The Soul, the Self, and the Heart According to the Quran

Abstract

Through a superficial reading of the Quran, one can clearly see that man has a unique position in the Universe. He, in the genesis of the Universe, was originally created to be different from other creatures. This change took place since the first stage of human creation, when the heavenly element was breathed inside the man by the Creator, thus completing the process of the creation of man.
The inner nature of man in the Quran is expressed through three terms: ruh (soul), kalb (heart) and nefs (self).
This article seeks to elaborate these three concepts in the perspective of the Quran, the connections and differences among them, and their implications in the Islamic worldview of man, his role and place in the universe.