Quran Vocabulary

آل

Āl

Âl: an inverted form of 'ahl' (family/people). It is used exclusively in annexation with proper nouns of rational beings, not with indefinites, times,...

21 verses

أبا

Abā

Al-ab (the father): the progenitor. Anything that causes the existence, rectitude, or appearance of something is called 'father'. Hence Allah says of ...

30 verses

أبق

Abq

Allah says: 'When he fled (abaqa) to the laden ship' (As-Sâffât: 140). One says 'abaqa al-'abd' (the slave fled) when he runs away. A fugitive slave i...

1 verse

أدى

Adā

Al-adâ' (fulfillment): delivering something to its recipient. Allah says: 'Allah commands you to render trusts to their owners' (An-Nisâ': 58), 'While...

5 verses

أصبع

Aṣbʿ

Al-isba' (the finger): a name that refers to the phalanges, nail, fingertip, and joints together. It is used metaphorically for positive influence: 'Y...

2 verses

أفك

Afk

Al-ifk (falsehood): diverting something from its direction. Afaka: he diverted it. Allah says: 'How are you averted (tu'fakûn)?' (Al-An'âm: 95). Al-if...

29 verses

أنا

Anā

Anâ: first person pronoun speaking of oneself. Its final alif may be dropped in liaison according to some readings. Allah says: 'But He is Allah, my L...

29 verses

أنث

Anth

Al-unthâ (the female): the opposite of male (dhakar). Plural 'inâth'. Allah says: 'Of everything We created pairs' (Adh-Dhâriyât: 49). At-ta'nîth: fem...

26 verses

أنمل

Anml

Al-anâmil (fingertips): plural of 'unmula', the upper segment of fingers where the nail is. Allah says: 'They bite their fingers in rage at you' (Âl '...

1 verse

بدر

Bdr

Al-badr (full moon): the moon when complete. Bâdara: he hastened, he preceded. Allah says: 'And hasten (bâdirû) to forgiveness from your Lord' (Âl 'Im...

1 verse

بسر

Bsr

Al-busûr (frowning): wrinkling the face in displeasure. Basara: he frowned. Allah says: 'Then he frowned (basara)' (Al-Muddaththir: 22). Al-busr: unri...

2 verses

بضع

Bḍʿ

Al-bid' (few): a number between three and nine. Allah says: 'Within a few (bid') years' (Ar-Rûm: 4). Al-bid'a: the piece of meat. Abda'ahu: he cut it ...

6 verses

تبع

Tbʿ

At-tibâ' (following): walking behind someone. Tabi'a: he followed. Allah says: 'Then We made you successors (tâbi'în) on earth' (Yûnus: 14). Tâbi': fo...

13 verses

تلو

Tlw

Talâhu: to follow closely without interruption. This is done sometimes bodily, sometimes by imitation, sometimes by reading. Allah says: 'A reciter (t...

30 verses

تين

Tyn

Allah says: 'By the fig and the olive' (At-Tîn: 1). It is said they are two mountains or two fruits. The fig and olive are two blessed trees mentioned...

1 verse

ثبت

Thbt

Ath-thubût (firmness): remaining stable without moving. Thabata: he remained firm. Allah says: 'Allah keeps firm (yuthabbitu) those who believe' (Ibrâ...

17 verses

ثمر

Thmr

Ath-thamar (fruit): what trees and plants produce. Plural 'thimâr' and 'athmâr'. Allah says: 'Eat of its fruits (thamarihi) when they ripen' (Al-An'âm...

22 verses

ثنى

Thnā

Ath-thany (folding): bending something. Thanâ: he folded. Allah says: 'They fold (yathnûna) their chests' (Hûd: 5). Ithnân: two. Ath-thânî: the second...

24 verses

جبت

Jbt

Allah says: 'They believe in jibt and tâghût' (An-Nisâ': 51). Al-jibt and al-jabs: the worthless man. Al-jibt refers to everything worshipped besides ...

1 verse

جبه

Jbh

Al-jabha: the place of prostration on the head, the forehead. Allah says: 'Their foreheads (jibâhuhum), their sides and their backs will be branded' (...

1 verse

جد

Jd

Al-jadd: to cut flat land. Hence: 'jadda fî sayrih' (he was serious in his walk), and 'jadda fî amrih' and 'ajadda' (he became serious in his affair)....

1 verse

جرى

Jrā

Al-jary (flowing): to flow or run. Jarâ: he/it ran/flowed. Allah says: 'Gardens beneath which flow (tajrî) rivers' (Al-Baqara: 25). Jâriya: flowing, s...

30 verses

جفأ

Jfa

Allah says: 'As for the foam, it vanishes (jufâ'an)' (Al-Ra'd: 17). Foam is what the torrent or pot rejects as worthless matter. This verse compares f...

1 verse

جفن

Jfn

Al-jafna: vessel specific to food, plural 'jifân'. Allah says: 'And bowls (jifân) like watering troughs' (Saba': 13). This verse describes the immense...

1 verse

حرم

Ḥrm

Al-harâm: what is forbidden, either by divine disposition, human law, or constraint. Allah says: 'And He has forbidden (harrama) to you carrion, blood...

