Quran Vocabulary

أبا

To turn away

Al-ab (the father): the progenitor. Anything that causes the existence, rectitude, or appearance of something is called 'father'. Hence the Prophet ﷺ ...

30 verses

أثر

Trace / Vestige

Athar (trace): what indicates the existence of something. One says 'athar' and 'aththara', plural 'âthâr'. Allah says: 'Then We sent Our messengers in...

21 verses

أثل

Tamarisk

Allah says: 'With bitter fruit, tamarisks (athl), and a few sparse lote-trees' (Saba': 16). Al-athl: a tree with firm roots. A 'muta'aththil' tree is ...

1 verse

أخذ

To take / To seize

Al-akhdh (taking): seizing something and possessing it. Allah says: 'Take what We have given you' (Al-Baqara: 63). Akhdh is used for taking something ...

30 verses

أريك

Throne / Couch

Al-arîka: the bride's bed in the bridal chamber, plural 'arâ'ik'. Allah says: 'On couches, observing' (Al-Mutaffifîn: 23). The couches (arâ'ik) are co...

5 verses

ألف

Thousand / Familiarity

Al-alf (thousand): a number. Plural 'âlâf'. Allah says: 'Better than a thousand months' (Al-Qadr: 3), 'In a day whose measure is a thousand years' (As...

19 verses

أمد

Term / Duration

Al-amad and al-abad are close, but abad refers to a duration with no defined limit and cannot be restricted. Amad is a duration with an unknown limit ...

4 verses

إلى

Toward / To

Ilâ: a particle that delimits the endpoint of the six directions. 'Alawtu fi al-amr' means: I fell short in the matter. Allah says: 'Then complete the...

30 verses

برج

Tower / Zodiac sign

Al-burj (tower): tall and visible construction. Plural 'burûj'. Allah says: 'By the sky with constellations (burûj)' (Al-Burûj: 1). The burûj are star...

6 verses

بغي

Transgression / Injustice

Al-baghy (transgression): exceeding the limit of right. Baghâ: he transgressed. Allah says: 'Except one who is forced without being a transgressor (bâ...

30 verses

بلى

To test / To wear out

One says 'baliya al-thawb' (the garment wore out), similarly for one who travels and becomes worn. Allah says: 'Do you think We cannot reassemble your...

22 verses

بيع

Trade / Sale

Al-bay' (sale): exchange of one good for another. Bâ'a: he sold. Allah says: 'Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and wealth' (At-Tawba...

11 verses

تجر

Trade / Commerce

At-tijâra (trade): buying and selling for profit. Tâjir: merchant. Allah says: 'A trade (tijâra) that will never perish' (Fâtir: 29). Trade with Allah...

8 verses

تخذ

To take / To adopt

Takhidha: synonym of 'akhadha' (to take). This dialectal form appears in some Quranic readings. It means to take, adopt, choose. The meaning is identi...

30 verses

توراة

Torah

Al-Tawrât (the Torah): the tâ' is transformed therein. Its origin comes from 'al-wary'. Its structure according to the Kufans is 'taf'ila', according ...

16 verses

ثخن

Thickness / Density

One says 'thakhuna al-shay'' (the thing thickened) when it becomes thick and no longer flows. Allah says: 'Until he has thoroughly subdued (yuthkhina)...

2 verses

ثلث

Three / Third

Ath-thuluth (third): one part of three. Allah says: 'In two-thirds (thuluthay) of the night' (Al-Muzzammil: 20). Thalâtha: three. Thâlith: third. Tath...

28 verses

ثمد

Thamud

Thamûd: some say it is a foreign name, others that it is Arabic. It is indeclinable because it is a tribe or land name. Those who decline it make it a...

25 verses

جدث

Tomb / Sepulcher

Allah says: 'The Day they will emerge from the graves (al-ajdâth) hastily' (Al-Ma'ârij: 43). Al-ajdâth is the plural of 'jadath' (the grave). This ter...

3 verses

جذو

Trunk / Stump

Al-jadhwa and al-jidhwa: what remains of wood after burning, the ember. The plural is 'jidhâ'. Allah says: 'Or a burning brand (jidhwa) from the fire'...

1 verse

حنجر

Throat / Gullet

Allah says: 'Near the throats (al-hanâjir), suppressing' (Ghâfir: 18). And: 'The hearts reached the throats (al-hanâjir)' (Al-Ahzâb: 10). Al-hanâjir: ...

2 verses

ختر

Treachery / Deception

Al-khatr: betrayal in which the person weakens and breaks due to his effort of concealment. Allah says: 'Every treacherous (khattâr) ingrate' (Luqmân:...

1 verse

خذ

To take / To seize

Allah says: 'Take (khudh) what I have given you and be among the grateful' (Al-A'râf: 144). Akhadha: to take, seize. Allah commanded Moses to take the...

1 verse

خرط

To tear / To pierce

Allah says: 'We will brand him on the snout (al-khurtûm)' (Al-Qalam: 16). Al-khurtûm: the nose, snout. Being branded on the nose is permanent humiliat...

1 verse

خرق

To tear / To pierce

Al-kharq: tearing something so as to corrupt it. Allah says: 'You have made a hole (kharaqtahâ) to drown its passengers' (Al-Kahf: 71). Khidr made a h...

