Quran Vocabulary

أد

Monstrous thing

Allah says: 'You have committed a monstrous thing (iddan)' (Maryam: 89), meaning a reprehensible thing that causes tumult. This comes from 'addat an-n...

1 verse

ألك

Messenger / Emissary

Al-malâ'ika (the angels): its singular is 'malak', originally 'ma'lak', or said to be inverted from 'mal'ak'. Al-ma'laka and al-alûk: the message. 'Al...

1 verse

أنا

Me / I

Anâ: first person pronoun speaking of oneself. Its final alif may be dropped in liaison according to some readings. Allah says: 'But He is Allah, my L...

29 verses

أنى

Maturity / Moment

Annâ: an interrogative term combining the meaning of 'how' (kayfa) and 'from where' (min ayna). Allah says: 'O Maryam, from where (annâ) does this com...

8 verses

بؤس

Misery / Distress

Al-bu's, al-ba's, al-ba'sâ': hardship and misfortune. However, al-bu's is used more for poverty and war, while al-ba's is used for strength in combat....

30 verses

بال

Mind / Preoccupation

Al-bâl: the state one cares about. Hence one says 'mâ bâlaytu bi-kadhâ bâlatan' (I did not care about such thing). Allah says: 'He will reform your co...

4 verses

برح

To move away / To leave

Al-barâh: the extended and apparent space without construction or trees. Sometimes its appearance is considered, hence 'bariha' (it became apparent), ...

3 verses

بعل

Master / Husband

Al-ba'l (husband): the spouse. Plural 'bu'ûla'. Allah says: 'And their husbands (bu'ûlatuhunna) have more right to take them back' (Al-Baqara: 228). B...

5 verses

بغل

Mule / He-mule

Allah says: 'Horses, mules (al-bighâl), and donkeys' (An-Nahl: 8). The mule is the hybrid between a horse and a female donkey. Allah mentions these th...

1 verse

بكر

Morning / First time

Al-bukra (morning): the beginning of the day. Bakkara: he went out early morning. Allah says: 'And glorify Him morning (bukratan) and evening' (Al-Ahz...

12 verses

بكم

Mute / Silent

Al-bakam (muteness): inability to speak. Abkam: mute. Plural 'bukm'. Allah says: 'Deaf, mute (bukm), blind' (Al-Baqara: 18). This can mean physical in...

6 verses

تعس

Misfortune / Ruin

Al-ta's: not rising from a fall and collapsing downward. One says 'ta'isa' when someone stumbles without getting up. Allah says: 'Misery to them (fa-t...

1 verse

جبل

Mountain / Nature

Al-jabal (mountain): massive earth elevation. Plural 'jibâl'. Allah says: 'And the mountains (al-jibâl) as pegs' (An-Naba': 7). Jabalahu: he created h...

30 verses

حرك

Movement / Agitation

Allah says: 'Do not move (lâ tuharrik) your tongue with it' (Al-Qiyâma: 16). Al-haraka (movement) is the opposite of rest. This verse was revealed to ...

1 verse

حفظ

To memorize / To preserve

Al-hifz: sometimes refers to the soul's state by which what understanding provides is retained, sometimes the acquisition of this state. Also to guard...

30 verses

حوذ

Mastery / Management

Al-hawd: following the rear parts of the camel's thighs to press it hard. Allah says: 'And if the disbelievers have a victory, they say: Did we not ha...

2 verses

حيض

Menstruation

Al-hayd: blood exiting the uterus under specific conditions and at specific times. Al-mahîd is menstruation time. Allah says: 'They ask you about mens...

2 verses

حين

Moment / Time

Al-hîn: the time of reaching and achieving something. Its meaning is vague and becomes specific through addition. Allah says: 'Until a time (hîn)' (Yû...

30 verses

خبل

Madness / Disorder

Al-khabâl: corruption that reaches the animal and causes it trouble, like madness and intoxication. Allah says: 'Do not take confidants outside yourse...

2 verses

خصف

To mend / To sew

Allah says: 'They began to sew (yakhsifân) over themselves leaves' (Al-A'râf: 22). Khassafa: to sew, assemble. Adam and Eve sewed leaves to cover thei...

2 verses

خلط

To mix / To blend

Al-khalt: gathering parts of two or more things. Allah says: 'They have mixed (khalatû) a good deed with another bad one' (At-Tawba: 102). Some believ...

6 verses

دفىء

Mild warmth

Al-dif': the opposite of cold. Allah says: 'You obtain warmth (dif') from them' (An-Nahl: 5). The wool garment that warms is a favor from Allah. Anima...

1 verse

رجل

Man / Foot

Al-rajul: specific to males among humans. Hence Allah says 'be a man (rajulan)'. Al-rijl (foot) is the known limb. Allah says: 'And men (rijâl) and wo...

30 verses

رحم

Mercy / Womb

Al-rahm: the woman's womb. A 'rahûm' woman complains of her womb. Al-rahm also means kinship ties. Al-rahma: mercy. Allah says: 'And My mercy (rahmatî...

29 verses

رطب

Moist / Fresh

Al-ratb: the opposite of dry. Allah says: 'Nor moist (ratb) nor dry' (Al-An'âm: 59). Everything that exists is in the Book. Al-rutab: fresh dates. All...

