Islam, Sufism and Reincarnation

Many Muslims mistakenly believe that after death the soul resides at the place where the body has been buried, awaiting the resurrection. What does the Qur'an teach?

The Archangel Gabriel in Surah 2: 28 revealed:

"How can you reject faith in God? Do you not recall that you were once without life, and Allah gave you life; then God will cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and finally to Allah will you return."

The above passage speaks clearly to the reality of reincarnation. Life and death are given to us as gifts from Allah. The cycle is continual. We are born, we die and then we are born again. Eventually we return to the Source.

According to the Rose Crescent the following outlines our cosmic journey:

(1) We (our higher self - Ruh/Spirit) were originally with the Light (Allah, the Divine Source) in the Throne of Allah;
(2) We descended from the Throne into the Cosmos (with the first station being Bakka);
(3) We incarnated into the world of matter (with our spirits- Ruh - being joined by the soul - nafs);
(4) Our dual selves (Spirit and Soul) now take on a body;
(5) Our bodies die. The soul and spirit now divide. The sould re-enters the astral planes, living with other spirits (wherein we learn, progress, heal, etc); The spirit returns to Bakka;
(6) The soul now descends again into the worlds of matter, reincarnating (numerous times);
(7) Eventually our soul(s) ascend to ever higher (or lower) states of vibration (heavens, paradise, hells);
(8) At the End of Time we will finally be drawn back to the Source (the Throne) and reunited/commingled with the Light.

One of the things we should note here is that the final act at the End of Time of reuniting with the Source is an act of grace. No one can earn reunification. It is a gift of Allah. However, our stations both in the worlds of matter and on the astral planes depend on our own efforts. The cosmos operates like music. We go to that which we resonate with.

Quran Suran 18: 45 is another passage that hints at reincarnation:

"Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stuble, which the winds do scatter: It is Allah Who prevails over all things.

The image here is powerful. The "rain" symbolizes the descent of our higher self (Ruh - sparks of light) to the earth. We are absorb here in the world of matter. Like the vegetation, where some are roses, others lillies, others trees, we all reach up towards the heavens, the sun, the moon and the stars. We blossom. We give off fragrances (manifesting good/ill deeds and accumulating Karma). Each has his/her place in the eco-system (the divine plan and cosmic structure). Then we die. The wind (the Spirit) scatters our souls (referring to both the scattering of our karma into the world and the reincarnation of our lower souls - nafs - into other bodies). And the process begins again, with the rain (Ruh) descending to the earth. Eventually the Source (Allah) "prevails" over the cycle of reincarnation by drawing all things back to Itself.