The Nusayriyyah and the Transmigration of Souls

Extremist sects encompass diverse intellectual circles that reflect remnants of ancient ideas and beliefs that clashed with Islam in conquered lands. Despite their multitude, these extremist sects failed to establish lasting states or emirates. Their impact was limited to instigating sedition, rebellion, disobedience, and destructive ideologies characterized by syncretism and borrowing from disparate intellectual sources. They represented a cultural invasion that nearly tainted the purity of Islamic doctrine in the first two centuries, were it not for the vigilant efforts of outstanding scholars and other Muslim thinkers who refuted their claims.

Among the ideas propagated by these extremist sects is the belief in al tanasukh (transmigration of souls). For example, the Mu’ammariyyah sect—a splinter group from the Khattabiyyah (founded by Abu al Khattab, a servant of Jafar al Sadiq)—legalized wine, adultery, and all prohibitions. They denied the Resurrection, claiming instead that souls transmigrate and that they “do not die but ascend bodily to the celestial realm.”^[1]

The Janahiyyah sect, who deified ‘Abdullah ibn Muawiyah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Jafar, asserted that “souls transmigrate from one person to another, and reward and punishment occurs within these persons, whether human or animal.”^[2]

The Bayaniyyah sect, followers of Bayan ibn Sam’an al Nahdi, adopted al tanasukh (transmigration of souls). Bayan later claimed that the divine essence had transmigrated into him, making him an Imam and a Khalifah. He declared, “I am the Bayan (Clarification), the Huda (Guidance), and the Maw’izah (Admonition) mentioned in the Qur’an, ‘This is a clarification for mankind, a guidance, and an admonition for the God-fearing.’”^[3] He was executed by Khalid ibn ‘Abdullah al Qasri.

Contemporary extremist sects that endorse al tanasukh include the Qadiyani’s (Ahmediyyah), Babiyyah, and Baha’is. The Druze term it al taqammus (metempsychosis). Al Shahrastani, thus, identifies belief in hulul (indwelling) and tanasukh as a “shared hallmark of all extremist sects”.^[4]

Proponents of al tanasukh argue, “There is no abode except this world. The ‘Resurrection’ is merely the soul’s transfer from one body to another, better or worse depending on deeds. They rejoice or suffer within these bodies, which are their Paradise or Hell. They may be transferred into the blessed bodies of humans, or the filthy bodies of dogs, monkeys, pigs, snakes, scorpions or dung-beetles. They are perpetually punished like this, moving from body to body. Thus, there is no Resurrection, Reckoning, Paradise, or Hell.”^[5]

Historians of philosophy disagree on the origin of tanasukh. Islamic heresiographers note its roots in multiple traditions: Al Shahrastani states:

كان التناسخ مقالة لفرقة في كل ملة من المجوس والمزدكية والهند البرهمية ومن الفلاسفة والصابئة

Transmigration was a doctrine among the Magians, Mazdakians, Hindu Brahmins, philosophers, and Sabians.^[6]

Al Baghdadi adds that pre-Islamic proponents included certain philosophers and Sumaniyyah (Buddhists), while post-Islamic adherents emerged among extremist Shia (ghulat) and Qadariyyah. The Sumaniyyah permitted human souls to transmigrate into dogs and vice versa. Some Jews also cited the Book of Daniel to claim Nebuchadnezzar was transformed into seven animal forms.^[7]

The Nusayriyyah categorize al tanasukh into four types:

Naskh: the soul transfers from one human body to another.
Maskh: the soul transfers from a human to an animal.
Faskh: the soul transfers from a human to an insect or vermin.
Raskh: the soul transfers from a human to plants, trees, or inanimate objects.^[8]

A faithful Nusayri is immune to maskh, faskh, or raskh, these punishments afflict only non-Nusayri “disbelievers.” A non-Nusayri who honours the Ahlul Bayt radiya Llahu ‘anhum may transmigrate into a lion or tiger, reflecting their strength. Conversely, a hostile non-Nusayri becomes a bear, pig, or monkey, despised and weak in the eyes of people.^[9] The most defiant disbelievers suffer faskh, their souls entering scorpions or snakes.^[10] As for the Nusayri believer, “Allah has assured him that he will not ride in the form of beasts or wild beasts, and that his soul will not reside except in a human being.”^[11]

But if he is a sinner, his soul will reside in the body of a Jew, Christian, or Sunni Muslim for a period of time until he purifies himself and repents for what he committed against his sect, until his (evil) soul returns once again and resides in the body of a believing Nusayri.

