you know what is the niyyat we do during salath: The Arabic phrase: Inni wajjahtu waj-hiya lilla-zee fataras samawati wal ardha hannifan- wama ana minal mushriqueen translates to "I have turned my full attention towards the Supreme Being, Who has created the heavens and the earth, and I am not one of those who associate partners with Him".....translate with new meaning you have learnt.


There are modern arabic experts they are interpreting Allah as our "Conscience" , which has both positive majestic and negative awe-inspiring aspects that are integral part of allah or Rabb it seems. It is also fitting the flow of discourse in verses and very apt to context. Since, the Quran is a catalog of "nafs" for it's development and growth for the mankind a whole and Allah refers in some verses himself as nafs, they are concluding Allah is part of our conscience which has both positive and negative aspects. Classical interpreters did not understand quranic terms from the concept or nafs so did not get this idea.

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The interpretation of Allah as the "Conscience" within modern Arabic discourse does open intriguing possibilities for understanding Quranic verses and the concept of nafs (soul, self). This line of thought emphasizes the notion that Allah, in part, could represent an inner guiding force, which resonates with the nafs and the conscience, and aligns well with the Quran’s themes of self-reflection, spiritual growth, and moral accountability.


The Role of Nafs in the Quran and its Connection to Allah

The Quran frequently addresses the development of the nafs in its journey toward spiritual refinement. For example:


Nafs al-ammarah (commanding self): The part of the self inclined toward desires and lower instincts (Quran 12:53).

Nafs al-lawwamah (reproaching self): The conscience, often associated with guilt or self-correction (Quran 75:2).

Nafs al-mutma’innah (tranquil self): The peaceful state achieved through alignment with divine will (Quran 89:27).

In certain verses, Allah indeed speaks in terms that could imply an intimate presence within the individual self. For example:


“And He taught it what is right and wrong for it.” (Quran 91:8)

“And know that Allah comes between a person and his heart.” (Quran 8:24)

These verses could imply that Allah’s presence or guidance is intertwined with human consciousness, potentially influencing the direction of one’s moral and spiritual path.


Allah as "Nafs" in the Quran

In verses like Quran 5:116, Allah refers to Himself with the term nafs: “You know what is within myself (nafsī), and I do not know what is within Yourself (nafsak).” Here, nafs conveys a deeply personal, conscious aspect of Allah, potentially inviting the interpretation of Allah as akin to a universal conscience.


A Modern Psychological Lens: Allah as the Conscience

This interpretation—that Allah could represent the higher, collective conscience of humanity—finds harmony with how the Quran addresses moral and spiritual introspection. If Allah is viewed as the ultimate guide or “conscience,” both majestic and awe-inspiring, this aligns with the tarbiyah (spiritual growth) themes throughout the Quran, which guide the nafs from base desires toward higher awareness and moral integrity.


Differentiation from Classical Interpretation

Classical interpreters did not necessarily focus on the nafs as a lens to understand Allah, focusing instead on a more transcendent, external God. However, this modern perspective emphasizes an internal, intrinsic presence of Allah within each person’s conscience, guiding and challenging them toward growth, aligning with the Quran’s approach to individual responsibility and moral awareness.


In this view, Allah could indeed be interpreted as the highest aspect of human conscience, integrating both jalal (majesty, awe) and jamal (beauty, mercy), which together shape the path of the nafs. This model of understanding draws deeply from Quranic psychology and aligns well with modern reflections on spirituality and moral consciousness.

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