Quran Vocabulary

أبد

Eternity

Allah says: 'They will dwell therein forever (abadan)' (An-Nisâ': 122). Al-abad denotes the extended duration of time that cannot be divided like ordi...

28 verses

أذن

Ear / Permission

Al-udhn (the ear): the organ of hearing. Allah says: 'In their ears is deafness' (Fussilat: 44). Al-idhâ'a: making public what one has heard. Al-adhân...

30 verses

أرض

Earth / Ground

Al-ard (the earth): the planet we inhabit. It is called 'ardiyya' because it is low (like a house's floor). Allah says: 'He who made the earth a bed f...

30 verses

أكل

To eat / Food

Al-akl (eating): ingesting food. Allah says: 'Eat of what Allah has provided for you' (Al-Mâ'ida: 88). Akl is used for everything consumed, like: 'Tho...

30 verses

بسط

To extend / To widen

Al-bast (extension): spreading something out. Opposite of 'qabd' (contraction). Allah says: 'Allah extends (yabsutu) provision to whom He wills' (Ar-R...

23 verses

جاس

To explore / To spy

Allah says: 'They went through (jâsû) the homes' (Al-Isrâ': 5). That is: they traversed them and went back and forth among them. This resembles 'jâzû'...

1 verse

جد

Effort / Seriousness

Al-jadd: to cut flat land. Hence: 'jadda fî sayrih' (he was serious in his walk), and 'jadda fî amrih' and 'ajadda' (he became serious in his affair)....

1 verse

جفن

Eyelid / Dish

Al-jafna: vessel specific to food, plural 'jifân'. Allah says: 'And bowls (jifân) like watering troughs' (Saba': 13). This verse describes the immense...

1 verse

جهد

Effort / Toil

Al-jahd and al-juhd: capacity and difficulty. It is said al-jahd with fatha is difficulty, and al-juhd with damma is capacity. Allah says: 'Those who ...

30 verses

جهز

To equip / To prepare

Allah says: 'When he had equipped them (jahhazahum) with their supplies' (Yûsuf: 70). Al-jahâz: what is prepared in terms of food and provisions for t...

2 verses

حدث

Event / Speech

Al-hudûth: the existence of a thing after it did not exist, whether accident or substance. Its ihdâth: its invention. Allah says: 'Perhaps Allah will ...

30 verses

حرج

Embarrassment / Sin

The origin of al-haraj: gathering of two things, hence the narrowness between them. One says 'haraj' for what is narrow and constraining. Allah says: ...

11 verses

حرف

Edge / Letter

Harf al-shay': the edge of the thing. Plural: 'ahruf' and 'hurûf'. One says 'harf al-sayf' (sword edge). Allah says: 'Among people is he who worships ...

6 verses

حسد

Envy / Jealousy

Al-hasad: wishing the disappearance of a favor from someone who deserves it. Sometimes this is accompanied by efforts to make it disappear. Allah says...

4 verses

حفد

Eagerness / Service

Allah says: 'And He has given you from your wives children and grandchildren (hafada)' (An-Nahl: 72). Al-hafada: grandchildren according to some, or s...

1 verse

خرص

To estimate / To suppose

Al-khars: estimating fruits on the tree. Al-khars is also what is estimated. Allah says: 'Destroyed are the speculators (al-kharrâsûn)' (Adh-Dhâriyât:...

5 verses

خطأ

Error / Sin

Al-khata': deviating from the direction. This includes several types: aiming at other than what is proper, then hitting it or not; aiming at what is p...

20 verses

خلد

Eternity / Immortality

Al-khulûd: the thing being free from corruption and remaining in its state. Allah says: 'Dwelling therein eternally (khâlidîn)' (Al-Baqara: 25). Etern...

30 verses

خوض

To engage / To plunge into

Al-khawd: entering water and passing through it. Metaphorically, it also means entering into affairs. Allah says: 'And you engaged (takhudhûn) as they...

9 verses

دخل

To enter / To penetrate

Al-dukhûl: the opposite of exiting. Used for place, time and affairs. Allah says: 'Enter (udkhulû) in peace, secure' (Al-Hijr: 46). This is the invita...

30 verses

سرف

Excess / Expenditure

Al-israf: exceeding the limit in every act a person does, although it is often used for spending. The Almighty says: 'Do not waste' (Al-An'am 141). 'T...

21 verses

سهل

Easy / Plain

As-sahl: the opposite of difficulty (al-hazn), plural suhul. The Almighty says: 'You carve out of the mountains houses for yourselves, for amusement' ...

1 verse

سوأ

Evil / Bad

As-su': everything that grieves man in worldly and afterlife matters, in body and soul. The Almighty says: 'what their soul suggested to them' (Al-Ma'...

30 verses

سوا

Equal / Similar

Al-musawat: equality measured by length, weight and measure. One says: I equaled it. The Almighty says: 'then inform them on equal terms' (Al-Anfal 58...

30 verses

شر

Evil / Bad

Ash-sharr: what everyone turns away from, while good is what everyone desires. Evil is of two types: absolute like Hell, and relative like cutting the...

