Discover the meaning of the term Al-zwr (زور) in Islamic vocabulary.
Contents :
Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 3 min readFalsehood; it is derived from 'tazwir al-suwar' (retouching pictures), not from 'tazwir al-kalam' (beautifying speech), for beautifying speech is its improvement; hence 'Umar's (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: 'I embellished within myself a speech.' And from it the poet's verse: 'He delivered to the Commander of the Faithful a missive, embellished from the firmest of letters.' And with damma it is used meaning: joining hair to other hair or other than it. (Ghurar al-Maqala, p. 263; Fath al-Bari, introduction, p. 135).
'Zara zauran': his chest is crooked; he is azwar. Of the bird: it ate until its crop filled and rose. : Of the thing, 'zawwara-hu tazwiran': he repaired it, straightened it and perfected it. : He beautified and adorned it; one says 'zwwara al-kalam': the embellishment of speech. : Of lying: he adorned it. : Of testimony and the like: he judged its foundations false. : 'Qala 'alay-hi zuran': he said of him falsely. : Attributed to him so-and-so: ascribed to him something in lie and falsehood. Al-tazwir: beautifying and rectifying; : beautifying falsehood. Al-zawr: the upper chest. : The visitor (za'ir). In the noble hadith: 'Your wife has a right over you, and your guest has a right over you.' It also applies to the group: one says 'rijal zur' (visiting men) and 'niswa zur' (visiting women).
Deviation from the proof, such as associating partners (shirk), leading to the necessity of Allah's impotence and the forbidding of what Allah sent down no authority for.
With damma: lying, falsehood and slander. Falsity.
Falsehood; hence the word of Allah, the Most High: 'and those who do not bear witness to falsehood, and when they pass by futility, they pass with dignity' (al-Furqan, 72). : Lying; in the noble hadith, from Abu Bakra: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'Shall I not tell you of the greatest of major sins? We said: yes, O Messenger of Allah. He said: associating partners with Allah and disobedience to parents; and he was reclining, then sat up and said: and indeed false speech and false testimony; indeed false speech and false testimony; he kept repeating it until I said: he will not stop.' : Associating partners with Allah, the Most High. : The assembly of diversion and singing.
﴿ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلرِّجْسَ مِنَ ٱلْأَوْثَـٰنِ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ قَوْلَ ٱلزُّورِ﴾
« That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allah - it is best for him in the sight of his Lord. And permitted to you are the grazing livestock, except what is recited to you. So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement, »
Surah الحج : 30
﴿وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ إِفْكٌ ٱفْتَرَىٰهُ وَأَعَانَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ قَوْمٌ ءَاخَرُونَ ۖ فَقَدْ جَآءُو ظُلْمًۭا وَزُورًۭا﴾
« And those who disbelieve say, "This [Qur'an] is not except a falsehood he invented, and another people assisted him in it." But they have committed an injustice and a lie. »
Surah الفرقان : 4
﴿وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ ٱلزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا۟ بِٱللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا۟ كِرَامًۭا﴾
« And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity. »
Surah الفرقان : 72
﴿ٱلَّذِينَ يُظَـٰهِرُونَ مِنكُم مِّن نِّسَآئِهِم مَّا هُنَّ أُمَّهَـٰتِهِمْ ۖ إِنْ أُمَّهَـٰتُهُمْ إِلَّا ٱلَّـٰٓـِٔى وَلَدْنَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَقُولُونَ مُنكَرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَزُورًۭا ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌۭ﴾
« Those who pronounce thihar among you [to separate] from their wives - they are not [consequently] their mothers. Their mothers are none but those who gave birth to them. And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood. But indeed, Allah is Pardoning and Forgiving. »
Surah المجادلة : 2