All spirits are created by God; that is, they did not always exist. God, the Almighty, brought them all into being, of every kind. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Command, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Faith, the Spirit of Power, the Spirit of Desire, the spirit of the body, and the other particular spirits—all are creations of the One and Incomparable. Whenever He ascribes one of them to Himself, it is because of its special distinction and honour.
The true nature of every human being and every other creature is distinct from its spirit. The Creator of existence creates a spirit suited to the true nature of each individual.
God Most High has no spirit to which the spirits of others might be joined. By “the Spirit of God” is meant God’s chosen and honoured spirit, which He created and joins to whichever of His servants He wills.
The more divine knowledge and piety are strengthened under the guidance of the Two Weighty Things, the more refined a person’s true nature and spirit become.
ٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنِ الْأَحْوَلِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنِ الرُّوحِ الَّتِي فِي آدَمَ ع قَوْلِهِ فَإِذا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَ نَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي قَالَ هَذِهِ رُوحٌ مَخْلُوقَةٌ وَ الرُّوحُ الَّتِي فِي عِيسَى مَخْلُوقَةٌ.
Ibn Udhayna relates from Ahwal, who said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (AS) about the spirit in Adam (AS), concerning which God says, “And when I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit” (Surat al-Hijr, verse 29). The Imam said: “This spirit is created, and the spirit in Jesus (AS) is also created.”
عَنْ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ رُوحٌ مِنْهُ قَالَ هِيَ رُوحُ اللَّهِ مَخْلُوقَةٌ خَلَقَهَا اللَّهُ فِي آدَمَ وَ عِيسَى.
A group of our companions relate from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, from Hajjāl, from Thaʿlaba, from Humran, who said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (AS) about the words of God, the Almighty and Glorious: “and a spirit from Him” (Surat al-Nisa, verse 171). The Imam said: “This is the Spirit of God, which is created. God created it in Adam and Jesus.”
ِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ نَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي كَيْفَ هَذَا النَّفْخُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الرُّوحَ مُتَحَرِّكٌ كَالرِّيحِ وَ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ رُوحاً لِأَنَّهُ اشْتَقَّ اسْمَهُ مِنَ الرِّيحِ وَ إِنَّمَا أَخْرَجَهُ عَنْ لَفْظَةِ الرِّيحِ لِأَنَّ الْأَرْوَاحَ مُجَانِسَةٌ لِلرِّيحِ وَ إِنَّمَا أَضَافَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ لِأَنَّهُ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الْأَرْوَاحِ كَمَا قَالَ لِبَيْتٍ مِنَ الْبُيُوتِ بَيْتِي وَ لِرَسُولٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ خَلِيلِي وَ أَشْبَاهِ ذَلِكَ وَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَصْنُوعٌ مُحْدَثٌ مَرْبُوبٌ مُدَبَّرٌ.
Al-Kafi (Islamic edition), vol. 1, p. 133
Muhammad ibn Muslim says: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (AS) about God’s words, “and breathed into him of My spirit” (Surat Sad, verse 72), and what this “breathing” means. The Imam said: “The spirit is a moving entity, like the wind. It was called ‘spirit’ because its name derives from rīh (wind). God took this word from the word rīh because spirits are of the same kind as the wind. The spirit is ascribed to God Himself (‘I breathed into him of My spirit’) because God has given this spirit precedence over other spirits and chosen it, just as He called one of the houses ‘My House’ and one of the prophets ‘My Friend’, and in similar cases. All of these—even that spirit ascribed to God—are created, fashioned, brought into existence, nurtured, and governed by God’s will.”