The Quran contains several verses that emphasize the idea that Allah created humans to test them. Here are some of the key verses:

“He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed.“(Quran, 67:2)

“Indeed, We have made that which is on the earth adornment for it that We may test them [as to] which of them is best in deed.”(Quran, 18:7)

“Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may test him.“(Quran, 76:2)

“Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tried?” (Quran, 29:2-3)

“You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves.” (Quran, 3:186)

These verses collectively convey the concept that life is a test from Allah, where humans are examined through various trials and challenges to determine their faith.

What are the consequences of failing these tests? Punishment in the Hereafter, specifically in Hell.

“But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.“(Quran, 2:39)

“Indeed, those who disbelieve in Our verses – We will drive them into a Fire. Every time their skins are roasted through, We will replace them with other skins so they may taste the punishment. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted in Might and Wise.”(Quran, 4:56)

The Quran clearly outlines the severe consequences for those who fail the test of Allah by rejecting faith. These include eternal punishment in Hell, severe physical and emotional torment, exclusion from Allah’s mercy, and deprivation of the eternal rewards of Paradise.

The notion that God creates us merely to test us and then rewards some with paradise while condemning others to hell is asinine and even stupid. It is perplexing that people still adhere to such beliefs in the modern era.

We come to this world to learn and to grow. The challenges of life are designed to help us in our spiritual growth.

As spiritual beings, we interact with the physical world many times. The primary purpose of each incarnation is to learn specific lessons and advance spiritually. Life challenges and relationships are viewed as opportunities for growth and development. This journey may take dozens or even hundreds of reincarnations for some souls.

The concept of soul growth often derives from spiritual and philosophical traditions that outline the progression of the soul through various developmental stages. Here are the commonly described seven stages of soul growth:

1. Infant Soul Stage:  At this phase, the soul concentrates on survival, basic needs, and the essentials of physical existence. The goal is to grasp physical safety, health, and the environment. The challenges involve overcoming fear and understanding life’s basic necessities. Souls at this stage are learning about the physical world and how to navigate it safely.
2. Baby Soul Stage:  During this stage, the focus is on structure, rules, and societal norms. The objective is to learn how to adhere to rules, comprehend societal structures, and establish order. Challenges include struggling with conformity and the fear of chaos. Baby souls are typically very concerned with stability and tradition, often seeking comfort in established norms and structures.
3. Young Soul Stage:  At this stage, the soul is propelled by ambition, competition, and the pursuit of personal success and recognition. The aim is to achieve personal goals, accumulate material wealth, and attain social status. Challenges involve balancing ambition with ethics and coping with failure. Young souls are driven by the desire to make a mark in the world, often valuing external achievements and recognition.
4. Mature Soul Stage:  In this phase, the soul prioritizes relationships, emotional depth, and introspection. The goals include understanding emotions, forming deep connections with others, and seeking self-awareness. Challenges revolve around navigating complex emotions and relationships, as well as managing inner conflicts. Mature souls seek to understand themselves and others on a deeper level, valuing emotional connections and personal growth.
5. Old Soul Stage:  Characterized by wisdom, spiritual awareness, and detachment from material desires, this stage focuses on seeking spiritual growth, understanding life’s deeper meaning, and attaining inner peace. Challenges entail releasing material attachments and pursuing spiritual fulfillment. Old souls often feel a sense of detachment from worldly concerns, focusing instead on inner peace and spiritual understanding.
6. Transcendent Soul Stage:  At this stage, individuals experience a connection with universal consciousness and understand the interconnectedness of all things. Goals involve experiencing unity with the universe, transcending the individual ego, and contributing to collective well-being. Challenges include maintaining this heightened state of awareness in the physical world. Transcendent souls see beyond individual experiences, recognizing the oneness of all existence and often feeling a strong sense of purpose in helping others.
7. Infinite Soul Stage:  This rare state is achieved by spiritual masters and enlightened beings, such as Jesus and Buddha. The goals include complete alignment with divine consciousness and guiding others toward spiritual awakening. This stage represents the culmination of the soul’s journey. Souls at this level of evolution may choose not to incarnate in the physical world to face challenges but may opt to do so to assist souls in lower stages of spiritual evolution. Infinite souls are seen as embodiments of divine wisdom and compassion, often serving as teachers and guides for others on their spiritual paths.

These stages represent a framework for understanding the soul’s journey through various levels of consciousness and development. The purpose of incarnating in the physical world is to confront challenges and evolve by overcoming them. Individuals whose lives are more challenging are often more courageous souls, ambitious to face more challenges in a single lifetime in order to reduce the number of reincarnations.

