Discover the meaning of the term Al-qsma (قسمة) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readIn language: from division; in the Sharia: the distinguishing of rights and the isolating of shares.
In language: a name for dividing, as qudwa (model) is for following.
With kasra: in language, a name for dividing, as qudra (capacity) for being capable, as in al-Maghrib and elsewhere; and also al-qisma: division, as in al-Qamus. But al-qasam may be the masdar of 'qasama-hu' (he chastised him), that is, punished him, as in al-Muqaddima; its meaning is the removal of commonness and the cutting of partnership, and close to that is what occurs of specification and distinction. From it is the qasam for the oath, for by it one of the two sides of the act, that is, nonexistence or existence, is distinguished from the other by an affirmation attaching to the one and not the other. In the Sharia: the distinguishing of rights and the isolating of shares; al-ansiba is the plural of nasib (share), common in a determined share. Every division embraces the meaning of isolation (ifraz) and exchange (mubadala); the difference lies only in manifestation: isolation is manifest in fungibles (mithli), such as measured, weighed and near-equivalent counted goods, owing to the absence of difference among their parts, so each partner may take his share of the fungible in his partner's absence, even if the latter is not content, and sell his share at a markup. Exchange is manifest in non-fungibles, such as garments, real property and animals, owing to difference among their parts, so neither partner may take his share during his partner's absence, for whatever one of them takes is in place of what is in his partner's hand of his own share; it can therefore occur only with both present, like sale; and he does not sell at a markup, for it is not his right.
The isolation of each right-holder's right in the ownership, according to the Sharia.
The taking of one's portion from that which is divided. And Allah knows best.
The primary division: that the difference among the divisions be essential, as dividing animal into horse and donkey (al-Ta'rifat, p. 183).
With kasra and a sukun; (plural) qism: division. Division. The determining of common shares; these are of two kinds.
It is the determining of the common share, that is, the isolating of the shares one from another by surveying or otherwise.
﴿وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلْقِسْمَةَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينُ فَٱرْزُقُوهُم مِّنْهُ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا﴾
« And when [other] relatives and orphans and the needy are present at the [time of] division, then provide for them [something] out of the estate and speak to them words of appropriate kindness. »
Surah النساء : 8
﴿تِلْكَ إِذًۭا قِسْمَةٌۭ ضِيزَىٰٓ﴾
« That, then, is an unjust division. »
Surah النجم : 22
﴿وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ ٱلْمَآءَ قِسْمَةٌۢ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍۢ مُّحْتَضَرٌۭ﴾
« And inform them that the water is shared between them, each [day of] drink attended [by turn]. »
Surah القمر : 28