How Islam and the Baha'i faith understand the human soul, (from our point of view)
Islam's view of the human soul (rūḥ)
In Islam, the soul is created by God, judged by Him and to Him shall return.
It is breathed into the human being (Qur’an 15:29).
Its nature is mysterious; the Qur’an says: “Of the spirit, you have been given but little knowledge.”
Its Purpose to worship God (Qur’an 51:56).
Separation at Death: Physical death occurs when the angel of death separates the Ruh from the physical body.
The Barzakh: The soul goes to Barzakh, an intermediate waiting realm between this earthly life and the Day of Judgment.
The Final Return: On the Day of Judgment, God will reunite the soul with the body to account for all earthly deeds and face eternal reward or punishment.
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The Baha'i Understanding of the Human Soul Faith:
The Baha'i Faith concur that the human soul created by God, its purpose to know and worship Him, and it continues after death. The Baha'i Writings add more details on the nature of the soul and its on going journey:
Nature of the Soul;
“Know thou that the soul… is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp.” Baha'u'llah
Purpose of the Soul; "O Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life." — Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words
God created us out of love and our purpose is to grow closer to Him; though love, though service, though developing good qualities; like Truthfulness, Kindness, Patience, Generosity..
Mind and Spirit;
“The spirit is immortal; it is not affected by the conditions of the body.” and “The spirit is the lamp; the mind is the light that shines from the lamp.”
The Soul after Death;
“The soul is not extinguished at the death of the body. It continues, in the further worlds of God, the journey that began at its first creation and that will continue through the progressive worlds of God infinitely.”
Spiritual Growth of the Soul
“As the embryo in the womb develops the eyes and limbs it will need in the next world, so the soul in this life develops the spiritual qualities… that will constitute its instrumentation in the further worlds.” Abdu’l‑Bahá
"Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter." - Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings
While Islam describes Heaven and Hell as final destinations, the Baha'i Faith sees them as State of Being; nearness to God or distance from Him and teaches us that the soul spiritual progress is continuous...
