According to classical scholars, what is the difference between nafs (self) fitra (nature) and ruh (soul)?

Here are some classical Islamic scholars' and their views on the soul (ruh), self (nafs), and human nature (fitra): 1. Al-Ghazali (1058-1111 CE): Ghazali argued the soul (ruh) is a spiritual substance created by Allah that gives life and motion to the physical body. The self (nafs) is the ego that can lead people astray into temptation. Fitra is the original pure state of human nature that must be nourished through faith and righteous deeds. Evidence includes: "And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (Quran 17:85) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا "So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (Quran 30:30) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (Reference: Ihya Ulum al-Din by Al-Ghazali) 2. Ibn Sina (980-1037 CE): Ibn Sina said the soul (ruh) is an immaterial, incorporeal substance that provides the body with perception, consciousness and thought. The self (nafs) is the aspect of the soul that is intimately connected to the physical body. Fitra is the innate predisposition in all humans to intuitively know and worship God alone. Evidence includes: "And by the soul and He who proportioned it, And inspired it [with discernment of] its wickedness and its righteousness." (Quran 91:7-8) وَالنَّفْسِ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا۝فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَ۝ "So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (Quran 30:30) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (Reference: Kitab al-Shifa by Ibn Sina) 3. Al-Razi (865-925 CE): Razi defined the soul (ruh) as a subtle vaporous substance, different from the four elements, that spreads throughout the body and gives it perception and life. The self (nafs) is one's individual personality, character traits, and faculties of conscious awareness. Fitra is the original inherent state of purity in all humans that can later become corrupted by cultural influences. Evidence includes: "And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (Quran 17:85) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا "So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (Quran 30:30) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (Reference: Kitab al-Nafs by Al-Razi) 4. Ibn Arabi (1165-1240 CE): Ibn Arabi explained the soul (ruh) originates from the immaterial divine realm and gives humans self-awareness, knowledge of God, and ability to spiritually ascend. The self (nafs) is the individual's construct of habits, traits and ego. Fitra is the primordial predisposed state of submission and connection to God that lies at the core of every human. Evidence includes: “And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware." (Quran 7:172) وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ (Reference: Fusus al-Hikam by Ibn Arabi) 5. Al-Jahiz (776-868 CE): Jahiz viewed the soul (ruh) as an ethereal vaporous substance that departs from the body at death. The self (nafs) comprises one's identity, character, and conscious faculties for perception and action. Fitra is an innate natural disposition in all humans to affirm the oneness of God. Evidence includes: "It is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do." (Quran 6:60) وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكُمْ فِيهِ لِيُقْضَىٰ أَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ "So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (Quran 30:30) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (Reference: Kitab al-Nafs by Al-Jahiz) 6. Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328 CE): Ibn Taymiyyah explained the soul (ruh) is created by God, eternal after death, and gives humans life, consciousness and ability to know God. The self (nafs) constantly struggles between lusts, appetites and spiritual purification. Fitra is the innate nature within all humans to affirm God's oneness, which can be corrupted by external influences. Evidence includes: "And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (Quran 17:85) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا "So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth. [Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion, but most of the people do not know." (Quran 30:30) فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا ۚ فِطْرَتَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا ۚ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (References: Multiple works of Ibn Taymiyyah) 7. Al-Farabi (872-950 CE): Farabi explained the soul emanates from the immaterial realm, gives humans their faculties, and returns to the spiritual world after death. The self is tempted by material pleasures. Fitra is the innate ability to know God. Evidence includes: "And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (Quran 17:85) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (Reference: Kitab al-Nafs by Al-Farabi) 8. Ibn Hazm (994-1064 CE): Ibn Hazm said the soul is a subtle body created by God that separates from the physical body at death. The self comprises human faculties and agency. Fitra is an inborn inclination to monotheism that can be distorted. Evidence includes: "And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud. And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration." (Quran 15:28-29) وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن طِينٍ۝فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ (Reference: al-Fisal fi al-Milal by Ibn Hazm) 9. Al-Baqillani (950-1013 CE): Baqillani wrote the soul originates from God's command, enters the fetus during pregnancy, and gives humans knowledge and action. The self battles temptations. Fitra is an inborn disposition to monotheism. Evidence includes: “And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." (Quran 17:85) وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ ۖ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ الْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (Reference: Kitab Tamhid al-Awail wa Talkhis al-Dalail by Al-Baqillani)