Author: Mohajer Azizi
Scientology; Its Origins and Beliefs (Part 18)
Introduction
In the previous sections, it was clarified that Scientology not only denies belief in the Resurrection (Ma‘ād) but also presents a different depiction of human destiny—a path based on the continuous repetition of life and the transfer of the soul from one body to another. This is the same concept of reincarnation that has been prevalent in some Eastern schools of thought; however, Scientology presents it using its own specific terminology. It was also explained why this belief is incompatible with the principles of Islam, and this incompatibility was proven through rational and transmitted (scriptural) evidence.
Now, after discussing the Resurrection and reincarnation, we turn to one of the most important beliefs of this system—a belief that appears philosophical on the surface, yet forms the foundation of many of its claims—namely, the belief in the eternity of the soul, or the “Thetan.” Followers of Scientology believe that the soul is a being without beginning and without end; a being that existed even before the creation of the material world and played a role in its formation. They consider the soul so great that they describe it as the creator of the material universe, tracing its existence back billions or even trillions of years.
Accordingly, in what follows, we will first explain the meaning of “soul” in its lexical and technical senses, then review scholarly views regarding its nature and essence. Finally, by relying on Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions, we will examine the time of the soul’s creation and its relationship with the body, so that it becomes clear how far the Scientology belief diverges from Islamic teachings.
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Belief in the Eternity of the Soul (Thetan)
The soul is an invisible and mysterious phenomenon, and various views exist among religions and sects regarding its origin and pre-existence. One of these sects is Scientology. This system holds that the soul—referred to as the “Thetan”—is an extremely ancient and eternal being, having existed for billions to trillions of years.
According to Scientology teachings, the soul existed prior to the universe and matter, and even created parts of the material world and nature. That is, this belief system assigns such status and greatness to the soul that it presents it as the creator of the material universe.
According to the secret teachings of Scientology, after the soul created part of the material universe, a space entity called “Xenu” destroyed billions of souls and exiled them to Earth, after which these souls influenced human beings. According to this system, just as the soul is eternal, it is also everlasting; that is, the soul (Thetan) does not die and is permanent, merely transferring from one body to another and undergoing numerous experiences. [1]
In what follows, after defining the soul and explaining its origin, we will examine and critique this Scientology belief from the Islamic perspective.
Definition of the Soul
The soul in the lexical sense:
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Al-Fīrūzābādī states that “rūḥ” (with ḍammah on the rā’) is that by which living beings possess life. The term is also applied to the Qur’an, revelation, Gabriel, and Jesus (MABH). It is likewise used for breath, prophetic inspiration, divine command, and God’s power and authority manifested in humans and angels. With a fatḥah on the rā’, it means comfort, mercy, and a pleasant breeze. [2]
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Ibn Fāris states that the word “rūḥ” derives from the root letters rā’, wāw, and ḥā’, which fundamentally indicate spaciousness, openness, and fluidity. The origin of all these meanings is “wind.” In the word “rūḥ,” the letter ḥā’ was originally a wāw, but due to the kasrah preceding it, it changed into a yā’. Thus, “rūḥ” refers to the human soul and is derived from “al-rīḥ” (wind), and all related derivatives share this meaning. Originally, “rūḥ” refers to a gentle breeze. [3]
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‘Allāmah Muḥammad al-Rāzī writes that the word “rūḥ” is used both in the masculine and feminine forms, and its plural is “arwāḥ.” In the Qur’an, Jesus and Gabriel (MABH) are also referred to as “rūḥ.” When attributed to angels and jinn, it takes the form “rūḥānī” (with ḍammah on the rā’), whose plural is “rūḥāniyyūn.” Any living thing possessing a soul is called a “rūḥānī body,” and a pleasant, invigorating place is described as “raḥānī” (with fatḥah on the rā’). The plural of “rīḥ” is “riyāḥ” and “aryāḥ,” and sometimes “arwāḥ” is also used. [4]
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Ibn Manẓūr states that “rūḥ” (with ḍammah on the rā’) in Arabic means “breath,” and it is called “rūḥ” because it is a breeze that emerges from breathing. The word “rūḥ” is masculine. It is also used to mean “nafs,” and in this sense, it is used both as masculine and feminine, with the plural “arwāḥ.” [5]
