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ARS-201 SERIES
Seminar 6
1. NearSynonyms
2. PatternsofIsms
NearSynonyms
Inthedictionarysenseasynonymisdefinedasfollows:
1. A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or other words in a language.
2. A word or an expression that serves as a figurative or symbolic substitute for another.
ThereasonIchosethetermnearsynonymsbecauseaccordingtothedefinitionabove,thereisa
chancethatsynonymouswordsmayhavethesameexactmeaningormaybesubstitutesforone
another.ArabicisapreciselanguageinwhichthereareNOtwowordsthatareentirely
interchangeablewithoutaffectingsomealterationinmeaning.Sotherearewordsthatarealmost
synonymsbutnotnecessarilysynonyms.
TheQuran,asyouhaveobservedbynow,isaprecise,methodical,intricateanddemandingbookto
study.OneofthecoreareasofanystudentofArabicortheQuranwouldhavetobevocabulary.We
have thus far taken an alienated approach to vocabulary studying it under the umbrella of
dimension of Arabic vocabulary; near synonyms. When I say deeper, dont be intimidated. This is
actuallythefunpartofArabicstudyinthatitisntsogrammarintensive.
Sowhatmakesthisstudysoimportantorbeneficial?Yousee,ifyoulearntheEnglishmeaningofan
Arabicwordlike tobepraiseorthanksorboth,yourenottoofarfromthetruemeaningbutyou
aremissingastory,reallyahistoryoftheword.Discussingwordslikesubjectsandlearninginteresting
things about them makes them easier to remember and also easier to appreciate. We are going to
look at words that often translated the same way like and and explore why, if both words
meanheart,notjustoneofthemhasbeenusedexclusively.Thisstudywillhelpusappreciatethe
beauty of the Arabic language in general and the wonder of the Qurans precision in depicting
realities.
Insum,wearenotjustgoingtobelearningthebasicmeaningsofwords,buttheshadesofmeanings
thesewordscarrywiththem.WewillalsolookatonecitationfromtheQuranforeachwordsowe
haveanactualcontexttowrapourinclassdiscussionaround.
Ivetakentheambitiousgoalofgoingthrough20casesofnearsynonymsinthisseminar.Letsseehow
farwegetbyAllahspermission!
1. Praise&Thanks
Thissectionhasbeenleftblankbecauseonlythoseofyouwhoattendedbenefitedfromthis
discussion!
SUMMARY:
2. SettleDown!
Theword
istheoppositeofmotionordisturbance.Whenusedforsettlingit
impliesmovingfromsomewheretoanewlocation.
(2:35).Thisimpliesthattheeventofcreationwas
elsewhere.
(14:37).Sinceherelocatedhisfamily
Twouniqueadditionstothegeneralmeaning:Returntoarelaxedenvironmentand
Usedwhentheclimate,environment,neighborsetcareallexactlyasthesettlerwants
themtobe.Itfitsthecriteriathatthesettlerhasinmind.
(12:56)
(3:121)
Tobeburied,tostopby,tosettledown.
themandied.Toremain&
intendtoremaininthesamelocationinthefuturewhereonehasbeensincenumerous
generations.
(28:45)
ToliveasaBedouinintheoutskirts/ruralareas.Aplacewhere,becauseofthelackof
structures,onecanseefarandwide.Awordderivedfromthisis whichisanother
wordforthedesert.
(12:100)
Theoppositeofinsomesense.Toliveinacity,totakeupresidenceinacity.
(2:196)
Toremainsomewhereforanextendedperiodoftime.
(2:25)
Toliveinaplacesocomfortablythatyoudontconsiderthethoughtofmoving.Tobe
happywhereyouarebecauseofbeingwellsettled.
(7:92)
Comesfrom
whichdenotestwodistinctthings:thenumber10andtomix,
associate,interfereandbeinvolvedinoneanothersaffairs.Thewordmeaning
tribealsocomesfromthisroot. thenmeanstolivetogetherwithafamily.
(4:19)
3. ToBeHuman
Hecites28:29
asevidence.
IbnAbbasnarratesthat isusedbecauseacovenantwasmadewithhimandhe
.
forgot,fromtheword
ImamRaghibassumesthewordisderivedfrom; meaningacreaturepredisposedto
lovingandmutualliving.Fromthisprospective,theantonymwouldbe.
IbnAlFariscombinesbothoftheabove;a)tobevisibleandb)tonothaveattributesof
wildbeasts.
isanIsmJins;itcouldmeanapersonorallofhumanity. isthesamewaybut
mostlygetsusedforallofhumanity.Theexclusivesingularfor is andits
,
and
pluralis
UNAASisusedfordistinctgroups,tribes,nationsorotherwise.
2:60
isusedforamassivegroupofpeople.
(25:49)
Itcomesfromtheroot ; meaningcompassion,softnessandagreement.
Itisthenameofthefatherofhumanity;wheneveritisusedintheQuran,itdealswith
thehistoryofhumancreation.
Somethingmanifestwithgreatbeauty.
referstotheouterlayerofourbody,meaningourskin.
(74:29)
visiblethanotheranimals.
