486. The two different souls.
Verse (39:42) of the Quran says the Almighty captures the souls of people while they die forever and while they are asleep. Verse (6:60) of the Quran also conveys the same message.
We do understand that God captures souls of people who are dead, but at same time we fail to understand the concept of the Almighty capturing souls of people asleep. Hence the question how it is possible for man to breathe during his sleep? if it is stated in the Quran that God captures the souls of people who are asleep, or for that matter how a man rolls over in his sleep without life? How does a man sense an ant-bite in sleep while his soul is taken away when he is asleep?
How does the food get digested in sleep when there is no life? Similarly, we observe numerous physiological changes inside the body taking place when man is sleeping. Are all these activities taking place in a body that has no life in it, is the question?
Likewise when man is asleep, he does not think, is not subjected to worries, does not plan, does not memorize, and does not perform, and cessation of many other activities make it appear he is dead.
From the above we can come to a decision, there are two kinds of souls that are handled by the Almighty.
One kind which is needed for the functioning of the body. The other connected with the senses of the soul.
The soul that is needed for the functioning of the body does not leave us a living entity while we are asleep, the soul that can sense its flight from our body marking the end of its worldly life is the one that departs once and for all.
Life is blown into the 120 days old embryo that has been developing in the womb of the mother is said by Prophet Muhammad. (Book: Bukhari 3208, 3332, 6594, 7454)
The embryo already had life, before it could reach the 120 days stage from the time it was formed, and that was the reason it developed to the extent in three stages.
From the above quoted development of the embryo, it could be understood the life that is blown into it after 120 days, is of one type and the one contained in it prior to the time quoted is of another type
The following verse of the Quran confirms the same.
The Quran 23:14 Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah , the best of creators.
To learn more on this topic, please refer explanation point numbers 296, 314, and 487 of this compilation
