THE INTERTWINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NAFS (CARNAL SOUL), AQL (REASONING) QALB (HEART)

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: 2019-09-14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22373/jiif.v17i2.2420
Keywords:
carnal soul, reasoning, heart

Main Article Content

Hyder Gulam

Abstract

In a human being, each of nafs (carnal soul) aql (reasoning) and qalb (heart) have an important role to play in the development and make-up of a person. This paper will exploreIn detail the meaning of each of these key terms. This paper will then critically analyse the multifaceted relationship between these key terms, and what is the purpose of these terms with reference to the human being. These three terms have a distinct purpose, and are only but part of the constellation that make up the purpose of the human being and their soul. It is argued, that when harmoniously combined they form a greater unified purpose, in an effective and efficient relationship these terms lead to the sincere worship of God.

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2018): Jurnal Ilmiah Islam Futura

Section

Artikel

Author Biography

Hyder Gulam

Hyder Gulam was born in Singapore and educated in Melbourne. He is a registered nurse, a qualified lawyer, an accredited mediator as well as a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in Australia. He has post graduate qualifications in business/management, law and nursing. He has served as an officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, both in Australia and overseas. He has published in areas such as trans-cultural nursing, Islamic law, health law, criminal law and military law. Hyder has also worked in indigenous health, paediatric nursing, aged care, as well as emergency and trauma. Prior to accepting a role back in Melbourne, Hyder worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for one of the world’s biggest law firms. Hyder has practiced mainly in the areas of Commercial & Corporate, Defence Procurement and Islamic Finance. Hyder is now an in-house legal counsel for a multinational based in Singapore. Formerly, he has practiced as a Human Rights Lawyer, working across a range of areas including discrimination and disability, and an in-house lawyer for large multinational luxury brand, based in Asia. Hyder is a past President of the Islamic Council of Victoria, former Vice President of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, former Director of MCCA Ltd (Australia’s first Islamic Finance institution), Honorary Solicitor to the Australian National Imams Council, member of the Australian Red Cross (International Humanitarian Law)(Vic), member of the Royal College of Nursing Australia (Vic), as well as co-founder of the Muslim Legal Network (https://www.facebook.com/muslimlegal) and the City Circle (2008 Revival): http://citycircle.weebly.com/index.html In 2010, Hyder was appointed to the Expert Panel to the Australian Government’s Board of Taxation review of Islamic Banking & Finance. Hyder is also an Honorary Associate in the School of Law within the Faculty of Law and Management, La Trobe University. Hyder is recipient of the 2010 La Trobe University Young Alumni Award, as well as the Australian Defence Force Medal, and in 2011 was nominated in the Top 100 most influential, inspirational, provocative and creative Melbournians. In 2013, Hyder was recognised as one of the Top 10 Muslims who save lives: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/engy-abdelkader/top-ten-list_b_3701579.html

References

Abdalati, K. Islam in Focus. Ankara, Turkey: İhlâsNurNeşriyat, 2008.

Akhir, N. S. M. Al-Ghazali and his theory of the soul a comparative study. Malaysia: PenerbitUniversitiSains, 2006.

Akhir, N. S. M. "Aql and noble character: A review from a scholarly perspective". The Social Science, 7(5), (2012) 717-724.

Balfaqih, A.A.R. The spheres of Islam, imam, ihasan and irfan. Western Cape: Dar al-Turath al-Islami, 2014.

Ghazali, A. H. Revival of religious learnings - Imam Ghazzali'sIhyaUlum-Id-Din. Karachi: Darul-Ishaat (1993), retrieved from http://www.ghazali.org/ihya/english/ihya-vol3-C1.htm.

Ghazali, A. H. Disciplining the soul, refining the character, and curing the sicknesses of the heart. Cambridge: Islamic Texts Society, 1995.

Ghazali, A. H.."‘Soul’, “Spirit’, ‘Heart’ and ‘Intelligence’", In Wonders of the heart (W.J. Skellie, Trans., pp.5-11). Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Book Trust, 2007.

Gulen, M. F. Emerald hills of the heart: Key concepts in the practice of Sufism 1. New Jersey: Light, 2006.

Gulen, M. F. Emerald hills of the heart: Key concepts in the practice of Sufism 3(A. Unal, Trans.). New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2009.

Keeler, A. and Keeler, A. (tr).TafsÄ«r al-TustarÄ« by Sahl b. Ê¿Abd AllÄh al-TustarÄ«: Great Commentaries on the Holy QurʾÄn. Jordan: Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Fons Vitae, 2011, accessed from http://www.greattafsirs.com/Tafsir_Library.aspx?SoraNo=12&AyahNo=53&MadhabNo=3&TafsirNo=93

Rashad al-Din Maybudi. Kashf Al-AsrarTafsir.Jordan: Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Fons Vitae, N.D., accessed from http://www.greattafsirs.com/Tafsir_Library.aspx?SoraNo=12&AyahNo=53&MadhabNo=4&TafsirNo=109

Nasr, S. H. "Intellect and intuition: their relationship from the Islamic perspective". Studies in Comparative Religion, 13, 1 & 2. (Winter-Spring, 1979)

Ozalp, M. "What are the benefits of the prescribed prayers?". In 101 questions you asked about Islam (pp. 133-136). Blackheath: Brandl& Schlesinger, 2004.

Ozalp, M. "Chapter 1: Islam and Human Existence". In Islam between Tradition and Modernity: An Australian Perspective (pp. 2-19). Canberra, Australia: Barton Books, 2012.

Sheriff, V.F. "Philosophical perspective of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi on human creation".From The Istanbul Foundation of Science and Culture.(2013). Retrieved from http://www.iikv.org/en/philosophical-perspective-of-bediuzzaman-said-nursi-on-human-creation

Solihin, M. "Ghazali'stazkiyat al-nafs& its relation with individual’s development & mental health. In Psychology and Islam. (2012). Retrieved from http://spychology-of-islam.blogspot.sg/2012/03/ghazali-tazkiyat-al-nafs-its-relation.html

Topbas, O. N. Ikhlas and Taqwa: Sincerity and piety. Istanbul: Erkham Publications, 2009.

Tritton, A. S. "Man, nafs, ruh, aql". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 34, 3, 1971, 491-495.

Turner, C. and Horkuc, H. Said Nursi. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009.

Unal, A. The Qur’an with annotated interpretation in modern English. New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2015.

Yusuf, H. Purification of the heart. USA: Starlatch Press, 2004.

Zarabozo, J. D. M. "Definitions and discussion of terms". In Purification of the soul: Concept, process and means (pp.57-77). Denver, VO: Al-Basheer Publications & Translations, 2002.