Discover the meaning of the term Al-ṣfy (صفي) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readIt is a precious thing that the Prophet, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him, would choose for himself, such as a sword, a horse, or a female slave.
With a fatha on the first letter, a kasra on the second, and a tashdid on the lower ya: the one who is characterized by purity free from the turbidity of otherness. Also: the precious thing that the Prophet, may Allah's prayers and peace be upon him, used to choose for himself from the spoils of war, such as the sword, the horse, and the female slave.
Of everything: its pure essence. - The chosen friend. Plural: asfiya. - That which the leader selects from the spoils of war before its division. Plural: safaya. - According to the Malikis, Hanafis, and Hanbalis: a precious thing that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, used to choose for himself from the spoils before the division, such as a sword, a horse, or a female slave. The sawafi: the properties. And the land whose inhabitants have fled or died with no heirs for it. - The estates that the ruler would sequester for his private use. Its singular is safiyah. Al-Mustafa: the chosen one.