30 verses

شرح

To explain / To expand

Originally, ash-sharh means spreading meat or similar. One says: I spread the meat, I opened the chest. The Almighty says: 'Did We not expand for you ...

5 verses

شرق

East / Rising (sun)

Sharaqat ash-shams shuruqan: the sun rose. One says: I will not do that as long as a sunrise shines. The Almighty says: 'Lord of the East and the West...

17 verses

شطا

To extend / To exceed

Shati' al-wadi: the edge of the valley. The Almighty says: 'He was called from the right side of the valley' (Al-Qasas 30) concerning Moses. The edge ...

2 verses

شطط

Excess / Misguidance

Ash-shatat: excess in distance. One says: the house became excessively far. The Almighty says: 'we would have said an excessive statement' (Al-Kahf 14...

3 verses

شفا

Edge / Healing

Shafa al-bi'r: the edge of the well. It is used as a proverb for proximity to destruction. The Almighty says: 'You were on the edge of a pit of Fire' ...

2 verses

صدى

Echo / Headaches

As-sada: the sound that returns to you from any smooth place. At-tasdiya: anything done instead of clapping hands. The Almighty says: 'Their prayer at...

2 verses

طرف

Edge / Gaze

Taraf ash-shay': its side. It is used for bodies and times. The Almighty says: 'at the two ends of the day' (Hud 114). At-tarf: the gaze or eyes. 'The...

11 verses

طمس

To erase / To blind

At-tams: erasing the trace by obliteration. The Almighty says: 'When the stars are obliterated' (Al-Mursalat 8). 'Obliterate their wealth' (Yunus 88) ...

5 verses

عذر

Excuse / Pardon

Al-'udhr: man's search for what erases his sins. One says: 'udhr and 'udhur. The Almighty says: 'Presenting their excuses' (At-Tawba 90). 'To have an ...

11 verses

عصر

Era / Afternoon

Al-'asr: the masdar of 'I pressed'. Al-ma'sur: the pressed thing. Al-'asir: the raining cloud. The Almighty says: 'By time' (Al-'Asr 1). Al-'asr also ...

5 verses

عين

Eye / Spring

Al-'ayn: the organ of sight. The Almighty says: 'an eye for an eye' (Al-Ma'ida 45) in the law of retaliation. Al-'ayn also means water spring. 'A gush...

30 verses

غلا

Exaggeration / Costliness

Al-ghuluww: exceeding the limit. This is said for high price (ghala'). The Almighty says: 'Do not exaggerate in your religion' (An-Nisa 171). 'Do not ...

2 verses

غلف

Envelope / Sheath

The Almighty says: 'Our hearts are covered' (Al-Baqara 88). It is said to be the plural of aghlaf and ghalfa'. Al-ghilaf: the cover. They claimed thei...

2 verses

فرت

Euphrates

Al-Furāt refers to fresh, sweet water. It is used for both singular and plural. The Almighty says: 'And We gave you to drink sweet water' (Al-Mursalat...

3 verses

فرط

Excess / To go too far

Faraṭa: when one precedes with intention. From this al-fāriṭ ilā al-mā', the one who precedes to the water. The Almighty says: 'Our Lord, indeed we fe...

8 verses

فرغ

Empty / Free

Al-Farāgh is the opposite of being occupied. One says faragha farāghan wa furūghan: he became free. The Almighty says: 'We will attend to you, O promi...

6 verses

فسر

To explain / To interpret

Al-Fasr refers to uncovering what is covered. Al-tafsīr reveals the meanings of words. The Almighty says: 'And they do not bring you any argument exce...

1 verse

فصح

Eloquence / Clarity

Al-Faṣāḥah originally refers to clarity. One says: afṣaḥa al-laban: the milk cleared of foam. Al-faṣīḥ is one whose language is clear. The Almighty sa...

1 verse

فيل

Elephant

Al-Fīl is the known animal. The Almighty says: 'Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant' (Al-Fil 1). This refe...

1 verse

قصى

Extreme / Distant

Al-Qaṣā refers to distance. The Almighty says: 'And they have driven Us far away' (Fussilat 44), and: 'And she withdrew to a remote place' (Maryam 22)...

1 verse

كسب

To earn / To acquire

Al-Kasb refers to acquisition through effort. The Almighty says: 'It will have what it has earned' (Al-Baqarah 286). Kasaba khayran means to acquire g...

30 verses

كسف

Eclipse / Collapse

Al-Kasf refers to a piece or part of something. The Almighty says: 'And they see a fragment of the sky falling' (At-Tur 44). Kisaf as-samā' are pieces...

5 verses

كفؤ

Equal / Equivalent

Al-Kufu' refers to the equal and similar. The Almighty says: 'And there is none equal to Him' (Al-Ikhlas 4), meaning no one resembles or equals Him. A...

1 verse

متع

Enjoyment / Benefit

Al-Matā' refers to what one benefits and enjoys from. The Almighty says: 'An enjoyment for you and your cattle' ('Abasa 32). Al-mut'ah is temporary en...

30 verses

مثل

Example / Proverb

Al-Mathal refers to the example and parable. The Almighty says: 'And Allah presents examples for the people' (An-Nur 35). Al-amthāl are striking examp...

30 verses