Definition
Nafs is an Arabo-Persian term, the plural of which is nufūs, or anfüs. Etymologically, the term nafs is derived from the term nafas, meaning “breathing.” In early Arabic literature, by nafs is meant “self,” or “person,” while the term rūḥ denotes “breath,” or “wind.” In Islamic theology, the notion of the soul is referred to as nafs, though often confused with rūḥ, and the concepts of nafs and rūḥ seem, to a greater degree, similar to the Biblical concepts of nephesh and ruach.
Nafs and Rūḥ
There is a clear distinction between nafs and rūḥ articulated by Ibn Abbas [9, 10]. The Arabic term rūḥ corresponds to the English word “spirit,” meaning “life principle,” breathed into Adam by God Himself. So, by rūḥ is meant God’s Spirit (Rūḥ), or the command (‘amr) of God as mentioned in the Qur’ān (see Qur’ān, XVI:2; XVII:85; XL:15; XLII:52), and as such it refers also to the...
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Dastagir, G. (2018). Nafs. In: Kassam, Z.R., Greenberg, Y.K., Bagli, J. (eds) Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1267-3_2012
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