Two Types of Souls

The Quran (91: 9-10) says: “He who purifies it will indeed be successful, and he who corrupts it is sure to fail.”

The present world is a testing-ground for us before the life of the Hereafter dawns. It is an opportunity for us to prepare for the Hereafter. If you leave this world and enter the world of the Hereafter as a noble and pure soul, you will be settled in the delightful environs of Heaven. And if you depart from this world for the world of the Hereafter as a soul laden with evil, you will be hurled into Hell.

The present world is, as it were, God’s nursery. Different types of plants are grown in a nursery. The gardener inspects all of them. Those that he does not want he plucks out and throws away. And the ones that he finds desirable he lifts from their beds very carefully, so that they can grow and flourish in a garden.

In the present world, you are free to choose between two courses. You can choose to purify your soul or to pollute it. You can accept God’s greatness and surrender yourself before Him. When you are faced with the Truth, you can choose to unhesitatingly acknowledge it. In your dealings with others, you can choose to reflect concern for their welfare and for justice. Whether it be in friendship or enmity, in every situation you can willingly choose to obey God’s will, instead of your own whims or the prodding of your ego. If this is how you choose to be and opt to lead your life, you have cleansed your soul. And you will then be settled in the beautiful world of God’s heaven.

But, on the other hand, you can choose to be immersed in your own self-perceived greatness. When confronted with the Truth, you can choose not to accept it. In your dealings, you can choose to be unjust and cruel. You choose to follow your own will, not God’s will. If this is how you choose to be and behave, you have polluted your soul. The Lord of this universe will not accept you to be in His neighbourhood.