روح

From Arabic روح (rūḥ), triliteral root ر و ح ("breath, wind, spirit"). The Quran (15:29, 21:91) describes God breathing روح into Adam and Mary, making روح a sacred metaphysical category in Islamic thought. Persian Sufi poets distinguish روح (the soul) from نفس (nafs, "ego, lower self") and قلب (qalb, "heart"), each a stage of spiritual purification. The phrase روحش شاد (ruhash shâd, "may his soul be joyful") is a common Iranian honorific for the dead.