Discover the meaning of the term Al-sir (سِّرّ) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readIt is what is concealed: the inner secret (sarrira), intercourse, remembrance, marriage and its disclosure, fornication, the woman's private part, the beginning of the month, its end or middle; the interior of everything and its core; its plural: asrar and sarair.
With kasra: a subtle essence deposited in the heart, as the spirit in the body; it is the locus of witnessing, as the spirit is the locus of love and the heart the locus of gnosis.
A subtle essence deposited in the heart, as the spirit in the body; it is the locus of witnessing, as the spirit is the locus of love and the heart the locus of gnosis.
A subtle essence deposited in the mold of man, wherein witnessing is filled.
The utterance concealed in the soul; and marriage was designated by sirr (secret) in that it is hidden. It is borrowed for the pure: one says he is 'in the secret of his people.' Al-surur: what is concealed of joy; al-sarir (the couch), that on which one sits, is from surur, for it belongs to the people of bounty, the people of felicity; and the couch of the dead is his likeness in image and for the good omen of the joy that will reach him by his return to Allah and his deliverance from the world, which is the believer's prison.
﴿وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا عَرَّضْتُم بِهِۦ مِنْ خِطْبَةِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ أَوْ أَكْنَنتُمْ فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ سَتَذْكُرُونَهُنَّ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تُوَاعِدُوهُنَّ سِرًّا إِلَّآ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا ۚ وَلَا تَعْزِمُوا۟ عُقْدَةَ ٱلنِّكَاحِ حَتَّىٰ يَبْلُغَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبُ أَجَلَهُۥ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ فَٱحْذَرُوهُ ۚ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌۭ﴾
« There is no blame upon you for that to which you [indirectly] allude concerning a proposal to women or for what you conceal within yourselves. Allah knows that you will have them in mind. But do not promise them secretly except for saying a proper saying. And do not determine to undertake a marriage contract until the decreed period reaches its end. And know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing. »
Surah البقرة : 235
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُم بِٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ سِرًّۭا وَعَلَانِيَةًۭ فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾
« Those who spend their wealth [in Allah 's way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly - they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. »
Surah البقرة : 274
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِى ٱلسَّرَّآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَٱلْكَـٰظِمِينَ ٱلْغَيْظَ وَٱلْعَافِينَ عَنِ ٱلنَّاسِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
« Who spend [in the cause of Allah] during ease and hardship and who restrain anger and who pardon the people - and Allah loves the doers of good; »
Surah آل عمران : 134
﴿وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَفِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهْرَكُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُونَ﴾
« And He is Allah, [the only deity] in the heavens and the earth. He knows your secret and what you make public, and He knows that which you earn. »
Surah الأنعام : 3
﴿ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ ٱلسَّيِّئَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّىٰ عَفَوا۟ وَّقَالُوا۟ قَدْ مَسَّ ءَابَآءَنَا ٱلضَّرَّآءُ وَٱلسَّرَّآءُ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بَغْتَةًۭ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾
« Then We exchanged in place of the bad [condition], good, until they increased [and prospered] and said, "Our fathers [also] were touched with hardship and ease." So We seized them suddenly while they did not perceive. »
Surah الأعراف : 95
﴿أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَىٰهُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ﴾
« Did they not know that Allah knows their secrets and their private conversations and that Allah is the Knower of the unseen? »
Surah التوبة : 78
This term appears in 14 verses of the Quran.