There are five spirits inside our human body, as follows:

 

Allah Ta‘ala did not create man with only a physical body; rather, He elevated him to a great spiritual reality through the Ruh (spirit). According to Sufi metaphysics and Islamic spiritual philosophy, there are five levels of Ruh within a human being. These are spiritual layers that aid in the journey toward purification and closeness to Allah. Below is a brief description of each of the five Ruh:

1. What is Ruh al-Jamadat?

The term “Ruh al-Jamadat” is composed of two parts:

• "Ruh" means soul or life-force
• "Jamadat" means inanimate or lifeless objects (like stones, metals, soil, etc.)

Thus, Ruh al-Jamadat refers to the inner, spiritual energy that grants a kind of presence or operability even within lifeless objects. It is part of Allah's mysterious creation.

Position & Nature:

• Position: Ruh al-Jamadat exists within the material, physical world. Though its presence is not visible, it is active through Allah's command and will.
• Nature: It appears "inactive," but in reality, it is dynamic and under divine control. The Qur'an describes how stones, skies, mountains, trees—even inanimate objects—respond to Allah’s command.

2. What is Ruh al-Nabatat?

Ruh al-Nabatat is a spiritual energy that brings about biological life, silent growth, nourishment, transformation of food, reproductive tendencies, and natural bodily development.

• The term “Nabatat” comes from “Nabat” meaning plant.
• This level of Ruh manages the internal biological processes—such as growth, blood circulation, and cell division—within the human body.

Position:

• Ruh al-Nabatat resides in the biological systems of the body.
• It governs growth and reproduction, and is concentrated around vital organs like the heart and liver.

Nature & Characteristics:

1. Manifests basic signs of life: birth, growth, digestion, blood formation, etc.
2. Behaves like plant life—no cognition, but functions automatically.
3. Lacks self-awareness, yet responds to natural order.
4. After death, this Ruh is the first to leave the body.

3. What is Ruh al-Haywani (Animal Spirit)?

Ruh al-Haywani is the spiritual energy that gives humans animal-like instincts such as movement, sensation, fear, desire, anger, appetite, and self-preservation. This is the third level of Ruh in human life.

• It is also present in animals—thus it is called the “animal spirit.”
• However, in humans, it is more complex due to the influence of intellect, morality, and spiritual consciousness.

Position:

• The center of Ruh al-Haywani is the intersection of the heart (qalb) and brain.
• It is the source of emotions, reflexes, decisions, awareness, and sensory input.
• It spreads throughout the body via the bloodstream.

Nature & Characteristics:

1. Power to sense and react: Just like animals respond to sound, smell, and touch, humans react through this Ruh.
2. Emotions like willpower, fear, anger, desire, and response mechanisms are driven by this spirit.
3. Governs movement, eating, sleeping, sexuality, and other physical needs.
4. If not purified, a person becomes enslaved to lower instincts and behaves in an animalistic way.

4. What is Ruh al-Qudsi (Holy Spirit)?

Ruh al-Qudsi means “Sacred Soul” or “Divinely-bestowed Pure Spirit.” This Ruh is a Nurani (luminous) energy directly sent by Allah and placed into the hearts of prophets, messengers, and spiritually perfected saints (awliya).

It is the highest level of spiritual essence, symbolizing divine closeness, wisdom, truth, and an illuminated heart.

Position:

• Ruh al-Qudsi generally resides in the deep spiritual layers of the heart, such as the Sirr (secret) and Khafi (hidden) levels.
• Only those who have transcended the previous four stages—
• Ruh al-Jamadat
• Ruh al-Nabatat
• Ruh al-Haywani
• Ruh al-Insani
  —can attain this level of purity and surrender to Allah.

Nature & Characteristics:

Feature	Description
Divine Origin	Not worldly or physical; created from Allah’s command (Amr).
Absolute Purity	Free from sin, lust, and carnal desires.
Capacity for Revelation	Prophets receive revelation (wahy) through this Ruh; saints receive spiritual insight (ilham).
Enlightened Consciousness	Through this Ruh, divine truths and understanding shine in the heart.
Mastery over the Self	The bearer of this Ruh conquers anger, greed, jealousy, and ego.

5. What is Ruh al-Insaniyat?

Ruh al-Insaniyat is that spiritual essence which Allah Himself created and breathed into the human being with His own command.

Allah says: “Then I breathed into him of My spirit.”
(Surah Al-Hijr: 29)

This Ruh is different from the other layers. It is of Nurani (luminous) and Divine origin, and carries the capacities for knowledge, conscience, free will, creativity, and faith.

Position:
Ruh al-Insaniyat resides in the deepest core of the heart, and it can access the spiritual layers such as Latifa al-Qalb, Sirr, and Ruh. It governs the highest levels of awareness, morality, and spiritual elevation.

Nature & Characteristics:

Feature	Description
Divine Source	Created from divine Nur and issued from Allah’s command.
Vessel of Knowledge & Morality	Enables discernment between right and wrong, halal and haram.
Moral & Spiritual Responsibility	Through this Ruh, humans bear the duty of being Khalifah (vicegerents) on earth.
A Test from Allah	Maintaining the purity of this Ruh and striving against the ego is a key aspect of worship.
Capacity for Divine Love	This spirit can ascend through worship, remembrance (dhikr), and self-purification to achieve nearness to Allah.

Position (extended):
Ruh al-Insaniyat resides in the deepest inner layer of the human being. When this spirit governs the soul and rises through Ruh al-Insani and Ruh al-Ruhani, man becomes truly Ashraf al-Makhluqat — the noblest of creation.

It is the true identity of the human soul, distinguishing man from both animals and inanimate objects. Being a Nurani gift from Allah, it has the potential to reach perfection (Kamal) through spiritual awakening. Through the practice of the Qur'an, Sunnah, and Sufism, this Ruh can be activated and drawn close to Allah’s presence.