Each stage of soul growth offers unique lessons and opportunities for development. The journey through these stages is not linear but rather a complex process of growth, learning, and evolution. By recognizing and understanding these stages, individuals can gain insight into their own spiritual paths and the paths of others, fostering greater empathy and understanding. This framework encourages us to view life’s difficulties as opportunities for growth and to approach our spiritual journeys with patience and compassion.

All these stages are important and we all must go through them to evolve. Like different grades in a school, none is better than the other. A sixth grader is not better than the first grader. They are simply at different stages of their education. Likewise, no soul is better or worse. We are at the stage that we are because that is the stage we need to be in to learn the lessons that are appropriate for that stage.

At this moment in history, roughly 10% of humanity is at the stage of infancy of their soul evolution. About 23% are baby souls. 32% are young souls, 24% are mature souls and 11% are old souls. Only a handful of people are transcendent souls and no infinite soul like Buddha and Jesus exist among us.

The world is transitioning from a predominantly young soul stage, characterized by materialism and individualism, to a mature soul stage, which emphasizes emotional depth, ethical awareness, and collective well-being. This shift is evident in the growing global interest in spirituality, mindfulness, and ethical living, as well as in the increasing importance placed on relationships, empathy, and social justice. As societies evolve, there is a greater focus on inclusivity, mental health, and compassionate leadership, reflecting a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of all people.

Based on this classification, we can discern that Muhammad’s level of spiritual evolution was at stage one. He was an infant soul, while his followers are baby souls. Islam does not allow Muslims to go beyond that stage. While many Muslims, specially in countries where Islam is not deeply entrenched in the psyche of the people are Young Souls and some even mature and Old Souls, the Muslims that strictly follow Islam are still Baby Souls and those who take part part in jihad are infant souls.

Islam means submission, meaning a Muslim is one who submits their intelligence, wills, and desires to an outsider authority that they believe is God. Consequently, a true Muslim can never emerge out of the baby soul. However, many Muslims do so. They strive to excel in their lives, go after self improvement, higher studies, engage in industries and businesses that bring them worldly success and enjoyment.

The progression from one stage of soul development to another involves significant shifts in consciousness and priorities. Here’s what one typically needs to give up to move from the Baby Soul stage to the Young Soul stage, and from the Young Soul stage to the Mature Soul stage:

The characteristic of the Baby Soul is rigid conformity to rules. At this stage, individuals are heavily focused on structure, rules, and norms. They seek order and often conform strictly to societal expectations. To transition from this state to the Young Soul, one must give up rigid adherence to rules and embrace more personal ambition and individuality. This involves questioning and sometimes challenging religious and societal norms to pursue personal success. However, this is not typically endorsed by Islam, as Muslims are expected to submit their intelligence, will, individuality, and personal ambition, and not question the authority of the Quran.

Baby Souls often fear chaos and are uncomfortable with uncertainty or change. Moving to the Young Soul stage requires a willingness to face uncertainty and take risks. It involves developing a sense of self-confidence and the courage to pursue personal goals even when the path is not clear.

If the transition from Baby Soul to Young Soul for a Muslim is challenging, the passage to Mature Soul is even more difficult. Young Souls often focus on personal achievements and competition with others. Progressing to the Mature Soul stage requires giving up the mindset of individualism and competition. It involves developing empathy, emotional intelligence, and the ability to form deep, meaningful relationships. The focus shifts from “me” to “we,” emphasizing cooperation, introspection, and the well-being of others. This transition is seen as incompatible with the Quranic verses such as:

– “O you who have believed, fight those adjacent to you of the disbelievers and let them find in you harshness.” (Quran 9:123)

– “Let not the believers take for friends or helpers unbelievers rather than believers: if any do that, in nothing will there be help from Allah.” (Quran 3:28)

– “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.” (Quran 8:12)

– “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them.” (Quran 9:5)

– “Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] the religion, all of it, is for Allah.” (Quran 2:193)

These and numerous other verses preclude having empathy and love for people who think differently. These ideas are characteristic of the second stage of soul evolution.

Both transitions involve moving from a self-centered approach to life to one that considers others more deeply. For Baby Souls, it’s about moving beyond rigid societal and religious structures; for Young Souls, it’s about moving beyond personal gain to accepting and embracing others with equal rights. Both stages require a shift from seeking external validation to finding internal fulfillment. Baby Souls seek approval through conformity, while Young Souls seek it through achievements. Mature Souls find it through self-awareness and emotional connections. While many Muslims, despite Quranic injunctions, may reach the Young Soul stage and strive for self-improvement and success, transitioning to the Mature Soul stage often seems almost impossible without disregarding Islam completely.

Summary

The text highlights that the Quran presents life as a test from Allah, with severe consequences for those who fail, contrasting this with the spiritual belief in soul evolution through various developmental stages. Each stage offers unique lessons, from basic survival to spiritual enlightenment, promoting empathy and understanding by viewing life’s challenges as opportunities for growth.