Discover the meaning of the term Jahr (جهر) in Islamic vocabulary.
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Updated on 11 April 2026 at 1:05 AM
📖 2 min readThe contrary of secrecy. There is divergence: al-Karkhi said jahr’s minimum is hearing oneself, secrecy’s minimum correcting the letters; al-Hindouani said jahr’s minimum being heard of another, secrecy’s minimum hearing oneself: the sound. In al-Mouhit it is the sounder; in al-Moudmirat the chosen. If asked: since being heard of another is jahr’s minimum, what above? We say: the other meant is the near, speech-connected; jahr’s highest is being heard of the far, its minimum of the near; secrecy’s highest is the upper degrees of concealment: correcting the letters without hearing oneself. In Jam’ ar-Roumouz. It is plain leaving the word minimum had been better.
The thing’s appearing in excess to sight or hearing; hence the jahouri loud-voiced.
With jahr in reading: making it public. Raising the voice such that self and neighbor hear. (Raising) the voice.
Contrary to secrecy; al-Karkhi said: jahr’s minimum hearing oneself, secrecy’s minimum correcting the letters.
۞ لَّا يُحِبُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْجَهْرَ بِٱلسُّوٓءِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ إِلَّا مَن ظُلِمَ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ سَمِيعًا عَلِيمًا « Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged. And ever is Allah Hearing and Knowing. » [Surah النساء : 148]
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]
وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِى نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخِيفَةًۭ وَدُونَ ٱلْجَهْرِ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ بِٱلْغُدُوِّ وَٱلْـَٔاصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْغَـٰفِلِينَ « And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the heedless. » [Surah الأعراف : 205]
سَوَآءٌۭ مِّنكُم مَّنْ أَسَرَّ ٱلْقَوْلَ وَمَن جَهَرَ بِهِۦ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍۭ بِٱلَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌۢ بِٱلنَّهَارِ « It is the same [to Him] concerning you whether one conceals [his] speech or one publicizes it and whether one is hidden by night or conspicuous [among others] by day. » [Surah الرعد : 10]
۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبْدًۭا مَّمْلُوكًۭا لَّا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ وَمَن رَّزَقْنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزْقًا حَسَنًۭا فَهُوَ يُنفِقُ مِنْهُ سِرًّۭا وَجَهْرًا ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوُۥنَ ۚ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ۚ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ « Allah presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allah! But most of them do not know. » [Surah النحل : 75]
إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْتُمُونَ « Indeed, He knows what is declared of speech, and He knows what you conceal. » [Surah الأنبياء : 110]
This term appears in 8 verses of the Quran.