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’:

1. Nafs ul-Ammarah….the nafs which inspires one towards evil.
2. Nafs ul-Lawwamah….the nafs which is self-reproaching , inspires one toward the resistance of evil and towards the Grace and Pardon of Allah Subhanah.
3. Nafs ul-Mutmainnah….the nafs which has attained full satisfaction.

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