'A'isha said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The arwah are a massed army. When they already know each other, they are friendly. When they do not know each other, they disagree.'"
Hadith Text
'A'isha said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'The arwah (souls/spirits) are a massed army. When they already know each other, they are friendly. When they do not know each other, they disagree.'"
Source Reference
Book: Consequences
Author: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad
Hadith: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 900
Scholarly Commentary
This profound hadith reveals the spiritual reality of souls and their innate dispositions. The term "arwah" refers to the essential spiritual substances created by Allah before their descent into physical bodies.
The metaphor of "massed army" indicates that souls were created together in a primordial gathering in the realm of divine command (alam al-amr). In this pre-existent state, souls developed relationships and affinities that manifest in worldly encounters.
When souls recognize each other from their previous spiritual acquaintance, they naturally incline toward friendship and harmony. This explains the immediate comfort and rapport between some people upon first meeting.
Conversely, when souls lack this prior connection, they experience discord and disagreement. This is not necessarily enmity but rather a natural distance between unfamiliar spiritual entities.
This teaching encourages Muslims to understand interpersonal dynamics through spiritual lenses and to strive for harmony, remembering that all souls ultimately originate from the same divine source.