Marefat-E-Nafs Competition

Imam Ali (a.s)in a dialogue with Kumail narrated )

(
Hadeeth Al Nafs (for Imam Ali (as))
Dear Brothers & sisters: Al Salam alaikum. These are the 2 narrations of Hadeeth Al Nafs for Imam
Ali (as). one to Kumail bin Ziad and the other to a Muslim person. Both of them are great and the
benefit has been taken from both of them in our lessons. Please find below each version of the
Hadeeth with translation. Also I have included the table that helped me to remember the Hadeeth (it
could be of help for some of you otherwise just ignore it).
1. The 1st narration with a Muslim person:
) :
: ( .

A Muslim man asked Imam Ali (as) about the soul. Imam said: Which soul are you asking about?
The man said do we have many souls? Imam said: yes we do.

Plantic displaying soul, animalistic soul, Divine Intellectual Soul, Divine Universal Soul
:


The man said: and what is the Plantic soul?
Imam said: a power (potential) its source is the 4 faculties of human nature. Its creation starts from
the time of the Zygote. Its centre is the liver. It grows from the food, and its action is Growth and
increment. The reason for its departure is the change in its outcomes, when it departs, it goes to
what it came from to mix with it and be part of it, not just lie inside it.
:

The man said: Oh Maoli and what is animalistic soul?
Imam said: Astronomical power, and a desires drive. Its source from the galaxies. It starts from the
time when the body recognized (in the mothers whom), its actions are: Living, moving, being
unjust, taking others rights, winning, gaining money and fulfilling desires needs. Its centre is the
heart (brain). The reason for its departure is the change in its outcomes, when it departs, it goes to
what it came from to mix with it and be part of it, not just lie inside it.

The man said: Oh Maoli and what is Divine Intellectual Soul? Imam said: a divine power, it starts at
the time of birth to this life. Its centre the logical religious knowledge. It grows from the intellectual
acceptances (agreements). Its action is reaching the heavenly knowledge.


)
The man said: Oh Maoli and what is Divine Universal Soul?
Imam said: a divine power, and encompassing essence (jawhar), living by itself. Its source is the
intellect, from intellect it started, learnt from it, to intellect it guides and towards it, it points. To
intellect it will go back if it perfects itself to be similar to it (intellect). From this soul the existing
being started and to it it will go back by perfection. It is the ( That ) of Allah ( sorry I can not
translate (That) as I have not reached that level of Maarif to claim that I know the real translation) ,
the tree of Toba, the final destination tree, and the final indwelling paradise. Who knows it will not
suffer, and who does not, will miss the right way.

2. Kumail bin Ziad narration:

: :

: .
: ! :
Kumail bin Ziad narrated that he asked Imam Ali (as): oh Ameer al moamneen I would like you to
teach me about my soul? Imam said: and which soul you want me to teach you about? I said: do we
have more than one soul?!
Imam said: Oh Kumail they are 4:
.

Plantic displaying soul, animalistic soul, Divine Intellectual Soul, Divine Universal Soul -- - - - and for each there is 5 powers and 2 characteristics.
:
. :
The Plantic Soul has 5 powers: Capturing, Pulling, Digesting, Pushing, and Nurturing. It has 2
characteristics: Increment and Decrement.
: :
.
The Animalistic Soul: it has 5 powers; Hearing, Seeing, Smelling, Tasting, and Touching. It has 2
characteristics: Contentment and Anger.
:
:
The Divine Intellectual: it has 5 powers; Thinking, Remembering, Knowledge, Patience, and
Vigilance. It has 2 characteristics: Honesty and Wisdom.

 :
.
The divine universal soul: it has 5 powers; a shining beauty in an annihilation, a comfort in a
misery, a dignity in an indignity, a poverty in a richness, and a patience in a difficulty. It has 2
characteristics: contentment and surrender.
) (
) ( :

8 - 84 58 (

This soul starts from God and will go back to him, as Allah said (I blew in him from my soul) and
he said: (oh you calm satisfied soul, come back to your Lord, well pleased (yourself), and wellpleasing to Him!) And the mind in the mid of all of that. Source: (Bihar al anwar chapter 58, p. 84)
Following is a table which will inshaAllah help everyone to compare and understand these souls
and their attributes:

The 4 souls
The Souls

The Plantic
Soul

Animalistic
Soul

The Divine
Intellectual

Its origin

The 4 faculties From the

of human
galaxies(astrono Divine
nature
mical)

The Divine
Universal
Divine

Its start

From the time

of the Zygote

The time when

the body
recognized (in
the mothers
whom)

Its centre

Liver

Heart

The logical
religious
knowledge

The intellectual
acceptances
?
( agreements)

Its substance
( grows from)

Food

Its Powers

Capturing,
Pulling,
Digesting,
Pushing,
Nurturing

Hearing,
Seeing,
Smelling,
Tasting,
Touching

Its
Characteristics

Increment And Contentment

Decrement
And Anger

The time of
Originally living
birth to this life

Thinking,
Remembering,
Knowledge,
Patience,
Vigilance

-a shining beauty in
an annihilation, -a
comfort in a misery,
-a dignity in an
indignity, -a poverty
in a richness, -and a
patience in a
difficulty

Honesty and
Wisdom

Contentment and
surrender

Its Actions

Growth &
displaying

Living, Moving,
Being Unjust,
Taking Others
Reaching the
Rights,
heavenly
Winning,
knowledge
Gaining money
and fulfilling
desires needs

Reason for its

departure

The change in
its outcomes

The change in
its outcomes

Its destiny

It will go back by
perfection. It is the
( That ) of Allah
( sorry I can not
It goes to what It goes to what
It goes to what translate (That) as I
it came from
it came from -->
it came from
have not reached that
--> to mix with to mix with it
--> to be beside level of Maarif to
it and be part
and be part of it,
it and not to
claim that I know the
of it, not just
not just lie
mix with it
real translation) , the
lie inside it
inside it
tree of Toba, the final
destination tree, and
the final indwelling
paradise

The
disintegration
of the body
parts

To intellect it guides
and towards it, it
points