نفس
N|NOM|S|F|DEF
the soul
Lexical Summary
Definitions (6)
Meanings associated with the root نفس across classical and Qur'anic Arabic.
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1
Nafs (نفس) refers to the soul, spirit, or vital principle, often contrasted with rūḥ (روح). It can also mean a thing's self or essence.Lane's Lexicon
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2
"and [by] the soul"Contextual usage
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3
"the souls"Contextual usage
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4
"a soul"Contextual usage
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5
"every soul"Contextual usage
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6
"any soul"Contextual usage
Pronunciation
Transliteration:
N|NOM|S|F|DEF
Listen:
النَّفْسُ
89:27
Root letters:
ن — ف — س
Word Family Tree (67 forms)
All word forms derived from the root نفس as they appear in the Qur'an, grouped by part of speech. Circle size reflects frequency.
Noun 197×
Verb 3×
Concordance — 200 Occurrences
Every place in the Qur'an where the root نفس appears, grouped by grammatical role.
Noun (172) · Verb (1)
Noun (172 verses — showing first 5)
Jonah 10:100
Noun
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تُؤۡمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَیَجۡعَلُ ٱلرِّجۡسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَعۡقِلُونَ ١٠٠
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):
And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah , and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason
Jonah 10:108
Noun
قُلۡ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ قَدۡ جَاۤءَكُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمۡۖ فَمَنِ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا یَهۡتَدِی لِنَفۡسِهِۦۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا یَضِلُّ عَلَیۡهَاۖ وَمَاۤ أَنَا۠ عَلَیۡكُم بِوَكِیلࣲ ١٠٨
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):
Say, "O mankind, the truth has come to you from your Lord, so whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever goes astray only goes astray [in violation] against it. And I am not over you a manager."
Jonah 10:15
Noun
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَیۡهِمۡ ءَایَاتُنَا بَیِّنَـٰتࣲ قَالَ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یَرۡجُونَ لِقَاۤءَنَا ٱئۡتِ بِقُرۡءَانٍ غَیۡرِ هَـٰذَاۤ أَوۡ بَدِّلۡهُۚ قُلۡ مَا یَكُونُ لِیۤ أَنۡ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلۡقَاۤىِٕ نَفۡسِیۤۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا یُوحَىٰۤ إِلَیَّۖ إِنِّیۤ أَخَافُ إِنۡ عَصَیۡتُ رَبِّی عَذَابَ یَوۡمٍ عَظِیمࣲ ١٥
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, "Bring us a Qur'an other than this or change it." Say, [O Muhammad], "It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear, if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day."
Jonah 10:23
Noun
فَلَمَّاۤ أَنجَىٰهُمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ یَبۡغُونَ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَیۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّۗ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغۡیُكُمۡ عَلَىٰۤ أَنفُسِكُمۖ مَّتَـٰعَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ ثُمَّ إِلَیۡنَا مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَنُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٢٣
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):
But when He saves them, at once they commit injustice upon the earth without right. O mankind, your injustice is only against yourselves, [being merely] the enjoyment of worldly life. Then to Us is your return, and We will inform you of what you used to do
Jonah 10:30
Noun
هُنَالِكَ تَبۡلُوا۟ كُلُّ نَفۡسࣲ مَّاۤ أَسۡلَفَتۡۚ وَرُدُّوۤا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ مَوۡلَىٰهُمُ ٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَضَلَّ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ یَفۡتَرُونَ ٣٠
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International):
There, [on that Day], every soul will be put to trial for what it did previously, and they will be returned to Allah , their master, the Truth, and lost from them is whatever they used to invent
Derived Forms (67)
Unique word forms derived from this root as they appear across the Qur'an.
| Arabic | Transliteration | POS | Meaning | Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| أَنفُسَهُمْ | ʾaanfusahum | Noun | 19× | |
| نَفْسٍ | N|GEN|S|F|INDEF | Noun | every soul; a soul | 14× |
| أَنفُسِهِمْ | ʾaanfusihim | Noun | 14× | |
| نَفْسٌ | N|NOM|S|F|INDEF | Noun | any soul | 12× |
| أَنفُسِكُمْ | ʾaanfusikum | Noun | 9× | |
| نَفْسًا | N|ACC|S|F|INDEF | Noun | a soul | 7× |
| أَنفُسَكُمْ | ʾaanfusakum | Noun | 7× | |
| نَّفْسِهِۦ | nafsihi | Noun | 7× | |
| نَفْسِهِۦ | nafsihi | Noun | 6× | |
| وَأَنفُسِهِمْ | waʾaanfusihim | Noun | 6× |