Islamic Analysis of Ichigo’s Fight with Aizen (Bleach)
We will analyze this 10-minute clip from the iconic fight between Ichigo Kurosaki and Aizen in Bleach, from an Islamic perspective to shed light on the fact that TV shows have the potential to be spiritually invigorating and beneficial.
At this point in the story, Aizen has merged with the Hōgyoku and was in the process of taking over the known world. It is imperative to note that the Hōgyoku’s true power lies in its ability to sense the hearts of those around it and materialize their deepest desire. In other words, Aizen’s nafs was given full control over him, and acted as the main antagonist here. On the other side, we have Ichigo who had spent by this time considerable effort engaged in spiritual training in the Dangai to awaken his Spiritual Pressure. This training, interestingly enough, consisted not of physical effort but rather of the turning inward in a meditation known as Jinzen. It is only when Ichigo has become an authorized spiritual master that he leaves this state and goes out to engage with Aizen’s nafs.
Thus it is a battle of the the Murshid (spiritual master and guide) with the nafs of a student. Ichigo was trying to protect everyone from Aizen’s nafs.
We will now share several quotations from this battle and reflect on their spiritual meaning. First up:
“I can’t feel a thing. You have no spiritual energy.” — Aizen
Aizen was not able to feel Ichigo’s spiritual energy because Ichigo has far surpassed him on the Spiritual Path. Beginners on the Spiritual Path cannot understand how the Masters, who have achieved ma’rifah (gnosis) operate. Perhaps they think them ordinary citizens. But it is exactly this property that demarcates a true spiritual master. A spiritual master does not isolate himself from society nor behave any differently than an ordinary Muslim may. Rather, they do so through the lens of Ma’rifah. The Prophet ﷺ only became more engaged in his community after he was granted prophethood: he married, had kids, fought battles, engaged in trade, drafted legal documents, and so on. In fact, he never returned to Ghar Hira thereafter!
Spiritual master have an aura of noor (light) about them… this is their jamal (beauty), radiating out… and of course this is nothing other than the mirroring of the Divine light.
But, unless they brandish it, an appreciation of their jalal (majesty) takes attainment on the Spiritual Path. A beginner will not be privy to it. An exception is made for those that make the effort to live with a spiritual master (mulazama), where they may occasionally be exposed to their true spiritual pressure, jamal and jalal in perfect harmony. This is because one who perfectly encompasses a particular virtue will not be able to hide it forever, as Imam al-Busiri reminds us in his Burdah: “Does the lovelorn man think that love can be hidden behind a torrent from his [eyes], or a heart’s raging fire?”
We then turn to Ichigo’s internal struggle with Tensa Zangetsu, his spiritual master:
“He has me at a full disadvantage so why do I only sense sadness flowing through his blade?” — Ichigo
Tensa Zangetsu was sad because he sought to protect Ichigo. He knew the harms that await the newly authorized master. It is only the most beloved servants of Allah that are tried the most.
He may have also been sad because Ichigo was putting up such a resistance instead of simply submitting and attaining. In fact, the water surrounding Ichigo in this battle is symbolic of his being lost on the Spiritual Path. Ichigo is drowning in ignorance, by attempting to force spiritual attainment by beating the knowledge out of Tensa Zangetsu.
Ichigo then willingly gets stabbed by Tensa Zangetsu.
“The only way to acquire the final Getsuga Tenshō was to give up all resistance and accept my blade.” — Tensa Zangetsu
It is at this point that Ichigo fully submits himself to His Lord and accepts the consequences. He stops all resistance, and rather than seeking to subjugate Knowledge, chooses to be subjugated by Knowledge, symbolically represented by the sword. The water surrounding him evaporates and he attains true clarity.