Thewordisusedwhentheintentistohighlighttheinstinctiveanimaldimensionsof
people.
(23:47)
(17:9495)
4. TheSkyAbove
Essentiallymeansheightwithoutlimitation.
Purelylinguistically,anythingthatisaboveanotherthingisa andthatwhichis
belowis.Thisexplainstheusageinayah65:13
Wheretheskyisusedforheightsabove,thewordisusedfordepthsbelow.7:176
Thoughcommonlyinterpretedasthesky,itactuallyreferstothepathsororbits
assignedtoplanetsandstars.
Theseorbitsareusuallyovalinshapeandsothewordisappropriateinthatthey
resembletheshapeofaship!
5. Goahead
Togoaheadofsomeoneononesfeet.
(11:98)
istointendtogetaheadandmoveforward
Toproceed,comesidebyside,takethelead. isabetonracing.
isusedfora
racehorseand forthegiveandtakedoneaftertherace.Itimpliescompetitionin
gettingahead.
(59:10)
istodoonesbesttogetaheadinarace
(12:25)
Both andaretoproceedtowardssomeoneoralongsidesomeone
(68:30)
(46:24)
6. Whatsallthatnoise?
Usedforanytimeofnoisewhethermadefromlivingornonlivingthings.IbnAlFaris
callsdefinesitasanysoundthathitstheearsofthelistener.
(31:19)
Thecryofapersonthathasfallenorbeenhurt.Somehavealsotakenittomeanthe
opposite;thecryofsomeonejumpingwithjoy/hootingandhowling.
(43:57)
Toscreamwhenindangerorterrorized
(35:37)
Thesoundmadebyanymovementofaperson.Whispering/nearsilence.
(20:108)
Thesoundofafootstep.Thelightestbitofsoundlikethesubtlecracklingofaflame
(21:102)
Towhistleortouseinstrumentsthatcreatewhistlelikesounds(flutesetc.)
(8:35)
Toclapwithbothhandsortouseinstrumentsofpercussion.
(8:35)
Horsespantingbecauseoftheirexhaustinggallop
(100:1)
Themooingofacoworbull.
(7:148)
Theprogressivelylowermoaningofadonkeyasitcomesajourneysend.
(11:106)
Toextendtheexhaleafteralonginhale.
Theprogressivelylouderbrayingofadonkeyasitbeginsitsjourney.
(11:106)
Thesoundofadehydratedpantingdog
(7:176)
Thebarelyaudiblebuzzingofafly
(19:98)
Toscreamatthetopofoneslungs.Thesoundofthehornbeingblown.Asoundthat
shakestheinsides.Acrythatdoesntcarrymeaning.
(15:73)
Thecryofoneoverwhelmedwithrageandfury.Thesoundsproducedbytheraging
flamesofhell.
(25:12)
Aharshdeafeningsound.Asoundthathurtstheear.
(80:33)
Thecrashingsoundofacollapsingwallorbuilding.
19:90
Thesoundofsizzlingorboilingstew.
44:4546
Isconsideredaderivativeoftheword
Thecracklingsoundofdry,hardsoil.Thesoundofanailorpegbeingdrivenintothe
ground.
15:26
istoknockonadoor.
meanstostrikeonethingagainstanother.
Resurrectionhasbeencalled
becausealotofnoisewillbegeneratedbecauseof
thingsstrikingagainstoneanotheronthatday.
100:1&2
7. ExecutingAuthority
meansissueormatter,thepluralbeing . alsomeanscommandandinthat
caseitspluralis . meanstoinstruct,tosendinstructionsortocommand.
Itcanbeusedforsomethinggoodorbadisthemostgeneralterminthegroup.
3:14
34:33
Meanstogiveapprovalorpermission.Italsomeanstocommandbutusedonlywhen
thecommandistoconformtodivinewill.
24:36
Meanstostopsomeoneorsomethingfortheir/itsownbenefit.Alsousedtoleashan
animal.
meanstheleash/reignsonananimal.
hasalsobeen
understoodtomean
meaningacommandthatpreventsorprohibits
wrongdoing.
5:47
Meanstotakeabindingpromiseorcommitmentfromsomeone,tocommandorto
urge&bidsomeonethatisunderoneswing.
Whenattributedtoitmeansthatthecommandinquestionisbeingissuedas
counselandtheonebeingcommandedneedstounderstandthatitdeservesextra
attentionbecauseitisforhis/herownbenefit.
19:31,4:11
8. TheForbidden
Thingsoractionsthatareforbiddenbydivinelaw.Somehaveidentifieditas
2:275
Isassociatedspecificallywithearningsandwealth.Moneysearnedfromthesellingof
haramorgamblingetc.wouldallbe.
5:42
9. ToGuide&ToBeGuided
Toguidesomeonetowhatisgoodoutofonesgraceandfavor.Theoppositeof .
Itincludesnaturalpredispositionslikeachildsucklingfromthemother.
(20:50)
Itincludestheturningofonesworldviewfromdisbelieftobelief.Toguidesomeoneto
obedienceandawayfromrebellion.Prophets,messengersanddaeestrytocallpeople
toguidance,butintheendAllahistheonewhograntsit.
