Soul in Quran and narrations

Since man is composed of the dimensions of soul and the body and nobility in man’s nature is related to the soul the type of interaction with the soul has a fundamental role in achieving prosperity in the life of the believer.
Indicators
1. Self-Knowledge
Among the obvious and natural needs of man is reaching prosperity and avoiding waste of existence. To find the happiness man must know and the etiquettes of living in the best way and damages which destroy them; Meanwhile the recognition of the human soul and self-knowledge means that man recognize his true place in the universe, understand that he's not just the material body and has the light of the spirit of God, know that by knowledge of he can overtake the angels, to know he is free and autonomous and responsible for themselves and for others and for the world to build it a better or worse world, and it is extremely a big, demanding and worthy and is the highest recognition. As the Commander of the Faithful interprets: “The biggest prosperity for man is self-knowledge''.
Similarly, the self-knowledge is more valuable that any kind of knowledge, because this is self-awareness and the other is familiarity with foreigners, and the self-knowledge is the introduction to theology, which should be the ultimate goal of any knowledge and in His interpretation: “Whoever knows himself knows his Lord''.
And also the true understanding of other phenomena, requires self-knowledge and without self-awareness, knowing others is not possible and helpful. In another saying he said: “How a person can know others while he doesn’t know himself?''
So the most important and most useful thing that man must know is "self". The Commander of the Faithful says: “Knowledge of the Nafs is the most useful knowledge''.
References
A) Contemplation
The Qur'an considers the human soul as a source of specific knowledge. In the Qur'an, the creation is the divine verses and signs and symptoms to discover the truth. Quran interprets the outside world of the "Horizons" and the human inner world as "souls" and in this way it warrants the soul; “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth” Surat Fussilat [verse 53].
In addition that thinking in self-knowledge would result in gaining knowledge it can be a barrier to negligence of the self. Contemplation on death and end of life includes thoughts that is very influential in purifying the rust from the mirror of man's soul. This thought, certainly prevents the main sources of negligence, that following desires, selfishness and avariceB) Confidence without swaggering.
Confidence or independence is a beautiful mental status that is for the reassured soul. The spiritual dimension of man, is derived from the spirit of the Gods that reaches the stage of piety that will be pure and divine and frees itself from any dependence on internal and external material things. The he will fill himself with divinity, strengthen and train himself and reaches a status that won’t be reassured except by God; because: “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured” Surat Ar-Ra'd [verse 28]. People who are self-confident and independent, can maintain the independence of their country regarding political, economic, cultural, military and aspect and strengthen self-sufficiency, autonomy and maintaining the national dignity and conversely, the stupid, incompetent people who are dependent on secular and passions, can never resist.
In other words anyone who is dominant on his soul and maintain his independence is able to protect his country from the domination of others. As the opposite of this is true as well.
2. Purification and refinement
References
A) Following the divine leader as a pattern
Of the most well-known Islamic educational methods, is introducing the Prophet of God, the Infallible Imams and complete and guided men and inviting people to follow them and following them as a "pattern" and following their "tradition" in various stages of life. Righteous and scholars, leaders and heroes (national, art, sport, etc.) and briefly any individual or factor that can influence the person by his character and behavior maybe his pattern. Because of this a person must be careful with full insight in choices and following the patterns in the process of training and all the stages of development and do not neglect by no means. From Qur'an point of view, the divine and human values of the pattern and the model are important and significant. Because the Holy Qur'an says about the Prophet as: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern” Surat Al-Ahzab [verse 21].
And that's because he's perfect and the good and practical example of Islamic education. He is who has trained and nurtured with the divine training and is the obvious example of a perfect human considered by Islam. And if it introduces the believers as the witnesses and therefore the patterns of other people, is because that they have been trained in Islamic education. Paying attention to this issue, can be very useful and effective in facing the cultural invasion of arrogance front in cultural boundaries and values of Muslim societies.
B) Hatred towards the vices and sins
One of the obvious signs of the holy people is the lack of alignment with the inferior people and not doing vices. Maybe they do some bad actions and be proud of it, but the right people won’t do that rather they hate these actions from the bottom of their heart. Regarding this topic the Commander of the Faithful says:
.“''An honorable person hates the proud of the inferiors
C) Paying attention to the stages of purification and going through it
In the Scriptures of ethics some stages have been introduced for self-purification and becoming pious that determines and defines these essential indicators.
A) 'Mushaaratah' to make a shart (condition)
Mushaaratah means making conditions with another person or oneself and that man promises himself to use his material and spiritual assets given by God to him in the path of his purification.