In technical usage, scholars and thinkers have presented various definitions of the soul, some of which are cited below:
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Imam al-Ghazali (RA) states that the soul is a subtle body whose origin is in the cavity of the physical heart and which spreads throughout the body via pulsating veins. Its flow within the body and the diffusion of the light of life—such as sensation, sight, hearing, and smell—through the organs is like the light of a lamp being carried around a house; no corner remains unilluminated. In this analogy, “life” is like the light appearing on the walls, while the “soul” is like the lamp itself. The movement of the soul within the body resembles the movement of the lamp, whose light spreads everywhere when moved. Physicians, when using the term “soul,” intend this meaning: a subtle vapor refined by the heat of the heart. [6]
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Ibn Sīnā, the great philosopher and physician, stated that the soul is a subtle, mobile entity inclined upward, requiring no reversal or pressure to ascend. If reversed, it causes excessive blood discharge, making its movement difficult, since its upward movement is easier. The subtlety and movement of the soul indicate that it produces effects in the brain needed by the body and warms it. [7]
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Muḥammad ibn Rushd stated that “nafs” and “rūḥ” are two names for one reality—the entity by which the body lives. Each term may independently be applied to other meanings; for example, “nafs” may refer to essence, blood, or life in humans, while “rūḥ” may refer to an angel, the Qur’an, breathing, or life in humans and animals. However, when both terms are used together for one thing, they refer to the same reality that gives life to the body, which the Angel of Death takes at death and delivers to angels of mercy or punishment. Thus, nafs, rūḥ, and nasamah are the same in this sense. God says:
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا» Translation: “Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that have not died He takes during their sleep.” [8]
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Abū Bakr ibn al-Anbārī states that those who do not distinguish between “nafs” and “rūḥ” consider them one entity, differing only linguistically: “nafs” is feminine and “rūḥ” is masculine. Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) states that nafs is the breath by which a person breathes, meaning the air exiting the body during inhalation and exhalation—an opinion also held by al-Isfarāyīnī and others. Ibn Fūrak similarly stated that nafs is what flows within the internal cavities of the organs. [9]
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Ibn Taymiyyah (RA) further states that Qadi Abu Bakr believed most theologians considered the soul an “accident,” and that when “soul” does not refer to nafs, this view is accepted. He explains that there are two forms of soul in the body: life and breath. Abū al-Ma‘ālī believed souls to be subtle bodies intermixed with physical bodies, and that God has established a custom whereby life persists as long as this connection exists, and death occurs when it ceases. [10]
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Ibn Fūrak stated that the soul is what flows within bodily cavities, while Abū al-Ma‘ālī held that souls are subtle bodies connected to physical bodies, and that life continues as long as this connection remains. Ibn Taymiyyah concludes that the belief of the Companions, the Successors, the early generations, and the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah is that the soul is an independent reality distinct from the body, experiencing reward or punishment after death; it is neither the body nor part of it, just as the nafs is not. [11]
Continues…
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References:
[1]. Salemi, Scientology, published in: Negah Cultural and Research Magazine, p. 79; Wikipedia, entry Xeno; Scott, Michael Dennis (2004). Internet and Technology Law Desk Reference, p. 109.
[2]. Al-Fayruzabadi, Al-Qamus al-Muhit, p. 220.
[3]. Ibn Faris, Muʿjam Maqayis al-Lughah, vol. 2, p. 454.
[4]. Muhammad al-Razi, Mukhtar al-Sihah, p. 267.
[5]. Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-ʿArab, vol. 2, pp. 261–268.
[6]. Al-Ghazali, Ihyaʾ ʿUlum al-Din, vol. 3, pp. 508–509.
[7]. Ibn Sina, Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb, vol. 1, p. 85.
[8]. Ibn Rushd al-Qurtubi, Al-Bayan wa al-Tahsil wa al-Sharh wa al-Tawhid wa al-Taʿlil li-Masaʾil al-Mustakhrajah, vol. 2, p. 291.
[9]. Ibn Taymiyyah al-Harrani, Majmuʿ al-Fatawa, vol. 5, p. 338.
[10]. Ibid., vol. 5, p. 241.
[11]. Ibid., vol. 5, p. 241.
