Although in the English language, no distinction made, and the word soul or spirit is used interchangeably for Rooh and Nafs. In my blog (Zulfiqar5.blogspot.com), I had tried to explain “Rooh” and the various stages of “Nafs.” Please refer my article “The Serene Soul” published on December18, 2015 and August 15, 2017.
Here, I am trying to explain “Nafs” in a novel approach.
Allah creates Nafs simultaneously with the body. Nafs is abstract and
independent of body. Although, its limitation is body but for sustenance it is
independent of body. Matter is dependent of time and Space. Our actions are
lost by passage of time, but Allah has established a system that the essence of
the action is saved in our Nafs. Any deed or saying is not saved unless it is
recorded. When that deed or saying is repeated several times, its influence is
retained in our Nafs. It is called Malaka or Malak or angel. When we perform
wudhu, then Allah creates angels from the droplets of the water of wudhu. It is
mentioned in the traditions that when we recite, “Subhanallahe wal
Hamdulillahe wa La Ilaha Illallahu wallahu Akber” then the angels start making
houses for us in the Paradise. It is reported that the Commander of the
Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) used to recite the following supplications at various
stages of performing wudu:
When beginning the wudu, He (a.s.) used to say, “I begin
in the name of Allah, and only for Allah and all praise belongs to Allah, Who
has made water pure and not made water impure.” When washing the hands, He
(a.s.) used to say, “I begin in the name of Allah, and only for Allah, O Allah!
Place me amongst those who ask for forgiveness and place me amongst those who
purify themselves “When rinsing the mouth, He (a.s.) used to say, “O Allah!
Enable me to answer on the Day of meeting You and open my tongue for Your
Praise.” When rinsing the nose, He (a.s.) used to say, “O Allah! Do not make
the fragrance of Paradise forbidden for me and let me be one of those who will
smell its scent, its refreshment and its perfume.” When washing the face, He (a.s.)
used to say, “O Allah! Brighten my face on the Day (of Judgement), when the
faces will be darkened, and do not darken my face on the Day when the faces
will be made bright. When washing the right arm, He (a.s.) used to say “O
Allah! Place my book of deeds in my right hand and a permanent stay in Paradise
on my left and make my reckoning an easy one.” When washing the left arm, He
(a.s.) used to say, “O Allah! Do not place my book of deeds in my left hand not
behind me, and do not make it hang around my neck. And I seek refuge with You
from blazing fire!!” When wiping the head, He (a.s.) used to say, “O Allah!
Cover me with Your Mercy, Your Blessings and Your Pardon.” When wiping the feet,
He used to say, “O Allah! Keep me firm on the Bridge (to Paradise) on the Day
when feet will slip and help me in my efforts to perform acts which will please
You. O the Gracious and Mighty.”
Imam Ali (a.s.) said, "When a faithful performs wudu as stated above, Allah will create angels for the drops of wudu who pray for the faithful till the Day of Judgement."
Al-Jahiz was a great writer and poet. In one of his books
called Kitab al-Haywan (book of living), he had mentioned two sayings of the
Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.), “A man who did not know his worth is
perished. “Our great scholars like AyatullahMullah Sadra, Ayatullah Mullah Hadi
Sabzwari, Ayatullah Baqir Damad and Ayatullah Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai had
performed exemplary work on “Nafs”
The Nafs of Muhammad and Ale Muhammad was so high that
Allah called them His Nafs. Like in Surah Ash-Shams where swears eight times
specially in Ayah 7, “Wa Nafsin wa Ma Sawwaha”. Allah (s.w.t.) is proud of His
creation of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). Of course, He was not proud for
the creation of sinful creatures like us.
Surah al-Fath Ayah 10, “Indeed those who swear allegiance
to you, they swear allegiance only to Allah: the hand of Allah is above their
hands.” Here Allah (s.w.t.) did not use the word showing similitude saying those
who swear allegiance to His Prophet was as if they are swearing allegiance to
Allah! This shows the height of the nearness of the Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.) Similarly, Imam Ali (a.s.) was the Nafs of the Noble Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.) as proclaimed in the famous
Ayah of Mubahela, Surah Ale Imran Ayah 61, “Should anyone argue with you
concerning him (Prophet Isa), after the knowledge has come to you, say, ‘Come!
Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls, and
your souls (Anfasuna wa Anfusakum) then let us pray earnestly and call down
Allah’s curse upon the liars.”
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