The subdivision of the soul and its spiritual education

In this second chronicle, Lyess Chacal exhibits the complexity of the human soul based on theological and philosophical reflections. He presents a tripartite classification of the soul, evokes the obstacles to spiritual purification and underlines the importance of repentance in this process. Writer and author of several inspiring works, he is also founder and director of Oryms editions, as well as doctor of the University of Paris IV Sorbonne.

The triple subdivision of the soul

The human soul is classified into three main categories:

1. The unsatisfied soulinclined to desires and passions.
2. The peaceful soulwhich has reached a state of serenity and proximity to God.
3. An intermediary categorywhich oscillates between these two states and which must be guided to rise spiritually.

Lyess Chacal underlines the subtlety of this classification, especially in medieval philosophical and mystical traditions. Blade (nafs) is often assimilated to other concepts such as thespirit (rûh), L’intellect (‘aql) or the heart (qalb), the latter being considered as the essential organ of spirituality. This complexity in the definition of the soul requires an in -depth study to better understand its influences and its contradictions.

Inner struggle: tricks and vices of the soul

The soul has a double nature ::

• A nature angelicturned towards the good and the search for the divine.
• A nature demonicsubject to passions and spiritual distance.

Chacal Lyess relies on the thought of al-Ghazâlî to illustrate this duality through the image of theoriginal clay. According to the latter, the clay that makes up man contains both good and evil, and these elements are intimately linked. It is impossible to completely separate these two components after creation. This vision emphasizes that man carries in him a perpetual struggle between his spiritual inclinations and his material inclinations.

Plato’s philosophical tradition is also mentioned, especially with the image of theHitch composed of two horses ::

• A white horsewhich symbolizes nobility and spiritual elevation.
• A black horserepresenting instincts and desires.

Man must learn to master Her team to direct her soul towards good and prevent her from being overwhelmed by her negative impulses. This idea joins that of medieval thinkers, who compare the education of the soul to that of a retrope : It must be tamed to guide it to virtue.

Purification lights: repentance as a return path

Lyess Chacal highlights a central concept of spirituality: the purification of the soul through repentance. According to al-Ghazâlî, two types of fire allow the soul to be purified:

1. Regret fire : It represents the inner process of awareness and repentance. When an individual recognizes his faults and seeks to get closer to God, he undertakes a process of purification.
2. The fire of Gehenna : It symbolizes the ultimate consequence for those who fail to purify their soul. The speaker underlines the need to avoid this path by adopting a sincere introspection and by reforming himself spiritually.

The etymology of the Arabic word Tâba (repent) is also analyzed. Built on the same scheme as rarja’a (come back), this verb involves a back towards an original state of purity and proximity to God. The objective of repentance is therefore to restore a healthy and authentic relationship with the creator.

Educate his soul to better understand it

Lyess Chacal insists on a fundamental point: The soul can be an enemy that you have to learn to master. It is not a question of denying it or fighting it violently, but of theeducate and tame it. This idea joins the need for spiritual discipline and regular introspection.

The education of the soul is based on two essential elements:

• Knowledge of obstacles : Identifying the tricks and illusions of the soul makes it possible to avoid the traps of the ego and the passions.
• The implementation of spiritual solutions : The inner path implies the practice of dhikr (reminder of God), meditation, and the adoption of a rigorous discipline to purify itself gradually.

The soul being in perpetual movement, it requires a constant work To get closer to serenity and divine light.

The quest for return to God

One of the key messages of this intervention is that Man is a stranger on earth (gharîb). Its earthly existence is temporary, and its ultimate objective is to return to its main home: divine proximity. This notion, omnipresent in Islamic spirituality, recalls the need to Do not get excessively attached to the material world And always seek to rise spiritually.

For this, it is essential to adopt a vision enlightened From his soul, to recognize his faults and to strive to correct them. This introspection makes it possible to develop a pure and sincere heart, in agreement with the divine will.

Conclusion and perspectives

The intervention highlights the importance of considering the soul under its different facets and of adopting a balanced approach between self -knowledge and spiritual purification. Man must be aware of the obstacles that hinder his journey and give himself the means to overcome them through adapted spiritual practices.

In the next intervention, the speaker will add up more detail the blank defects and remedies recommended to preserve it. This exploration will make it possible to further refine the understanding of the soul and the concrete means to progress towards a state of serenity and proximity to God.