The Concepts of Spirit and Nafs Based on Koranic Verses

The soul and the nafs are oracular concepts. Since early times, philosophers have focused on these concepts. Plato defined the spirit as the core that enables the existence and movement of human and stated that it was composed of the self (nafs), the mind and the desires. Aristotle considered the soul as the center of existence, suggested the soul-body integrity, and ignored the independent existence of the soul. The spirit and nafs are among the topics that draw the attention of scientists and researchers. They explored both concepts extensively, spent efforts to understand their meanings, and strived to unravel their secrets. But none have reached a conclusion and a definite answer. As is known, the mysteries of the Koran are infinite, and the doors remain open for all who wishes to investigate it. Often, in certain interpretations, the soul is confused with the nafs, one is used to replace the other. This has become a common approach for all who do not fully comprehend the meaning of both concepts. Thus, the present study was conducted to seek answers to the following questions: What is spirit? What is nafs? What is the relationship between these concepts? What are the different aspects of these concepts? The present paper aimed to address the topic of the spirit and the nafs with a descriptive scientific methodology and based on the Koranic verses and the views of scientists using historical method