We are comprised of two components: the physical body and the soul. The soul is the secret of our life. The body is created and the soul is entered into it. Once the soul enters, the different bodily organs start functioning and likewise when the soul is taken away, the body stops functioning.
The Arabic word that is most often used to refer to the soul is ruh, although the word nafs (self) is also sometimes used. The word ruh is also used to refer to the Angel Jibreel and to the Quran, but it is also understood to refer to the human soul.
Further Resources
The Islamic View on the Human Psyche
[Video] The Path to Self Awareness
Understanding life before birth in Islam
[Video] The Human Fitrah – The pure innate nature of Man – Dr. Yasir Qadhi | Fitra
[Video] Fitrah: The Inherent Nature – Dr. Hamza Yusuf
[Video] Connecting to Fitrah | Abdal Hakim Murad
What Islam Offers to Modern Self-Help: An Islamic Paradigm of Psychology
Toward a Framework for Islamic Psychology and Psychotherapy: An Islamic Model of the Soul
[Video] Primordial Nature (Fitra) of Human Beings – Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah (Part I)
[Video] Learning To Be Human – Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah & Dr. Hamza Yusuf (Part II)
A Path Straightened Out: Perspectives on Human Nature in the Qur’an