Quran Vocabulary

أب

Ab

Allah says: 'And fruits and herbage (abb)' (Abasa: 31). Al-abb refers to pasture prepared for grazing and cutting, from 'abba li-kadhâ' (to prepare fo...

30 verses

أث

Ath

Al-athâth: the abundant household goods. Its root comes from 'aththa' (to be plentiful and thick). All abundant wealth is called 'athâth'. It has no s...

2 verses

أذي

Adhy

Al-adhâ (harm): what reaches a living being as damage, whether to one's person, body, or consequences, worldly or religious, in deeds or words. Allah ...

22 verses

أفق

Afq

Al-ufuq (the horizon): the limit of what sight can perceive of sky and earth. Plural 'âfâq'. Allah says: 'And he is at the highest horizon' (An-Najm: ...

3 verses

أنى

Anā

Annâ: an interrogative term combining the meaning of 'how' (kayfa) and 'from where' (min ayna). Allah says: 'O Maryam, from where (annâ) does this com...

8 verses

أهل

Ahl

Ahl (people of): those united by kinship, religion, or what resembles them. Ahl ar-rajul: his close family. Ahl al-bayt: the Prophet's ﷺ family. Allah...

30 verses

إنس

Ins

Al-ins: the opposite of jinn. Al-uns: the opposite of aversion. Al-insiyy is one who frequently associates with people. Al-insân (the human being) is ...

21 verses

بؤس

BʾS

Al-bu's, al-ba's, al-ba'sâ': hardship and misfortune. However, al-bu's is used more for poverty and war, while al-ba's is used for strength in combat....

30 verses

بشر

Bshr

Al-bashar (human being): so named because their skin (bashara) is apparent, unlike animals covered with fur or feathers. Allah says: 'Say: I am only a...

30 verses

بعل

BʿL

Al-ba'l (husband): the spouse. Plural 'bu'ûla'. Allah says: 'And their husbands (bu'ûlatuhunna) have more right to take them back' (Al-Baqara: 228). B...

5 verses

بغض

Bghḍ

Al-bughd (hatred): intense aversion. Opposite of 'hubb' (love). Abghada: he hated. Allah says: 'And hatred (al-baghdâ') has appeared from their mouths...

5 verses

بقل

Bql

Allah says: 'Its herbs (baqlihâ), its cucumbers' (Al-Baqara: 61). Al-baql refers to plants whose leaves are eaten, like garden herbs. The Children of ...

1 verse

بيت

Byt

Al-bayt (house): the place of dwelling. Plural 'buyût'. Allah says: 'And stay in your houses (buyûtikun)' (Al-Ahzâb: 33). Al-Bayt al-Harâm: the Ka'ba....

30 verses

ثقل

Thql

Ath-thiql (heaviness): weight. Opposite of 'khiffa' (lightness). Thaqîl: heavy. Allah says: 'A heavy (thaqîlan) word' (Al-Muzzammil: 5). Ath-thaqalân:...

26 verses

جحم

Jḥm

Al-jahîm (blazing Hell): intense fire. Allah says: 'And the deviators and Iblis's soldiers, all will be thrown into Hell (al-jahîm)' (Ash-Shu'arâ': 94...

26 verses

جلس

Jls

The origin of al-jals: the elevated and hard land. Najd is called 'jals' for this. It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ gave him land in the jals. Al-jul...

1 verse

جهنم

Jhnm

Jahannam: name of Allah's kindled Fire. It is said its origin is Persian. It is Hell, eternal abode of disbelievers. Allah says: 'And Hellfire (Jahann...

30 verses

جوع

Jwʿ

Al-jû': the pain that reaches an animal when the stomach is empty of food. Al-majâ'a: general famine. Allah says: 'Who has fed them against hunger (jû...

5 verses

حج

Ḥj

The origin of al-hajj: heading toward to visit. Pilgrimage (hajj) is visiting the Sacred House in Mecca with specific rites. Allah says: 'Pilgrimage (...

7 verses

حر

Ḥr

Al-harâra (heat) is the opposite of coldness. It is of two kinds: accidental heat in the air from celestial bodies, and natural heat of bodies like fi...

3 verses

حمى

Ḥmā

Al-hamy: heat generated by hot substances like fire and sun, and by heated bodies. Allah says: 'The Day it will be heated (yuhmâ 'alayhâ) in the fire ...

5 verses

خبء

Khbʾ

Allah says: 'He brings forth the hidden (al-khab')' (An-Naml: 25). This is said of everything stored and hidden. Rainwater in clouds is khab', as are ...

1 verse

خشع

Khshʿ

Al-khushû': humility and submission. It is mostly used for what appears on the limbs. Allah says: 'Their eyes humbled (khâshi'a)' (Al-Qalam: 43). Khus...

16 verses

خمص

Khmṣ

Allah says: 'In a famine (makhmasatan)' (Al-Mâ'ida: 3). Al-makhmasa: hunger that hollows the belly. The verse permits eating carrion in extreme famine...

2 verses

خيل

Khyl

Al-khayâl: originally, the abstract image like the image imagined in mirror or dream. Al-khayl (horses): known. Allah says: 'And horses (al-khayl), mu...

