Difference between rooh and nafs.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
What
is the difference between Soul and Body(Rooh and Nafs)
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Answer:
Difference between
rooh and nafs
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
First and foremost, the ‘rooh’ and the ‘nafs’ are not
physical, tangible, or medical terms, but rather they are elements from amongst
the ‘unseen’…….and as with all knowledge of the ‘unseen’, we only know and can
rely with absolute conviction about these elements of the ‘unseen’ only as much
as is related in Truth in the Glorious Quran and in the authentic and
established Sunnah of the Messenger of
Allah (saws).
Ref: Nafs
Depending on the context in which the term ‘nafs’ is used
it could either mean one’s self, and also the scale or conscience which
inspires one towards the good or the evil which is placed in one’s self. Other than one’s self, the Glorious Quran
mentions three types of ‘nafs’:
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 12 Surah
Yusuf verse 53:
53 (Prophet Yusuf (a.s.))
said) "Nor do I absolve my ‘nafs’ (own self) (of blame): the ‘nafs ul-Ammarah’ is certainly
prone to evil unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but surely, certainly my Lord
is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful."
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 75 Surah
Qiyaamah verse 2:
2 And I do call to witness the ‘Nafs
ul-Lawwamah’ (the self-reproaching Nafs).
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 89 Surah
Al-Fajr verses 27-30:
27 (To the righteous soul will be said:) "O (thou) ‘Nafs ul-Mutmainnah’” (the Nafs
which has attained complete satisfaction)
28 Come back thou to thy Lord well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing
unto Him!
29 Enter thou then amongst My devotees!
30 Yea! Enter thou My Paradise.”
Ref: Rooh
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 85:
85 They ask thee (O Prophet (saws)) concerning the ‘Rooh’ (Spirit or Soul). Say: "The ‘Rooh’ (comes only)
by the Command of my Lord! Of its knowledge it is only a little that is
communicated to you (O men!)”
Again, depending on the context the term ‘Rooh’ is used it
could mean the spirit or the soul which is placed in each and every individual,
and in the context of the Quran, even Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.) is called as the
‘Rooh’.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 70 Surah
Maarij verse 4:
4 The Angels and the ‘Rooh’ (Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.)) ascend unto Him in
a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 78 Surah
Nabaa verse 38:
38 The Day that the ‘Rooh’ (Hadrat Jibrael (a.s.)) and the Angels will
stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted by (Allah)
Most Gracious, and he will say (only) what is right.
We reiterate again that the ‘nafs’ and the ‘rooh’ are two
distinct elements from amongst the ‘unseen’, and as with all knowledge of the
‘unseen’, we only know and can rely with absolute conviction about these
elements of the ‘unseen’ only as much as is related in Truth in the Glorious
Quran and in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
