CIP (congenital insensitivity to pain) is a condition where a person who has this ailment is unable to feel pain. Individuals who have CIP typically do not survive for long as it is not uncommon for them to suffer a life-debilitating injury, but since they are unable to sense the severity of their injury they can fail to address it which ultimately leads to their death.
In this life, we have a similar condition where we cannot directly detect the pain we may afflict upon our souls when we behave unrighteously and commit sin. If we do not take the appropriate actions, when we are whole and able, to address the damage we are causing to our souls we may suffer eternal loss in the Hereafter for this neglect.
[68:42] The day will come when they will be exposed, and they will be required to fall prostrate, but they will be unable to. [68:43] With their eyes subdued, humiliation will cover them. They were invited to fall prostrate when they were whole and able.
[35:37] They will scream therein, “Our Lord, if you get us out of here, we will work righteousness, instead of the works we used to do.” Did we not give you a life-long chance, with continuous reminders for those who would take heed? Did you not receive the warner? Therefore, taste (the consequences). The transgressors will have no one to help them.
The aim for every human being in this life should be to redeem their soul, the real-self. Because while our bodies will eventually die and go to dust, our souls are to remain for eternity, but it is the decisions in this life that will determine the eternal state of our souls. in the Hereafter.
If we spend this life neglecting to properly care for our souls then we may permanently damage our real-selves without realizing the severity of our actions until the Day of Resurrection.
In the following verses of Sura 91, The Sun (Al-Shams), verses 9-10 we read about these two outcomes for an individual.
[91:7] The soul and Him who created it.
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا
God is the One who granted each of us our lives through the creation of our souls. The word سَوَّاهَا used in the above verse comes from the root س و ي, which has the following derivative meanings.
This verse informs us that God made the soul perfect in form and balance.
[91:8] Then showed it what is evil and what is good.
فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
God then placed innate knowledge inside every soul so it can be able to clearly differentiate between good and evil. This is firmly engrained in every human being and is evident in the youngest of ages, that we have an innate knowledge between right and wrong, justice and injustice.
[91:9] Successful is one who redeems it.
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا
The successful person is someone who as they age they purify their soul in order to redeem themselves from their original sin. Verse 91:9 uses the term زَكَّاهَا which is the same root as Zakat. When we give Zakat we purify our income, and similar when we give to charity we purify our souls. When we go through hardship and it causes us to draw closer to God we are ridding our soul of its impurities.
When God asked the angels to fall prostrate before Adam and Satan refused, he argued that he was made from fire and Adam was made from clay, thus he believed that he was better than him. But when one puts clay inside fire, the fire purifies the clay. Similarly, when Satan test’s the humans, by attempting to send them astray, if the human resists then Satan will be serving as an essential tool in the purification process.
[91:10] Failing is one who neglects it.
But the person who neglects their soul will never have their soul grow, get purified, and ultimately redeemed. Verse 9:10 uses the term دَسَّاهَا. This root only occurs twice in the entire Quran. The word comes from the root د س س and has the following derivative meanings: to hide, bury, conceal, corrupt. The only other time int he Quran this root is used is in the following verse 16:59:
[16:58] When one of them gets a baby girl, his face becomes darkened with overwhelming grief. [16:59] Ashamed, he hides from the people, because of the bad news given to him. He even ponders: should he keep the baby grudgingly, or bury her in the dust. Miserable indeed is their judgment.
In the above verse, we see that when a disbeliever in the past would get news of a baby girl that he contemplated burying this blessing in the dust to die and be long forgotten. By doing so the baby would never have a chance to grow and prosper.
Sadly, a disbeliever takes similar actions towards their soul. By burying it and leaving it to die and to be forgotten, they are taking a blessing that God has given them and completely neglecting it. But just like the baby will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement to hold the father who committed such a horrendous act responsible, the soul too will be restored to the body and the one who neglected it will have to live with the consequences of their actions for the rest of eternity.
[81:1] When the sun is rolled. [81:2] The stars are crashed into each other. [81:3] The mountains are wiped out. [81:4] The reproduction is halted. [81:5] The beasts are summoned. [81:6] The oceans are set aflame. [81:7] The souls are restored to their bodies. [81:8] The girl who was buried alive is asked: [81:9] For what crime was she killed?
In contrast, the individual who spent this life nurturing, purifying, and growing their soul will see the fruits of their labor on the Day of Judgement.
[7:8] The scales will be set on that day, equitably. Those whose weights are heavy will be the winners. [7:9] As for those whose weights are light, they will be the ones who lost their souls, as a consequence of disregarding our revelations, unjustly.
On that day, the one who spent their life growing and developing their soul through a life of righteous works, will be at odds with the one who spent this life neglecting it and leaving it buried to be forgotten. These outcomes in our decisions regarding how we spent this life will be evident for everyone to see.
[69:18] On that day, you will be exposed, nothing of you can be hidden. [69:19] As for the one who receives his record with his right hand, he will say, “Come read my record. [69:20] “I did believe that I was going to be held accountable.” [69:21] He has deserved a happy life. [69:22] In an exalted Paradise. [69:23] Its fruits are within reach. [69:24] Eat and drink happily in return for your works in days past. [69:25] As for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, “Oh, I wish I never received my record. [69:26] “I wish I never knew my account. [69:27] “I wish my death was eternal. [69:28] “My money cannot help me. [69:29] “All my power is gone.”
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