The word anfasakum

Submitted by dhimmi no more (United States), Aug 21, 2007 at 18:23

Your friend's claim is bogus and here is why:

The word nafs means: self (nafsak or yourself and anfasakum is the plural) and it also could also mean soul (see Wortabet dictionary page 355A also see Lisan al-3Arab and Hans Wehr see page 985B and this is what it says: nafs: psyche, spirit, mind, life, animate objects, living creature, human being, person, individual etc... )

The word in this aya (verse) is not nafs and it is anfasakum. And in the aya it says:

wa la taqtulu anfasakum

OR: "and do not kill yourelves"

And I quote Malise Ruthven and he is a scholar of Islam and the author of the book: "Islam a very short intorduction":

"the term anfasakum was interpreted in classical commentaries to mean "one another"

(ref: "Fury for God" page 100) and you know what? he is very correct because this is indeed what the ancient commnetries really tell us. .

Now let us turn to the translation by the darling of Pakistanis and Mulisms and that is Pickthall's translation and this is what he wrote:

"and do not kill ONE ANOTHER."

And you know what? Pickthall is correct. Your friend is full of hot air.

And any one who knows Arabic well would recognize that the word anfasakum here means yourselves as in "one another" and not your souls.

And may be you can ask your friend how do you kill a soul?

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