Discover the meaning of the term Al-frd (فرد) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readWhat takes in a single thing to the exclusion of others.
In Persian: tanha (alone). What takes in a single thing to the exclusion of another: opposite of the pair (zawj); plural afrad; what has no like: plural furada, and also the afrad. In the prosodists' usage: the single verse. In the reckoners' usage: opposite of the pair; the verification is found under zawj. With the logicians: the nature taken with the restriction that all of the restriction and the restricted be included, like Zayd and 'Amr for humankind; and the nature joined to the restriction in which the restriction is internal while the limit is external: that is the part (hissa), like the existence of Zayd, the existence of 'Amr, and the existence of Bakr; existence being one reality possessing individual parts.
Farada a man faradan and furudan: to be alone, isolate oneself. To be alone in opinion: decide by oneself. To devote oneself to learning: study deeply. To withdraw from people and devote oneself to worship. To decide by one's own view: act on one's own authority. Al-ifrad: masdar. With all the jurists: the talbiya of Hajj alone, within its months (Ibn Hajar). Al-farsakh: the distance. Al-Farra' said: a Persian word Arabicized; Ibn Durayd said: it is Arabic. Plural farasikh. The constant, abundant thing that does not cease: 'the farasikh of night and day': their hours and times. A measure of length of three miles, or twelve thousand cubits (about eight kilometers).
What takes in a single person to the exclusion of another; mentioned by Ibn Kamal (al-Ta'rifat, p. 172). Al-Raghib said (al-Mufradat, p. 375): what nothing else mixes with; it is broader than al-witr and narrower than al-wahid.
What takes in a single thing to the exclusion of others.
﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍۢ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا﴾
« O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result. »
Surah النساء : 59
﴿وَلَقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا فُرَٰدَىٰ كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۢ وَتَرَكْتُم مَّا خَوَّلْنَـٰكُمْ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ ۖ وَمَا نَرَىٰ مَعَكُمْ شُفَعَآءَكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُمْ فِيكُمْ شُرَكَـٰٓؤُا۟ ۚ لَقَد تَّقَطَّعَ بَيْنَكُمْ وَضَلَّ عَنكُم مَّا كُنتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ﴾
« [It will be said to them], "And you have certainly come to Us alone as We created you the first time, and you have left whatever We bestowed upon you behind you. And We do not see with you your 'intercessors' which you claimed that they were among you associates [of Allah]. It has [all] been severed between you, and lost from you is what you used to claim." »
Surah الأنعام : 94
﴿أَلَمْ يَأْتِكُمْ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ قَوْمِ نُوحٍۢ وَعَادٍۢ وَثَمُودَ ۛ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۛ لَا يَعْلَمُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ۚ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَرَدُّوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِىٓ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كَفَرْنَا بِمَآ أُرْسِلْتُم بِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَنَآ إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍۢ﴾
« Has there not reached you the news of those before you - the people of Noah and 'Aad and Thamud and those after them? No one knows them but Allah. Their messengers brought them clear proofs, but they returned their hands to their mouths and said, "Indeed, we disbelieve in that with which you have been sent, and indeed we are, about that to which you invite us, in disquieting doubt." »
Surah ابراهيم : 9
﴿وَنَرِثُهُۥ مَا يَقُولُ وَيَأْتِينَا فَرْدًۭا﴾
« And We will inherit him [in] what he mentions, and he will come to Us alone. »
Surah مريم : 80
﴿وَكُلُّهُمْ ءَاتِيهِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ فَرْدًا﴾
« And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. »
Surah مريم : 95
﴿وَزَكَرِيَّآ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِى فَرْدًۭا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ﴾
« And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, "My Lord, do not leave me alone [with no heir], while you are the best of inheritors." »
Surah الأنبياء : 89
This term appears in 7 verses of the Quran.