As for the believing (non-sinning) Nusayri: When he dies and his soul is released, it ascends to heaven according to the degree of his faith. Then it is immersed in a spring at the gate of Paradise called ‘Ayn al Hayat (the Spring of Life). Upon immersion, it forgets all the grief and sorrow it endured in this world. His luminous body is clothed in light, and he resides in Paradise among the angels and prophets. Simultaneously, as his soul departs his body, a drop of semen falls into his mother’s womb. At that very moment, the drop begins to develop in the womb until it becomes an ‘alaqah (clinging clot). When it becomes a clot, the angels take a soul from the souls of the disbelievers and place it into the clot.

The disbeliever’s soul is tormented in the womb, amid blood, menstrual fluid, filth (urine and feces), and darkness, until it forms a body. Meanwhile, the soul of the believing Nusayri enjoys Paradise, while the soul of the oppressed disbeliever is tormented until it becomes a mudghah (embryo).

When it becomes an embryo, a soul from the inverted souls in disbelief is placed into the body within the womb. The soul is inverted—its lower part becomes its upper—and the oppressed soul is punished within the body as it develops. The disbeliever’s soul is tormented, suspended upside-down in blood, menstrual fluid, and other substances within the womb until the body reaches its term. When the term is fulfilled, the angels gather around the soul in Paradise. A covenant is taken from it, and labor pains seize the woman due to the soul’s confinement. Then the angels descend with the soul, accompanied by the Imam. When they reach the woman’s location, the angels rebuke the body fiercely. The body splits open in fear of the angels’ rebuke, reversing its position so that the head emerges before the legs. When the child is delivered, the angels implant the soul of this believing Nusayri into him as he emerges.

It is said:

وعلامة ولادة المؤمن أن البدن إذا سقط وأواج فيه الروح نظر المولود إلى السماء لأنه ينظر إلى إمامه وإلى الملائكة فيتهلل وجهه ويبتسم ويضحك سروراً لإمامه وللملائكة ولا يعبس تلك الساعة فذلك علامة المؤمن فإذا غاب عنه إمامه والملائكة بكى على مفارقتهم وغير النصيري إذا ولد نظر إلى أسفل خوفاً من الملائكة الذين قد أحضروه فيقطب وجهه ويعبس ويكلح ويقع عليه البكاء من ساعته ولا يزال غاضباً باكياً معبساً مكلحاً حتى تغيب عنه الملائكة فحينئذ يهدأ روعه ويسكن وترجع إليه نفسه ويزول بكاؤه

The sign of the believer’s birth is that when the body emerges and the soul enters it, the newborn gazes upward at the sky. For he sees his Imam and the angels, causing his face to brighten, smile, and laugh with joy at his Imam and the angels. He does not frown at that moment; this is the mark of the believer. When his Imam and the angels depart, he weeps at their separation.^[12] As for the non-Nusayri, when he is born, he looks downward in fear of the angels who brought him. His face darkens, he frowns, scowls, and bursts into crying at that very moment. He remains angry, weeping, frowning, and scowling until the angels depart. Only then does his terror subside, he quiets down, regains his composure, and his crying ceases.^[13]

Regarding the sign of his birth, when his soul leaves his body at death, a drop of semen falls into his mother’s womb at that very hour. The angels come as his soul exits his body, seize him, and bring him to the first atmosphere of the lowest earth, which contains the primordial Fire. They immerse him in a fiery spring called ‘Ayn al Radha’il (the Spring of Vices), for souls are vilified in that spring. They immerse him once, and in that immersion, he suffers torment so severe that if it were placed on Mount Tihamah, it would crumble. There, he forgets all worldly comforts and pleasures he once experienced. The soul remains in that Fire for forty days until the drop becomes an ‘alaqah. The angels then extract it from that torment and imprison it in the womb. It feeds on blood, menstrual fluid, and filth until the appointed time arrives. The angels of punishment come, and when the soul sees them, it is overwhelmed, believing it is being returned to the torment and the spring. At that moment, labor pains seize the woman intensely. The angels are present in their true forms, and the Imam ‘alayh al Salam arrives. He delivers a final rebuke, causing the head to invert downward in terror and fear of the Imam’s form. The child is born crying, his face contorted. Filth emerges from his throat and eyes. He may collapse on his face or side in terror and continues crying until the Imam and angels depart.^[14]

The Nusayriyyah do not believe in resurrection, reckoning, or punishment, as mentioned earlier. They hold that when believing Nusayriyyah die, their souls ascend to a higher rank than before, until they reach the rank of al Istifa’ (Divine Selection), which is above the rank of prophets. They then ascend to the rank of al Hujab (the Veils), then al Bab (the Gate), then al Iman. It is said that whoever attains this rank enters a state where:

لا يحجب الله فيها عنه شيئاً لا أرض ولا سماء ولا جبل ولا بر ولا بحر يعرج إلى السماء متى أراد وينزل إلى الأرض في أي وقت يشاء

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala conceals nothing from him: neither earth, nor sky, nor mountain, nor land, nor sea.^[15] He ascends to heaven whenever he wills and descends to earth at any time he desires.^[16]

They then become close angels in the presence of the Merciful, conversing with Him until they ultimately return to the divine light from which they were created.

Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala does not subject the Nusayri to slaughter, killing, humiliation, fatigue, or hardship. All such suffering is reserved for the obstinate disbeliever. Allah punishes his soul by casting it into every form contrary to the human image: cattle, sheep, camels, beasts, birds, reptiles, insects, and every living creature that crawls, is slaughtered, killed, or ridden. They cite as evidence Allah’s words:

ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ

All living beings roaming the earth and winged birds soaring in the sky are communities like yourselves.^[17]

Al Haft al Sharif states:

إن عدونا ليمسخ في كل شيء خالف الصورة الإنسانية حتى إذا عاد أحدهم يقتل ألف قتلة ويذبح ألف ذبحة ويموت ألف ميتة

Our enemy is transformed into every form contrary to the human image until, when one of them returns, he is killed a thousand times, slaughtered a thousand times, and dies a thousand deaths.^[18]

This is the punishment of the disbeliever. As for God’s allies and their faithful followers, Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has purified them from masukhiyyah (metamorphosis) and made it a punishment for their enemies.^[19]

The disbeliever’s soul does not ascend to heaven like the believer’s. Instead, it remains on earth, transmigrating from mould to mould and body to body, passing through all livestock and every crawling creature. Each time it enters a new form, it suffers a torment harsher than before, enduring this eternally.^[20] All this torment experienced by the non-Nusayri’s soul is termed al ‘adhab al adna (the Lesser Torment). The ‘adhab al akbar (Greater Torment) will come with the rise of the Qa’im (their Mahdi), when he will exact vengeance on all enemies of the Nusayriyyah by the sword, completing their punishment with the heat of iron. At that time, none will remain on earth except the Nusayris.

Al Haft al Sharif declares:

يقتل القائم منه السلام كل طاغوت متكبر ويكون الدين كله الله حتى أن المؤمن يمر بالجبل ويكون الكافرغير النصيري قد استتر فإذا مر به المؤمن ناداه الجبل يا مؤمن إن هذا الكافر قد استتر بي فتعال اقتله ويمر المؤمن بالشجرة فتقول له كذلك لأن القائم منه السلام يبعث حين ظهوره بالسيف والكشف والإظهار والله تعالى عالم لطيف خبير يفعل ما يشاء ولا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون والحمد لله مولانا و هادينا ودليلنا

The Qa’im ‘alayh al Salam will kill every arrogant tyrant, and all religion will belong to Allah. A believer may pass by a mountain where a disbeliever (non-Nusayri) hides. The mountain will cry out, ‘O believer, this disbeliever hides within me, come and kill him!’ Similarly, a tree will call out to him. For the Qa’im ‘alayh al Salam will be sent at his appearance with the sword, unveiling, and manifestation. Allah, the Subtle, the All Aware, does as He wills. He is not questioned about His actions, but they are questioned. Praise be to Allah, our Master, Guide, and Leader!^[21]

For all the above, Islamic jurists and theologians have rejected the doctrine of tanasukh (reincarnation) and declared its adherents apostates, as it negates the fundamental Islamic creed of the Day of Resurrection, Reckoning, the Gathering, and subsequent reward and punishment.

NEXT⇒ The Nusayri Position on the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum

^[1] Al Damluji: Al Uluhiyyah fi al Mu’taqadat al Islamiyyah, pg. 115; al Shahrastani: Al Milal wa al Nihal, 1/2015.

^[2] Al Damluji: Al Uluhiyyah fi al Mu’taqadat al Islamiyyah, pg. 115; al Baghdadi: Al Farq bayn al Firaq, pg. 145-151.

^[3] Surah Al ‘Imran: 138.

^[4] Al Shahrastani: Al Milal wa al Nihal, 2/12.

^[5] Al Nawbakhti: Firaq al Shia, pg. 32.

^[6] Al Shahrastani: Al Milal wa al Nihal, 2/12.

^[7] Al Baghdadi: Al Farq bayn al Firaq, pg. 162.

^[8] Al Biruni: Tahqiq ma li al Hind min Maqulah, pg. 38-44.

^[9] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 162.

^[10] Ibid., pg. 190.

^[11] Ibid., pg. 146.

^[12] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 106-108.

^[13] Ibid., pg. 109.

^[14] Ghalb: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 109.

^[15] The Arabic in the source material seems to be grammatically incorrect, as various words should have been mansub; correctly it should read: لا أرضا ولا سماء ولا جبلا ولا برا ولا بحرا

^[16] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 64, 65, 67, 90, 162.

^[17] Surah al An’am: 38.

^[18] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 90.

^[19] Ibid.

^[20] Ibid., pg. 60, 162.

^[21] Ghalib: Al Haft al Sharif, pg. 153-154.

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