3 verses

خزن

Treasure / To keep

Al-khazn: keeping something in a treasury (khizâna), then used for all preservation. Allah says: 'And there is nothing whose treasuries (khazâ'in) are...

13 verses

خمط

Thorny brambles

Al-khamt: thornless tree. Some say it is the arâk tree. Al-khamta is the drink. Allah says: 'Fruit of bitter lote trees (khamt)' (Saba': 16). The peop...

1 verse

خيط

Thread / Needle

Al-khayt (thread): known, plural 'khuyût'. One says 'khittu al-thawb' (I sewed the garment). Allah says: 'Until the white thread becomes distinct from...

2 verses

دمع

Tear

Allah says: 'They turned away, their eyes overflowing with tears (tafîdu min al-dam')' (At-Tawba: 92). Al-dam': tears. Poor believers wept at being un...

2 verses

دهر

Time / Era

Al-dahr: originally, the name for the world's duration from beginning to end. Allah says: 'Is it not time (al-dahr) that destroys us?' (Al-Jâthiya: 24...

2 verses

دول

Turn / Alternation

Al-dawla and al-dûla are identical. Some say dûla concerns wealth and dawla concerns war. Allah says: 'We alternate (nudâwiluhâ) these days among peop...

2 verses

ذوق

To taste / To experience

Al-dhawq: perceiving taste through the mouth. Originally for small amounts. Allah says: 'Taste (dhûqû) the punishment of Hell' (Al-Anfâl: 50). Ironica...

30 verses

رج

To tremble / To shake

Al-rajj: shaking something and disturbing it. One says 'rajjahu yarujjuhu'. Allah says: 'When the earth is shaken (rujjat) violently' (Al-Wâqi'a: 4). ...

1 verse

رجف

Trembling / Tremor

Al-rajf: violent agitation. One says 'rajafat al-ard' (the earth shook). Allah says: 'The shaker (al-râjifa) will shake' (An-Nâzi'ât: 6). This is the ...

7 verses

رعب

Terror / Dread

Al-ru'b: interruption from excess of fear. One says 'ra'abtuhu' (I frightened him). Allah says: 'We will cast terror (al-ru'b) into the hearts of thos...

5 verses

رعد

Thunder

Al-ra'd: the sound of clouds. It is reported to be an angel driving clouds. Allah says: 'And the thunder (al-ra'd) exalts Him' (Al-Ra'd: 13). Even nat...

2 verses

رمى

To throw / To cast

Al-ramy is said of physical objects like arrow and stone, and of words like accusation. Allah says: 'When you threw (ramayta), it was not you who thre...

7 verses

رهو

Tranquil / Open

Allah says: 'And leave the sea calm (rahwan)' (Ad-Dukhân: 24). Rahwan: calm, open, like a path. Moses was ordered to leave the sea open after crossing...

1 verse

رود

To tame / To tempt

Al-rawd: going back and forth to seek something gently. Allah says: 'She seduced him (râwadathu)' (Yûsuf: 23). Aziz's wife tried to seduce Joseph with...

30 verses

روغ

To turn away / To scheme

Al-rawgh: inclining by cunning. Allah says: 'He slipped away (râgha) to his family' (Adh-Dhâriyât: 26). Ibrahim slipped away to prepare food for his a...

3 verses

ساح

To travel / To spread

As-saha: the wide space, hence the courtyard of a house. The Almighty says: 'When it descends in their courtyard' (As-Saffat 177), metaphorically usin...

1 verse

سار

To travel / To walk

As-sayr: moving on land. A walking man is sa'ir and sayyar. As-sayyara: the group of travelers. The Almighty says: 'a caravan came' (Yusuf 19). 'We ma...

16 verses

سبط

Tribe / Lineage

As-sibt originally refers to easy extension. One says: straight hair (sha'r sibt). Sibt and asbat: the grandchildren and descendants of Prophets. The ...

5 verses

سول

Temptation / To beautify

As-su'l: the need that the soul ardently desires. The Almighty says: 'You have been granted your request, O Moses' (Ta-Ha 36). At-taswil: embellishing...

4 verses

شجر

Tree / Quarrel

Ash-shajar of plants: what has a trunk. One says: tree and trees. The Almighty says: 'And the tree that grows from Mount Sinai' (Al-Mu'minun 20). At-t...

26 verses

شها

To testify / To be present

Originally, ash-shahwa is the soul's inclination toward what it desires. In this world, it is of two types: blameworthy when leading to evil, praisewo...

13 verses

شوك

Thorn / Armed

Ash-shawk: what is thin and has a hard point among plants. Ash-shawka is used for the force of arms. The Almighty says: 'You wished that the unarmed o...

1 verse

شيء

Thing / Something

Ash-shay': it is said to be what can be known and spoken of. For many scholars, this includes everything existent, and for Mu'tazilites, even the non-...

30 verses

شيد

Tall building / Lime

The Almighty says: 'and fortified palace' (Al-Hajj 45), meaning built with plaster (shid). Al-mashid: the high and elevated. 'In fortified towers' (An...

2 verses

صدق

Truth / Sincerity

As-sidq and al-kadhib: their origin is in speech, whether past or future, promise or other. The Almighty says: 'And the one who brought the truth and ...

30 verses