The Conscious Mind and the Subconscious Mind
We previously stated that intellect (‘aql) is the Divine Spirit breathed into the human being. This breathing signifies the deliberate and overpowering dominance over elements and living beings. During the stage of living beings, this dominance manifested as the instigation of hostility, both among living beings themselves and between them and the various elements in their natural environment. However, this generalization has its exceptions, as some forces and elements could be classified as allies. Yet, even these allies were not entirely trustworthy, and fear of their actions and sudden shifts persisted. As such, fear remained the prevailing sentiment among living beings.
In truth, fear (or compulsion) was the force that extracted organic matter from inorganic matter, thereby giving rise to life. Fear also served as the whip that drove living beings into the competitive race of evolution. Life was born in the cradle of fear, enveloped by fear in all its stages. Without intermittent glimpses of safety, fleeting moments of grace, and frequent bouts of oblivion, fear would have overwhelmed life and torn its essence asunder.
Even now, fear is the primary force driving life toward its ultimate perfection in nearness to Allah. Concerning this, Allah says: “And there is no city but that We will destroy it before the Day of Resurrection or punish it with a severe punishment. That has been inscribed in the Register. And nothing has prevented Us from sending signs except that the former peoples denied them. And We gave Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her. And We send not the signs except as a warning. And when We told you, ‘Indeed, your Lord has encompassed the people.’ And We did not make the sight which We showed you except as a trial for the people, as was the accursed tree [mentioned] in the Qur’an. And We threaten them, but it increases them not except in great transgression.” (17:58–60)
Reflect on the statements: “And We send not the signs except as a warning” (17:59) “And We threaten them” (17:60)
Then read: “O mankind, fear your Lord. Indeed, the convulsion of the [final] Hour is a terrible thing. On the Day that you see it, every nursing mother will be distracted from that [child] she was nursing, and every pregnant woman will abort her pregnancy, and you will see the people [appearing] intoxicated while they are not intoxicated; but [it is that] the punishment of Allah is severe.” (22:1–2) Or: “Then how can you fear, if you disbelieve, a Day that will make the children white-haired? The heaven will break apart therefrom; ever is His promise fulfilled.” (73:17–18)
The best state for a believer is to perform righteous deeds while their heart remains fearful of meeting their Lord. Allah says: “And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.” (23:60)
The ideal state of fear is one balanced by hope. Fear must not dominate to the point of despair, nor should it weaken to the point of heedlessness. Allah mentions this balance, saying: “Those whom they call upon seek means of access to their Lord, striving as to which of them would be nearest, and they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment. Indeed, the punishment of your Lord is ever feared.” (17:57) And: “Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord [like one who does not]? Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.” (39:9)
This balance of hope and fear is a sign of the knowledge of Allah.
The wisdom behind fear and warning, lies in driving people toward Allah when they realize their incapacity to bear the burdens of life. Consider this depiction in the following verses: “And indeed, you invite them to a straight path. But indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter are deviating from the path. And if We gave them mercy and removed what was upon them of affliction, they would persist in their transgression, wandering blindly. And We have already seized them with punishment, but they did not yield to their Lord, nor did they humbly supplicate. Until when We have opened before them a door of severe punishment, immediately they will be suddenly in despair. And it is He who produced for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful. And it is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered. And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will you not reason?” (23:73–80)
These are all depictions of fear, warnings of worldly punishment, and threats of torment in the Hereafter. This is part of Islam and the Qur’an, and it only came later, once human sensitivity had become refined enough to respond to lesser forms of deterrence.
Allah, Most Glorified and Most Exalted, mentioned hearing, vision, and hearts in this context, saying: “And it is He who produced for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful.” (23:78)
This indicates that these faculties were created through punishment, fear of punishment, and warnings of it, each corresponding to the levels of life.
Allah says: “Little are you grateful.” (23:78) This statement can be understood more fully by recalling His words: “What would Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Most Appreciative and All Knowing.” (4:147)
It is as though He is saying that the purpose of punishment is for Allah to refine the subtleties (lata’if) from your densities (kathif), enabling you to mirror Him in your attributes and become grateful and knowledgeable, as He is Most Appreciative and All Knowing.
In the previously cited verses, Allah also says: “And it is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered.” (23:79)
The term dhara’akum signifies dispersal and scattering, much like seeds are scattered. The phrase “and to Him you will be gathered” implies that you will be brought together, led, and presented. Our gathering toward Him occurs through aligning our attributes with His, achieved by extracting subtleties from our densities through chastisement, fear, and warnings of punishment.
The crux of the matter lies in His words: “And it is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of the night and the day. Then will you not reason?” (23:80)
The phrase “He gives life and causes death” points to the dominance over life itself. The “alternation of the night and the day” refers to the dominance over elements. From the dominance over elements emerged life, and from the dominance over life emerged intellect. Hence, Allah says: “Then will you not reason?”
Fear was born from this dominance, and from fear, life was born. Life, driven by fear, has ascended through levels, one above the other, until it reached the stage where human intellect emerged at the summit of the animal kingdom. Life continues to ascend, striving for the perfection of intellect and heart.
Intellect is the Divine Spirit breathed into humanity, with fear serving as the medium of this infusion. The direct cause of this infusion is the struggle among the varied elements that fill the natural environment, with Allah encompassing all of it. This infusion is continuous, infinite (sarmadi), and becomes gentler as life’s subtleties emerge from its densities and assert their dominance. A time will come when Allah replaces fear with security, war with peace, and enmity with love: “What would Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Most Appreciative and All Knowing.” (4:147)
Where, then, is the Divine Spirit infused? Was it infused into the body? Or into the intellect? Neither the body nor the intellect is the location of this infusion. The body is not the site of the infusion but a result of it. The same applies to the intellect; the brain, as the organ of intellect, is not the site of the infusion but its outcome. The infusion precedes both, just as a cause precedes its effect.
