Know that among the special qualities of the spirits…
““Know that among the special qualities of the spirits (arwah) is whenever they touch anything life flows into it. This is why the Samiri (2) seized a handful of dust from the track of the messenger, who was Jibril, and he is the Spirit. The Samiri had knowledge of this matter. When he recognised that it was Jibril, he knew that life would flow into whatever he had walked on, so he took a handful of dust (3) from the track of the messenger or he filled his hand or the ends of his fingers, (4) and threw it into the Calf. The Calf made a noise like the sound of a cow mooing. If it had been in another form, the name of that form's sound would have been ascribed to it - as grumbling to the camel, baa-ing to rams, bleating to sheep, and voice or articulation and speech to man. That power from the life which flows in things is called lâhût. The nâsût is the locus on which the spirit is based. The nâsût may be called a spirit by what is based on it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage explains that spirits animate objects they touch, and the Samiri exploited this by using dust from the angel's path to animate the golden calf, illustrating how divine life force can be transferred to inanimate matter.
In simple terms: Spirits impart life to touched objects, enabling animation.
Key Takeaway
Divine life force can animate inanimate things.
Themes
spiritual animation
divine agency
symbolic power
mythic narrative
theology of spirits
Mood
reverent
mystical
didactic
Type
scriptural exposition
philosophical commentary
When to use this quote
- interpreting religious texts
- explaining miracles
- discussing metaphysical concepts
- teaching spiritual symbolism
Key Concepts
life force (lâhâbt)
spiritual locus (nâsût)
angelic presence
golden calf incident
Practical Applications
- theological analysis
- comparative mythology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view of spirits influence moral responsibility?
- What implications does this have for understanding miracles?