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56 International Multi. J. of PURE LIFE. 11(37), Winter. 2024
is commonly associated with Western philosophers grapple
the idea that a person with determining the precise
possesses certain distinct moment at which an
mental attributes at a specific individual can be considered a
point in time. This viewpoint person.
is supported by scholars such Misbah Yazdi asserts that
as Baker, who argue that these human existence begins
special mental properties are before birth and extends
essential for personhood. indefinitely. This belief is
(Ref: Baker, 2000: Ch. 3) rooted in the teachings of the
However, alternative Qur’an, which describes
perspectives propose a more 'Alam Adh-Dhar (the world of
indirect correlation between pre-existence), followed by
personhood and mental life in this world and then in
properties. For instance, another realm.
Chisholm suggests that being Misbah Yazdi's viewpoint
a person entails the capacity is supported by various verses
to acquire these properties; in the Qur’an that outline two
(Chisholm, 1976: 136) While distinct stages of human
Wiggins posits that creation. The first stage
personhood is linked to involves the physical formation
belonging to a category of of the body; While the second
beings that typically possess stage entails a new form of
these properties in a healthy creation. According to Misbah
and mature state. (Wiggins, Yazdi and many Islamic
1980, Ch. 6) scholars, the second stage
Misbah Yazdi holds a pertains to the creation of the
unique perspective on the soul, which is mentioned in
concept of personhood, which other verses as the infusion of
diverges from the views of God's spirit into human beings.
Western philosophers; While (Misbah Yazdi, 2012: 343)
