Two great figures of Medina bore this name. Nafiʿ, the freedman of Ibn ʿUmar, passed on his knowledge to Imam Malik: the chain “Malik, from Nafiʿ, from Ibn ʿUmar” has been called “the golden chain”. Nafiʿ ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman is one of the seven readers of the Quran: his reading, transmitted by Warsh and Qalun, is the one recited in almost all of North Africa and in much of the rest of Africa.
Meaning of the name Nafi
Nafiʿ is the active participle of nafaʿa, “to be useful, to benefit” (root n-f-ʿ): it means one who is useful and does good to others, the opposite of ḍarr, “harmful”. The word nafiʿ itself is not found in the Quran, but its root occurs often: “As for what benefits people, it remains on the earth” (13:17). Al-Nafiʿ, “the One who grants benefit”, appears, paired with al-Darr, in the traditional list of the ninety-nine names of Allah.
He sends down from the sky, rain, and valleys flow according to their capacity, and the torrent carries a rising foam. And from that [ore] which they heat in the fire, desiring adornments and utensils, is a foam like it. Thus Allāh presents [the example of] truth and falsehood. As for the foam, it vanishes, [being] cast off; but as for that which benefits the people, it remains on the earth. Thus does Allāh present examples.
And they worship other than Allāh that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, "These are our intercessors with Allāh." Say, "Do you inform Allāh of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?" Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.
