The Awakening of the Soul

"The Awakening of the Soul" by Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik Ibn Tufayl is a 12th-century story about a boy named Hayy Ibn Yokdhan, who lands on an island alone and grows up there. Starting as a baby cared for by a deer, Hayy learns to survive and starts thinking about big questions like how the world was made, what it means to be alive, and if there's a God. He uses his observations and thoughts to figure things out. His life alone mixes real-world survival with deep thoughts about the soul, leading to philosophical ideas that later connect with religious lessons when he meets someone named Asal.