2 verses

رفث

Marital intercourse

Al-rafath: words containing what is shameful to mention regarding intimate relations. Allah says: 'No rafath (relations), nor wickedness, nor disputin...

2 verses

رقى

To mount / Charm

Raqîtu fî al-daraj: I climbed the stairs. Al-ruqya: incantation, as it raises the sick toward healing. Allah says: 'Is there an exorcist (râqin)?' (Al...

3 verses

ركب

To mount / Horse

Al-rukûb: originally being on an animal's back. Then extended to riding any vehicle. Al-râkib: the rider. Allah says: 'And horses, mules and donkeys f...

15 verses

ركد

Motionless / Stagnant

Rakada al-mâ' wa al-rîh: water and wind became still. Same for ship and sun. Allah says: 'They remain motionless (rawâkid) on its surface' (Ash-Shûrâ:...

1 verse

زنم

Mark / Stigma

Az-zanim and al-muzannam: one who attaches himself to a group without belonging to it, like an appendage that grows without truly belonging. The Almig...

1 verse

سحر

Magic / Sorcery

As-sahar: the end of the throat and the lungs. One says: his chest swelled. The camel hit in the lungs. As-sihr: magic. The Almighty says: 'They follo...

30 verses

سخر

To mock / To deride

At-taskhir: leading toward a specific goal by constraint. The Almighty says: 'And He has subjected to you what is in the heavens and on earth' (Al-Jat...

30 verses

شأن

Matter / Situation

Ash-sha'n: the situation and affair that occurs appropriately. It is only used for important matters. The Almighty says: 'Every day He is in some affa...

4 verses

شقا

Misfortune / Sorrow

Ash-shaqawa: the opposite of happiness (as-sa'ada). Shaqiya yashqa shaqwatan: he became miserable. The Almighty says: 'As for the wretched, they will ...

12 verses

شهر

Month

Ash-shahr: a period made famous (mashhura) by the crescent's rising, or by considering part of the year. The Almighty says: 'the month of Ramadan' (Al...

17 verses

شوب

Mixture / Alteration

Ash-shawb: the mixing. The Almighty says: 'a mixture of scalding water' (As-Saffat 67). Mixing can be of two liquids or two qualities. Punishment is a...

1 verse

صاع

Measure (sa')

Suwa' al-malik: it was a vessel used for drinking and measuring, also called as-sa'. The Almighty says: 'the king's cup' (Yusuf 72). It is a capacity ...

1 verse

صبا

Morning / East

As-sabiyy: one who has not reached puberty. A man musbin: who has children. The Almighty says: 'then We brought you forth as a child' (Al-Hajj 5). 'Ho...

3 verses

صبح

Morning / Dawn

As-subh and as-sabah: the beginning of day, the moment when the horizon reddens before sunrise. The Almighty says: 'By the dawn' (Al-Fajr 1). 'Their a...

30 verses

صنع

To manufacture / Craftsman

As-sun': excellence in action. Every sun' is a fi'l (act), but not every act is sun'. The Almighty says: 'the work of Allah who has perfected everythi...

19 verses

صوغ

To melt / To shape

It was recited: saw' al-malik, meaning it was made of gold. The Almighty says: 'the king's cup' (Yusuf 72). As-siyagha: the shaping of gold and precio...

1 verse

ضغث

Mixed herbs

Ad-dighth: a handful of basil, grass or branches, plural adghath. The Almighty says: 'Take a bundle of grass' (Sad 44) for Job. 'Confused dreams' (Yus...

3 verses

طود

Mountain

The Almighty says: 'like a great mountain' (Ash-Shu'ara 63). At-tawd: the high mountain. When the sea split for Moses, the waters rose like mountains ...

1 verse

طور

Mount Sinai / Tower

Tiwar ad-dar and tawaruha: what extends from the building. One says: he exceeded his limits. At-tur: the mountain. The Almighty says: 'By the Mount' (...

11 verses

طين

Mud / Clay

At-tin: earth and water mixed. It can also be called thus after water has left it. The Almighty says: 'I am going to create a human from clay' (Sad 71...

12 verses

ظعن

To move / To depart

One says: za'ana yaz'anu za'nan when he departs. The Almighty says: 'the day of your departure and the day of your halt' (An-Nahl 80). Az-za'n: travel...

1 verse

عف

Modesty / Restraint

Al-'iffa: a state of soul preventing it from being dominated by desire. Al-muta'affif: one who seeks chastity. The Almighty says: 'Let those who canno...

4 verses

علن

Manifest / To publish

Al-'alaniya: the opposite of secret. It is used mostly for meanings rather than concrete things. The Almighty says: 'secretly and publicly' (Ibrahim 3...

16 verses

غدا

Morning / Tomorrow

Al-ghudwa and al-ghadah: the beginning of day. In the Quran, morning is opposed to evening (al-'ashiyy). The Almighty says: 'Morning and evening' (Al-...

5 verses

غم

Mist / Sadness

Al-ghamm: covering something. From this: al-ghamam because it covers sunlight. The Almighty says: 'grief after grief' (Al 'Imran 153). 'Clouds' (Al-Ba...

5 verses