed to serve the soul once it is disciplined by God’s law.
• The soul in the vital sense (the gentle vapor circulating in the body) represents the link between the physical heart (organ) and the divine gentleness. It is the means of executing commands: it carries the effects of the spiritual heart and generalizes them to the body in sense and movement, and also reflects the states of the body on the heart (for example, the weakness of this spirit in steam affects the clarity of mind and the perception of the heart). In other words, the animal soul is the closest soldier to the heart, by which the body lives and reacts. Al-Ghazali considers her knowledge important for body-healing physicians, but it is not a preoccupation for cardiologists except to understand the human complex.
• The body with all its organs and senses is the domain of  action of all these forces and the place where their results appear. The limbs are “soldiers of execution” of the orders of the heart and mind or of the whims of the soul. The eye, the ear and the rest of the senses Al-Ghazali called them the king’s spies, carrying news and information to the heart (the king) to judge. If the king is righteous (the heart full of faith), the mind is a minister of truth, and the soul is submissive, the commands come to the limbs with goodness and they are led to jihad and good deeds. But if the heart is corrupted or the mind is lost and the passions dominate, this is reflected in The sinful behavior of the limbs and the sins of the body. This is why al-Ghazali stressed that the reform of the apparent is a branch of  the reform of the interior, and that the control of lust or anger over man means  the disruption of his internal system: the governor (lust) rebels against the king, and the minister (reason) is dismissed, and turmoil and chaos pervade one’s morals.

With this integrated conception, al-Ghazali provided a deep psychological and spiritual understanding of man ahead of his time. It shows  the unity of man despite his multiplicity of forces: his essence is one (the speaking heart/spirit) and the powers and perceptions revolve around him like the planets around the sun. It also shows a hierarchy topped by the heart, then the mind, then the soul, and then the body, so it should lead the lower higher and not the other way around. The purpose  of al-Ghazali’s spiritual education is to establish this system in the right place:  The light of the heart dominant, followed by the light of reason, the restraining of the soul, and the goodness of the body. If this is achieved, man becomes a living heart walking on the earth, as expressed by Al-Ghazali (8 reasons to care for the heart – Journal  of Society), that is, a living embodiment of divine knowledge and virtuous morals.

Suha M. Ayyash