Where, then, is the location of the infusion?
The answer is, in the heart. And what is the heart? It is the essence (dhat) of the living being. It is the being itself, which lives inherently, whereas the body and the brain derive their life from it.
The heart is the essence of life; it is the source of life given to the body and the brain. It is not their servant but their master. Modern medicine, particularly the study of physiology, has erred in considering the heart merely as a pump for blood. The reality aligns with what religion has always maintained. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Verily, in the body is a morsel of flesh; if it is sound, the entire body is sound; and if it is corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”
This corruption does not solely refer to physical corruption that results in physical death but extends to moral and spiritual corruption, which leads to spiritual death, through disbelief (kufr).
In the Qur’an, the emphasis is consistently placed on the heart, with the intellect, represented by the brain and the body, mentioned only secondarily. Allah says: “Indeed, in that is a reminder for whoever has a heart or who listens while being mindful.” (50:37)
Here, the reminder is primarily for one who possesses an intelligent heart, “whoever has a heart.” The use of the indefinite form (qalb) signifies exaltation and importance. If one does not possess this kind of heart, the reminder is for one who has a conscious intellect, “or who listens while being mindful.” The phrase “who listens” refers to lending an ear, an indication of the physical organ, and by extension, the body. The phrase “while being mindful” implies attentiveness during listening, referring to the faculties of the brain, the intellect.
Verses emphasizing the centrality of the heart are numerous throughout the Qur’an. While a comprehensive listing is beyond the scope of this discussion, those interested can consult them on their own. Here, we cite three verses that highlight the heart's significance in defining the essence of humanity. Allah says through the words of Abraham: “And do not disgrace me on the Day they are resurrected, the Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, but only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (26:87–89)
Ultimately, there is no salvation from the disgrace of punishment or the punishment of disgrace except through the purity of the heart.
Would the heart’s importance be any clearer if we pointed out that every creature has a heart, while not all have intellects? No known living being, no matter how small or ethereal, lacks a heart. The heart and the body emerge simultaneously; the body is the heart’s home, its counterpart, and its partner. This duality is referenced in the verse: “Exalted is He who created all pairs, from what the earth grows, and from themselves, and from that which they do not know.” (36:36)
Here, “from themselves” refers to the heart and the body. While the body is the heart's home, the heart is the house of the Lord. As such, the heart is paired with the Divine, an allusion to this is found in [the verse]: “and from that which they do not know.”
The senses act as windows of this home, allowing light and fresh air to reach the resident. Through these senses, the resident - symbolizing the heart, also observes the external worlds. The intellect, as the commander of the senses, serves as the heart's watchman and loyal guardian, alerting it to impending dangers and protecting it whenever possible.
The heart is the house of Allah; it is the sacred sanctuary (haram) of safety, as Allah says: “So let them deny what We have provided them, and let them enjoy themselves, for they are going to know. Have they not seen that We made [Mecca] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away all around them? Then in falsehood do they believe, and in the favor of Allah they disbelieve?” (29:66–67)
The Kaaba in Mecca is the House of Allah in the outward sense of the law (zahir al-shari‘ah), while the heart within the chest is the House of Allah in reality (haqiqah). Allah has made both of His Houses safe from fear. Regarding the Quraysh [the powerful Arabian tribe that guarded the Kaaba], Allah says: “For the accustomed security of the Quraysh, their accustomed security in [guarding] the caravans of winter and summer, let them worship the Lord of this House, who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger, and made them safe from fear.” (106:1–4)
The heart, at its core, is a sanctuary free from fear; fear only touches its periphery. This is the meaning of His words: “We made [Mecca] a safe sanctuary, while people are being taken away all around them.” (29:67)
As we previously established, Allah infused the Divine Spirit into humanity through the medium of fear, and the locus of this infusion is the heart. Despite being the site of this infusion, the heart remains a sanctuary immune to fear. To protect this sanctuary, Allah created the body as its shield, developing it alongside the heart to act as its armor against fear. The intellect followed, aiding in the ultimate triumph over fear.
When fear is overcome, by Allah’s Grace and through the intellect, the infusion of the Divine Spirit into the human heart, will occur through gentleness, security, peace, and love. As long as the infusion originates from external elements, fear prevails, driven by external forces. But the time will come when the infusion originates from within, and on that day, fear will be vanquished forever.
Allah addresses these two stages of infusion in His words: “We will show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?” (41:53)
The phrase “Our signs on the horizons” refers to the infusion of external elements into the body by the overpowering Will (qahr iradi). The phrase “and within themselves” refers to the infusion of elements through fear into the body and brain, or intellect. The conclusion, “until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth,” signifies the attainment of certainty in monotheism (tawheed). At this point, fear will be replaced by security and peace, as indicated in: “But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?”
The heart is an organ in which the fu’ad functions. The fu’ad (unified being) represents the capacity for unitary perception (idrak watari). The body and brain are organs in which the intellect functions, representing the capacity for binary perception (idrak shaf‘i).
In the stage of binary perception, infusion originates externally, and fear is present. In the stage of unitary perception, infusion originates internally: “But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?”
This is the station of essence-to-essence infusion, the infusion of the Divine Essence into the human heart. Here, fear has no place.
In unitary perception, multiplicity ceases, leaving only unity. The perceiver, the act of perception, and the object perceived all become one. Hence, the heart and the fu’ad are one and the same.
What is the subconscious mind? It is the heart, representing unitary [or singular] perception.
What is the conscious mind? It is the intellect, representing binary perception.