The late Feyz Kashani about making condition says: It is really good that when man finishes his Fajr prayer, free his mind and heart from different things so that he can make a condition with himself so he must address his soul and say that: I don’t have any asset except my life and if I lose it, I have lost my asset and I don’t have the power to trade and gain benefit and today is a new day that God has given to me as another chance and has delayed my death and has bestowed me blessing; if I was dead, I would wish that God return me to this world to do righteous deeds now think that you’re dead and you’ve requested God to bring you back so try not waste today in fact any souls is a precious essence that has no price.
2. Meditation (Muraqabah)
When man promises himself not to commit sins and try his best to do the obligatory religious acts and gain God’s satisfaction, the time of fulfilling this promised has arrived. Since the soul is more ready to commit sins and following the desires will be inclined to him unconsciously; therefore, man after Mushaaratah must be very careful to fulfill his promise and know that he cannot reform himself without it. Imam Ali says: “It is desirable that a man should assume the responsibility of supervision over his own-self He should continuously watch out his heart and control his tongue''.
(3. al-Muhasabah (Self-Inventory
Muhasabah is that man day and night specifies a time so that he can take account of his souls and evaluate his sins and obeyed action. Imam Sadiq says: “When you go to bed, think that what have you eaten and drunk during the day and how you’ve achieved them. And what you have achieved at that day and in what day and be aware in any condition that death come to you; and then you’ll be present on the Day of resurrection for taking account of your actions''.
4. Muatabah (admonishment)
Muatabah is that after Muhasabah when man see that he has committed sins or hasn’t done his obligatory acts blame himself seriously, ask God for forgiveness and decide not to do it anymore. For example he addresses his soul and says: “O soul shame on you, you destroyed me and you'll be soon tormented in fire with devils and wicked people. O inferior evil soul! Are not you ashamed? And you don't correct your bad behaviors? How foolish and stupid you are! Do you not know that heaven and hell are in front of you and you'll soon be inside one of them? So why are you laughing and you're happy and do useless actions and commit sins?
5. Muaqabah (punishment)
For reforming, blaming itself is not enough, but soul must be punished for the committed sins and every sin should have its own appropriate punishment; For example, if he has eaten a food that has been achieved by Haram action, he must punish the soul by keeping it hungry. As some of the servants of God after taking account of their souls should consider some kinds of punishments for themselves.
D) Hereafter-orientation and freedom from worldly adornments
Hereafter-orientation means solemn belief in life after death, the fact that all people will be present for taking accounts at the divine justice court, passing through the positions of resurrection and eternal life in heaven and hell. An honest belief in the hereafter, creates another excellent inclinations in the hearts of believers. Determination, love, joy and hope in meeting God heaven and eternity, fear from hell and its eternity, repentance and returning to God, accepting the right, freedom from love for the world, the nobler the world, determination and perseverance in struggle and effort are among some of these attitudes.
Worldliness and secularism means denying the hereafter in heart, considering the world as a goal, loving it and spend all the efforts and human capital in pursuit of it. Thus, world-orientation is accompanied by ignoring the Hereafter and making efforts for it and leaving endeavor to do righteous deeds.
The Holy Quran compares these two groups with each other and finally explains both of them:
“Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished* But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah ] Surah Al-Isra [18-19].
Hereafter-orientation is regarding stages of faith and the inclinations resulted by it has some stages and it is worthy that revolutionary believer considers reaching its high stages his goal. The least benefit of hereafter-orientation is that the revolutionary believer has faith in the world after death, heaven and hell and taking accounts of the soul accounts. This belief leads him to do the obligatory acts and avoiding Haram (forbidden) actions. He is inclined to do good deeds and turns away from evils. He constantly remembers God in deviation and returns to him. Faith in God’s promises makes him eager to fight in the path of God and sacrifice his life for defending Islam and the sacred Islamic regime. The highest limit of hereafter-orientation for the revolutionary believer is that by having faith in heart, he always remembers death and moving to the hereafter. He always thinks about making himself ready for meeting God and the tough day of the resurrection. He doesn’t anymore have the love for world and the eagerness for being martyred has been deeply rooted in his life. The desire for meeting God and His great men, the blessings and benevolence in heaven and fear from deviation and being excluded form meeting God and the hell fire is always on his mind and he never doubts for a moment on continuing the path of martyrs and trying to defend Islamic revolution frontage and following the leader’s commands.
E) Enjoying worship for spiritual growth
The sincere and humble worship and supplication before God protects man from visible and invisible traps of devil and the soul desire and destroys the grounds for the creation and growth of hypocrisy. For this reason, the Holy Quran considers languishing at night, reciting Quran and worship amorously after the boring daily tasks even necessary for the Prophet: “O you who wraps himself [in clothing]* Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little - … Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words* Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation” Surah Al-Muzzammil verse 1-2, 6-7.
Preservation of sin is among the effects of worship, because the more man is closer to God, the more he will avoid sins and Satan temptations in him will be ineffective. Due to this fact, the Quran says: “establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing” Surat Al-'Ankabut [verse 45].