Page 24 - The Basic Concepts in the Qur’an

Spirit, Conscience and Soul

(To the righteous soul it will be said:) “O (you) soul, in (complete) rest and
satisfaction! Come back to your Lord,- well pleased (yourself), and well-pleasing to
Him!

(Al-Fajr, 27-28)
We are already aware of the two aspects of the soul: the one inspiring evil, and wicked
deeds, and the other guarding against every inculcation of evil. The latter guides man to
righteousness, as explained in the Qur’an. Allah breathed into him something of His spirit; this
is the spirit, the conscience.
In Surat As-Sajda, Allah informs us about this:

He Who has made everything which He has created most good: He began the
creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, and made his progeny from a
quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: But He fashioned him in due
proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the
faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do you
give!
(As-Sajda, 7-9)
As long as the individual follows the voice of his conscience, he will be like a model
displaying the attributes of Allah in his personality.
Man's concience is in compliance with all the commandments of Allah. Two verses in the
Surat Ar-Rum are quite explanatory:

No, the wrong-doers (merely) follow their own lusts, being devoid of knowledge. But
who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? For them there will be no helpers.

So you face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah’s handiwork according to
the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work
(wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind do not
understand.
(Ar-Rum 29-30)

According to the verses, unbelievers go astray by following their own lusts.What believers,
on the other hand, must do is to follow the religion Allah communicates to man through
revelation. This religion offers a life style which is most suitable tho the nature of man and his
conscience, that is, to the spirit Allah has breathed into him.