30 verses

حصن

Ḥṣn

Al-hisn: the fortress, plural 'husûn'. Allah says: 'Their fortresses (husûnuhum) will not protect them from Allah' (Al-Hashr: 2). The Jews of Banû Nad...

12 verses

حضب

Ḥḍb

Al-hadab: fuel. What stirs the fire is 'mihdab'. A variant reading has: 'Fuel (hadab) of Hell'. Al-hadab is what feeds and maintains the fire. Hell ne...

1 verse

حطب

Ḥṭb

Allah says: 'They will be firewood (hatab) for Hell' (Al-Jinn: 15). Hatab: what is prepared to kindle fire. Disbelievers will be Hell's fuel, feeding ...

2 verses

حوت

Ḥwt

Allah says: 'They forgot their fish (hûtahumâ)' (Al-Kahf: 61). And: 'The fish (al-hût) swallowed him' (As-Sâffât: 142). Moses' and his companion's fis...

5 verses

حوذ

Ḥwdh

Al-hawd: following the rear parts of the camel's thighs to press it hard. Allah says: 'And if the disbelievers have a victory, they say: Did we not ha...

2 verses

خاب

Khāb

Al-khayba: failure of the request. Allah says: 'And every obstinate tyrant has failed (khâba)' (Ibrâhîm: 15). Failure is the fate of those who oppose ...

4 verses

خبو

Khbw

Khabat al-nâr takhbû: the fire died down, its flame calmed, and ash covered it like a veil. Allah says: 'Every time it subsides (khabat)' (Al-Isrâ': 9...

1 verse

خر

Khr

Allah says: 'As if he had fallen (kharra) from the sky' (Al-Hajj: 31). And: 'They fall (yakhirrûn) prostrating' (Al-Isrâ': 107). Kharra: to fall. Pros...

12 verses

خشى

Khshā

Al-khashya: fear mixed with veneration. It mostly comes from knowledge of what is feared. Allah says: 'Only those among His servants who have knowledg...

30 verses

دهق

Dhq

Allah says: 'And a cup full to the brim (dihâqan)' (An-Naba': 34). Dihâqan: full, overflowing. Paradise cups are always full of the best drink, withou...

1 verse

ذب

Dhb

Al-dhubâb: the known flying insect (fly). Allah says: 'The fly (al-dhubâb) takes something from them' (Al-Hajj: 73). Idols cannot recover what flies t...

1 verse

ذكا

Dhkā

Dhakat al-nâr tadhkû: the fire ignited and shone. Dhakkaytuhâ: I kindled it. Al-dhakât in slaughtering: slaughtering the animal according to Islamic r...

1 verse

ربع

Rbʿ

Arba'a, arba'ûn, rub', rubâ': all from the same root related to number four. Allah says: 'Four (arba'a) months' (At-Tawba: 2). The quarter (rub') is a...

21 verses

ردف

Rdf

Al-ridf: the follower. Ridf al-mar'a: the woman's rear. Al-irdâf: making someone ride behind. Allah says: 'Followed by the one that follows it (al-râd...

3 verses

ردم

Rdm

Al-radm: filling a breach with stones. Allah says: 'I will make between you and them a barrier (radman)' (Al-Kahf: 95). Dhû al-Qarnayn built a barrier...

1 verse

رسخ

Rskh

Rusûkh al-shay': firm stability of something. Rasakha al-shay' yarsukhu: the thing became firmly established. Allah says: 'Those firmly rooted (al-râs...

2 verses

رغم

Rghm

Al-raghâm: fine dust. Raghima anfuhu (his nose was in dust), meaning humiliated. Allah says: 'A vast refuge (murâghaman)' (An-Nisâ': 100). One who emi...

1 verse

ركز

Rkz

Al-rikz: the faint sound. Allah says: 'Do you hear from them the slightest whisper (rikzan)?' (Maryam: 98). Destroyed nations leave not even the faint...

1 verse

رهب

Rhb

Al-rahba and al-ruhb: fear with caution and guard. Allah says: 'And fear (irhabûna) Me' (Al-Baqara: 40). Reverential fear of Allah is prescribed. Al-r...

12 verses

زبد

Zbd

Al-zabad: foam of water or pot. Allah says: 'As for the foam (zabad), it vanishes' (Al-Ra'd: 17). Foam symbolizes falsehood that disappears, while tru...

1 verse

زقم

Zqm

Allah says: 'The tree of zaqqûm is the food of the sinful' (Ad-Dukhân: 43-44). Al-zaqqûm: a bitter tree in Hell from which the damned eat. Its fruits ...

3 verses

سحق

Sḥq

As-sahq: finely grinding something. It is used for ground medicines. One says: I ground it and it became powder. The Almighty says: 'Away with the com...

2 verses

سعى

SʿĀ

As-sa'y: fast walking, below running. It is used for effort in action. The Almighty says: 'And that man has only that for which he strives' (An-Najm 3...

28 verses

سلا

Slā

The Almighty says: 'And We sent down upon you manna and quails' (Al-Baqara 57). As-salwa: a bird resembling quail. At-tasalli: consoling oneself from ...

3 verses

سمع

Smʿ

As-sam': the faculty in the ear by which sounds are perceived. The act is called as-sam' and as-sima'. The Almighty says: 'Allah has set a seal on the...

30 verses