Someone from Canada wrote to Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa that the bacterium Lactobacillus is found in sperm and can produce a type of electricity or light. He asked whether it was the same electricity or light that the Promised Messiahas was referring to in his book, The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, when discussing human birth.
Huzoor-e-Anwaraa, in his letter dated 14 December 2021, provided the following answer to this question:
“Your observation regarding the presence of the Lactobacillus bacteria in sperm as a contaminant and the ability of some of them to generate a small amount of electricity is accurate. It is important to note, however, that such bacteria are not solely present in sperm but are also found in a wide range of other sources, including yoghurt, vitamins, herbs, and other foods. Additionally, there are numerous other bacteria present in the human body that are also capable of generating electricity to some degree, including the probiotic microorganisms that aid in digestion. It is worth highlighting that the electricity generated by these bacteria is a result of the movement of electrons, which is a physical phenomenon.
“However, where the Promised Messiahas has discussed the appearance of the soul during human birth and explained the purpose and philosophy of the human relationship with Allah the Exalted, there, he has shed light on the inherent nature of humans.
“Allah the Exalted has also mentioned this nature in the following verse:
فِطۡرَتَ اللّٰهِ الَّتِيۡ فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيۡهَا
“‘[And follow] the nature made by Allah — the nature in which He has created mankind.’ (Surah ar-Rum, Ch.30: V.31)
“Moreover, the Holy Prophetsa has emphasised the importance of this innate nature in the following hadith:
مَا مِنْ مَوْلُودٍ إِلَّا يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ
“‘Every child is born in the true Islamic nature [fitrah], but his parents make him a Jew, Christian, or Magian.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab l-jana’iz, Bab idha ’aslama s-sabiyyu fa mata hul yusalliya ‘alayh)
“The Promised Messiahas states:
“‘As a child partakes somewhat of the features and characteristics of his parents, in the same way, souls, which have proceeded from the hand of God Almighty, partake somewhat of the character and qualities of their Creator. Though in cases in which the darkness and heedlessness of being created prevails over some souls, the Divine colour appears somewhat faded, it cannot be denied that every soul possesses that colour to some degree. In some cases, that colour appears unattractive on account of misuse, but that is not the fault of the colour; it is the fault of the use to which it is put.’ (Surmah-e-Chashm-e-Arya, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 2, pp. 168-169)
“While explaining the reality of the soul, the Promised Messiahas states:
“‘The soul is a fine light developed inside the body and nurtured in the womb. To begin with, it is hidden and imperceptible, and later it is made manifest. From the very beginning, its essence is present in the sperm. It is related to the sperm in a mysterious manner by the design, command and will of God. It is a bright and illumined quality of the sperm. It cannot be said that it is a part of the sperm as matter is part of matter, nor can it be said that it comes from outside or falls upon the earth and gets mixed with the matter of the sperm. It is latent in the sperm as fire is latent in the flint. The Book of God does not mean that the soul descends from heaven as a separate entity or falls upon the earth from the atmosphere and then, by chance, gets mixed with the sperm and enters the womb with it. There is no basis for such a notion. The law of nature rejects it.’ (Islami Usul Ki Falasfi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 10, pp. 322-323)
“While explaining the relationship between the soul and body, Huzooras states:
“‘Thus physical injuries disclose that there is a mysterious relationship between the soul and the body which is beyond the ken of man. Reflection shows that the body is the mother of the soul. The soul does not descend from outside into the womb of a pregnant woman. It is a light that is inherent in the sperm which begins to shine forth with the development of the foetus.’ (Islami Usul Ki Falasfi, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 10, pp. 321)
“Huzooras further elaborates as follows:
“‘With the very creation of Adam, God instilled in his nature a relationship with Himself by breathing into him of His spirit. This was done so that man should have a natural relationship with God.’ (The Review of Religions, Vol. 1, No. 5, May 1902, p. 178)
“With regard to the soul being breathed into a human, Huzooras states:
ثُمَّ اَنۡشَاۡنٰهُ خَلۡقًا اٰخَرَ ؕ فَتَبٰرَكَ اللّٰهُ اَحۡسَنُ الۡخٰلِقِين
”‘It means: ‘Having created him once, We developed man into another creation.’ [Surah al-Mu’minun, Ch.23: V.15] The word ‘another’ is meant to convey that this birth is so unfathomable as to be beyond the confines of human intelligence and very far from his understanding. In other words, the spirit that is infused into the body after its completion, both in a spiritual and physical sense, is so profound that all the philosophers and materialists are left to wonder about its nature. […] What Allah the Exalted says here is that the ‘spirit’ is also a creation of God, but it is beyond worldly comprehension.’ (Appendix to Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 21, pp. 216-217)
“While elucidating the reality of the soul [ruh], Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“‘In essence, it is the soul that distinguishes one’s existence. Therefore, the soul that sets an animal apart from other things and the soul that distinguishes humans from animals are both referred to by the term ‘ruh’. It is also the soul that elevates humans to the station of such humans, who have communion with God. Hence, the Divine Word is also a ruh that bestows a new life upon humans.’ (Tafsir-e-Kabir, Vol. 4, p. 72)
“Hence, it is proven from these statements that the soul manifested by Allah the Exalted at the time of human physical and spiritual birth, for the preparation of the human form, is something completely different from the ability of various kinds of bacteria to produce electricity.”