Ghazali shares many such insights on the spirit most of which can be summarized as:
a) The SPIRIT essentially is not a creation, it is eternal, self-subsisting and ONE.
b) The SPIRIT, independent of the human body, is a single force, it is not many. In other words, there is no such and such person’s spirit, ultimately there is only ONE spirit.
c) With the body, the spirit gains certain qualities which stay with the spirit when it leaves the body. Due to these qualities, we may talk about such and such person’s spirit, in this sense the spirit becomes seemingly many.
Another noble intimate of the reality who sheds light on the spirit is Abdulqadir al-Jilani.
Gaws al-Azam Abdulqadir al-Jilani says, in his “Qasida-i Ayniyyah”:
“I blew into him from my Spirit” is a metaphor! O argumentative one, is not the SPIRIT nothing other than the ONE? The ONE is free from entering into something! For there is no other than HIM! Everything is bound by HIS ONENESS! O the One in the guise of multitude! O the Creator of all things! It is the origin of your Essence that forms all things!”
As can be seen, both from Ghazali’s and Jilani’s Works, significant explanations regarding the Spirit have been made in the past.
For those who are interested, in his Perfect Man, Jilani gives extensive information on the spirit in the section on “The Angel called Spirit” and “Ruh al-Quds” known as the “Grand Spirit” in Sufism.
Now let us examine the meaning of the Spirit in modern terms.
The being referred to as the “SPIRIT” is by origin a SINGLE force that comprises the essence of everything.
Everything you know, can think of or beyond your comprehension, is made of this SPIRIT.
The best way to understand this is with this analogy:
“Matter” is composed of atoms. Regardless of what we call it, what name we give it, it is composed of atoms. When we delve into the depths of the sub-atomic levels of the atoms we encounter “energy” …
This energy is an indivisible, infinite force, for it is made of the power of Allah!
In respect to the Absolute Essence of Allah, ‘energy’ is a creation (its existence depends on Allah) and in the past it was called the SPIRIT.
The “Spirit” is the manifestation of the “Power” of Allah and it is also known as the “First Intellect”, “Universal Consciousness” or “Cosmic Consciousness”!
The consciousness within every individual is derived from this Spirit. However, it manifests according to the capacity and capability of the individual.
When “Spirit” reaches various levels of density it takes different forms and shapes thus creating the illusion of multitude!
Essentially, as Jilani also asserts, the Spirit is an Angel. Everything and anything in the corporeal worlds derive its essence from this Angel! It comprises the origin and essence of all things including all other angels!
Think of an exhibition where there are countless objects made of ice… humans, animals, furniture etc… Although they have different shapes and figures and seem to be different objects, essentially, they are all made of the same thing… water, gas (H2O). The essence and origin of all of them are atoms!
Similarly, despite the seeming multitude of forms in this grand exhibition called the universe, the essence and origin of everything is a single force; “energy” which, was referred to in the past as the SPIRIT.