Killing a Soul

Soul in Arabic is نفس nafs, from the root ن ف س n-f-s, related to the self and breathing. Its Hebrew cognate is nephesh, primarily used of a breathing creature.

In the Quran we find a number of passages speaking of a soul's being killed.

S 2:72 And when you killed a soul then you disputed concerning it and Allah brings out what you were concealing.

S 5:32 From that term we wrote upon the Banu Isra’il that he who killed a soul for other than a soul or corruption in the land, it is as though he had killed all people and he who saved it, it is as though he had saved all people. And our messengers came to them with the proofs then many of them after that exceed in the land.

S 6:151 Say: Come, I shall read what your lord has forbidden you: Not to associate with him at all and kindness to parents and do not kill your children out of destitution; we provide you and them. And do not approach fawahish, what was visible of them and what was hidden. And do not kill the soul that Allah has forbidden except by right. That has he advised you with; perhaps you will comprehend.

S 17:33 And do not kill the soul that Allah has forbidden except by right. And he who has been killed wrongfully, we have made for his protector an authority but do not be extravagant in killing. He was helped.

S 18:74 Then they set out until when they met a boy; then he killed him. He said: Have you killed a pure soul for other than a soul? You have done an abominable thing.

S 25:68 And those who do not invoke with Allah another god or kill the soul that Allah has forbidden except by right or fornicate. And he who does that meets misdeeds.

S 28:19 So when he wanted to seize the one who is an enemy to the two of them, he said: Musa, do you want to kill me as you killed a soul yesterday? You want nothing but to be a tyrant in the land and you do not want to be of the reformers.

S 28:33 He said: Lord, I have killed a soul of them and fear that they will kill me.

In S 5:116 we learn that Allah is a soul.

And when Allah said: Isa son of Maryam, did you say to people, Take me and my mother as two gods instead of Allah? He said: Glory to you! It was not for me to say what I had no right to. If I had said it, you would have known. You know what is in my soul but I do not know what is in your soul. You are the knower of the ghuyub.

All souls, we are told, die.

S 3:185 Every soul tastes death and your wages are only paid in full on the day of resurrection. Then he who has been displaced from the fire and admitted to the Jannah has succeeded. And the dunya life is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion.

S 21:35 Every soul tastes death. And we test you with evil and good as fitnah. And to us are you returned.

S 29:57 Every soul tastes death. Then to us you are returned.

See: https://philhoraia.wixsite.com/website/post/rest-in-pieces

Further reading: Soul Man: Shall Allah Taste Death According to the Quran?

We are also told that every soul has a keeper.

S 86:4 There is no soul but a keeper is over it.

As Allah is a soul, who is its keeper?