9 verses

ذل

Dhl

Al-dhull: what comes from constraint. One says 'dhalla yadhillu dhullan' (he was humiliated). The opposite is 'izz (power). Allah says: 'And lower (ik...

3 verses

رأس

Ras

Al-ra's (head) is known. Plural: 'ru'ûs'. Allah says: 'And my head (ra'sî) has flared with white hair' (Maryam: 4). Zachariah describes his old age. A...

17 verses

ربو

Rbw

Rabwa, ribwa, rubwa, ribâwa, rubâwa: height, elevation of land. Allah says: 'On an elevation (rabwa) with stability and flowing water' (Al-Mu'minûn: 5...

15 verses

رتل

Rtl

Al-ratal: harmonious arrangement and order. Allah says: 'And recite (rattil) the Quran distinctly' (Al-Muzzammil: 4). Tartîl is slow, clear and medita...

2 verses

رفد

Rfd

Al-rifd: help and gift. Al-rafd is the act of helping. Al-râfida: what supports the tent. Allah says: 'What an evil gift (rifdan) for those followed' ...

1 verse

ركم

Rkm

One says 'sahâb markûm' (heaped clouds), meaning piled up. Allah says: 'Heaped clouds (rukâman)' (An-Nûr: 43). Allah heaps clouds to produce rain by H...

3 verses

زهق

Zhq

Zahaqat nafsuhu: his soul departed out of intense regret for something. The Almighty says: 'and their souls depart' (At-Tawba 55), 'Indeed, falsehood ...

4 verses

سنم

Snm

The Almighty says: 'and its mixture is of Tasnim' (Al-Mutaffifin 27). It is said to be a spring in Paradise. The word comes from sanam (camel's hump),...

1 verse

شعر

ShʿR

Ash-sha'r: hair, known to all, plural ash'ar. The Almighty says: 'From their wool, their fur and their hair' (An-Nahl 80). Ash-shi'r: poetry, because ...

30 verses

شنأ

Shna

Shani'tuhu: I found him repugnant out of hatred. From this comes the name Azd Shanu'a. The Almighty says: 'Let not hatred of a people lead you' (Al-Ma...

3 verses

صخر

Ṣkhr

As-sakhr: the hard stone. The Almighty says: 'Even if it were in a rock' (Luqman 16), illustrating that nothing escapes God. 'The Thamud carved out th...

3 verses

صلب

Ṣlb

As-sulb: the hard. Considering hardness, the back is called sulb because it contains the spine. The Almighty says: 'emerging from between the backbone...

8 verses

صيد

Ṣyd

As-sayd: the masdar of sada (to hunt). It is capturing what one reaches. The Almighty says: 'Lawful for you is the game of the sea' (Al-Ma'ida 96). 'A...

5 verses

ضغث

Ḍghth

Ad-dighth: a handful of basil, grass or branches, plural adghath. The Almighty says: 'Take a bundle of grass' (Sad 44) for Job. 'Confused dreams' (Yus...

3 verses

ضير

Ḍyr

Ad-dayr: the harm. One says: he harmed him. The Almighty says: 'No harm will touch you' (Al 'Imran 111). 'This does not harm them at all' (Al 'Imran 1...

1 verse

عجز

ʿJz

'Ajuz al-insan: his posterior. One compares others' posterior to it. Al-'ajz: incapacity. 'Am I unable to be like this crow?' (Al-Ma'ida 31). Incapaci...

25 verses

عزر

ʿZr

At-ta'zir: helping with respect. The Almighty says: 'and that you support him and honor him' (Al-Fath 9). At-ta'zir in law: a punishment less than the...

3 verses

عزم

ʿZm

Al-'azm and al-'azima: the heart's resolution to accomplish a matter. One says: 'azama ya'zimu. The Almighty says: 'And if you are resolved, trust in ...

9 verses

عسى

ʿSā

'Asa: hope and expectation. Many exegetes explained 'la'alla' and ''asa' the same way. The Almighty says: 'Perhaps Allah will' (At-Tahrim 5). When God...

28 verses

عمه

ʿMh

Al-'amah: hesitation in a matter from confusion. One says: 'amiha, he is 'amih and 'amah. The Almighty says: 'in their transgression, they wander blin...

7 verses

عنت

ʿNt

Al-mu'anata is like al-mu'anada (opposition) but more intense, as it is opposition with stubbornness to one's own harm. The Almighty says: 'He does no...

5 verses

غول

Ghwl

Al-Ghawl refers to the destruction of something imperceptibly. One says: ghāla yaghūlu ghawlan, and ightālahu. Ghālahu al-mawt means death took him aw...

1 verse

فأد

Fad

Al-Fu'ād is like the heart (qalb), but it is called fu'ād when considering the meaning of tafa''ud, meaning heating. One says: fa'adtu al-laḥm (I gril...

15 verses

فظ

Fẓ

Al-Faẓẓ refers to harshness in treatment and severity of speech. The Almighty says: 'And if you had been rude and harsh in heart, they would have disp...

1 verse

قرن

Qrn

Al-Qarn refers to the horn, then it was used for a generation of people. The Almighty says: 'How many generations have We destroyed before them' (Mary...

30 verses