“I, Tensa Zangetsu, am part of you. If you accept me, there can not be pain when I run you through.” — Tensa Zangetsu
One’s spiritual rizq (parition of spiritual blessing) is written for them at the hands of a particular spiritual master. In this case, Ichigo’s rizq was written at the hands of Tensa Zangetsu. If they accept their master, rather than put up resistance, their can be no pain. They are granted the Quranic promise of, “there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve” [10:62].
“What you want to protect, Ichigo, is not the same thing that I want to protect. What I want to protect… was always YOU, Ichigo.” — Tensa Zangetsu
Spiritual masters often seek to protect the initiates along the path, for so long as they tread the path without distractions they will eventually be able to achieve. This is similar to the attending in medicine who seeks to protect the license of their residents, for so long as they have a license, they will eventually be able to run their own practice.
Prior to attainment, there may have been a selfish (nafsi) reason for Ichigo to attain and actualize his spirituality. However, when he submitted to Tensa Zangetsu’s blade, he did so seeking attainment only for the sake of the Divine. He intended to use it only for the protection of his friends, not for ostentatious purposes. And this is why he was able to attain.
“If you use this technique, you will lose all your soul reaper powers.” — Tensa Zangetsu
By overcoming his nafs, which always seeks self-preservation, Ichigo understood that it was never about him. As soon as he submitted, it was only about serving as the Divine’s medium — His means for protecting Ichigo’s friends.
Thus the final Getsuga Tenshō is symbolic of the ultimate sacrifice a Muslim (Submitter) may make: to give their life for His sake. The Quran reminds us: “Say, ‘Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allāh, Lord of the worlds’” [6:162].
Everyone should aim to do one act, on behalf of which, Allah forgives them all their sins. One unique act, that one may present to Allah on the Day of Judgement that is wholly for His sake. For Moses, this was speaking truth to power to Pharoah. For Uthman, it may have been funding whole Muslim armies. For a prostitute, it may be using her shoe to hydrate a thirsty dog. And for Ichigo, it may be sacrificing His spiritual power for His sake.
It is this selfless act that led to Urahara’s kido activating and started the process of sealing Aizen away.
“Kisuke Urahara, do you know how much I dispise you? Why do you not take independent action? With your great intellect, why do you choose to subjugate yourself to that thing?” — Aizen
“That thing” here is referring to the Soul King, as Urahara immediately clarifies. Aizen cannot comprehend why a master like Urahara would submit himself to the Divine, when he has been given the great gift of intellect. But, it is only those who have true knowledge that recognize that that He is the All Knowledgeable… that it is He who is ultimately in control while everyone else is a mere servant. For them, intellect points to the Divine, not away.
People who worship their nafs often wish to propagate this outlook to others, perhaps a projection of a deeper insecurity. This is akin to iblis in his disobedience of the command of his Lord to prostrate to Adam, out of an intellectual reasoning — he only ever before that point prostrated to Allah. However, true prostration to Allah entails the obedience of all of His commandments, not only those that are rational to our senses, for He is suprarational. And just as Aizen would like Urahara to worship his nafs, Iblis is forever seeking to misguide human beings by making pleasurable for them the worship of the nafs.
“Without the existence of the Soul King, the Soul Society would split into pieces. The Soul King is the keystone to it all.” — Urahara
He is the One on whom all depend for their sustenance. Without Him, there can be no creation.
“A victor should speak about how the world should be, rather than how the world currently is.” — Aizen
Yes, but how the world should be is a product of the Divine Will. One who aligns himself with that Will can then seek to enact it. Otherwise, one merely follows their desires, and obeys their every yearning. Heaven is reserved for the Hereafter, and discarding the Hereafter in an effort to try to recreate it here on Earth is a losing trade.
In the end, Ichigo did not defeat Aizen… but only managed to seal him away due to Urahara’s kido. In other words, the master cannot crush the nafs of the murid (student seeking spiritual attainment) himself, but only help the student in that endeavor. Since Aizen had no such will to overcome his inner desires, this was the only way of stopping him from hurting others in the mean time through the deleterious effects of his nafs.