28:56
ThosewhoareguidedtoIslam,toshowthemtherightwaynowthattheyare
convincedoflivingbyit.
Toacquire,internalizeandcommitoneselftoguidance.
10:108
Theoppositeof .Itdescribessomeonewhonotonlyacceptstherightpathbut
makeschangesforthebetterinhis/hercharacter.
11:78
10.
ToRecognize
Torecognizesomethingafterobservingitssigns,symbolsoridentifyingmarkers.Itisa
lesscomprehensivetermthan
(2:146)
meanstobrandortattoosomething.Toscratchoffabirthmark. isthetool
usedtobrandortattoo. isbeautiful. istodescribesomethingingreat
detail.Todemandidentifying.
(15:75)
11.
ToPurify
Topurifysomethingofflaws,blemishesorimpurities.
isthetermusedto
describetheprocessusedtopurifygoldofitsimpurities.
(3:141)
Topurifytheinnerselfofspiritualdiseases,immoralityandevilinclinations.To
declareoneselfpureofsuchills.
(53:32)
Toremoveanyorallimpurities.Itisusedtodescribetheprocessoffiltration.
(47:15)
Toacquireacurefromdisease.Tobefreeandclearofsomeoneorsomething.
tomakesomeonehealthyorhealsomeone
12.
(3:149)
Alsomeanstopurifysomeoneofanaccusationorfault.Tofreesomeone.
(33:69)
Ithinkitsbad
Hastwoimplications:(i)estrangementand(ii)unacceptability.
meanstodenyas
wellastofindsomeoneshocking.
iseverythingthatsocietyfindsdetestableor
thatdivinelawdeclaresunacceptable.
issomethingconsideredbaduniversally.
(54:6)
toconsidersomethingbad.Torecognizesomethingasdetestable,tofind
faultinsomething,tocondemnsomething,topunish.Thus issomethingthatis
foundsounacceptabletosomeonethatwhetherornotitisuniversallybadornot,the
onefindingitunacceptableiswillingtopunishinretaliationtoit.Thatiswhyitincludes
themeaningsofpunishmentandrevenge.
13.
(85:8)
Borrowing
Aloantakenbysomeonebecauseofonespersonalneeds.Itisontheconditionthatit
willbereturned.Ifthereisatimeperiodallottedforthereturn,itis ,otherwiseitis
A iscoinedbyAllahintheQuranforwhenHeiscollectingtakingtheloan
fromHissubjects.Thetermisusedtoputthesubjecttoshameandtochallengethe
reverenceheorshemayhaveforAllah.
(2:245)
Isamoregenerictermusedforalltypesoftransactionsforwhichonebecomes
financiallyresponsible;betheybusinessorpersonalinnature.
Apersoncanbe whenengagedamixtureofaccountsreceivable&payable
transactions.
14.
(2:281)
Favors
Meansforsomethingtobemoreinquantitythanwhatisfairorexpected.
meansextraleftoversinthespoilsofwar.
issomeonedoesorgivesextraallthe
time.
istoprefersomeone,tograntsomeonegreathonororprovisionmorethan
expectedorworthyoftherecipient.
(2:237)
(2:253)
Favororgoodness.Toremindanotherofonesfavorandtouseittoimposeoneselfon
another.Itisalsousedforaheavyweight.
allmeanagreatweightyfavor.
(3:164)
isthestateofwellbeingofaperson.Everythingthatfulfillsaneedandbecomes
asourceofhappiness.Itisusedforanimateorinanimatethingsandisusedexclusively
forpeople.Itcomesfrom whichmeanssoftness.
(33:37)
15.
Isanycommendabledeedwhetherithastodowiththeselforanother.
(12:100)
ALie
Tomisinformdeliberately.Inconsistencybetweentheheartandthetongue.To
misrepresentanoccurrence.
(3:78)
Oppositeof
Everymatterinwhichthereisnotruthorvalidityfoundafterinquiry&research.
Useless,incorrect,baselessanduseless.
Oppositeof
(3:71)
isakindofliethatisembellishedandmadetoappearsophisticatedsothatit
Aliethatismeantasanoffenseagainstthetruth.istoavoidorbypassthetruth.
(18:17)
issomethingthathasdoubt,conflict,contradictioninit.
seemstrue.
16.
(22:30)
Toturnawayfromthetruthoutofillintent.Totwistthetruthskillfullyturninginto
somethingentirelydifferent.Thisistheworstkindoflie.Someattributethistothe
accusationoffornication
(24:12)
Comeon!
Itisthegeneraltermforcoming.Thearrivalhasnecessarilyalreadyoccurred.
(12:16)
Somethingcomingasaresultofanaction,commandorprocess.Likebuttercomingout
ofmilk.Thisbutteriscalled.
Anotherdifferencebetweenthetwoisthatthelatterdoesntnecessarilyimplythatthe
actisdone.
(16:1)
Thisisaninformalderivativeofthecommandversionof .Itisusedwiththe
.IbnAlFarisclaimsthatitimpliesthattheonecallingisactuallyyelling&
screaming.Othersincludethemeaningsofcomequickly,comehere,comenow!.
(12:23)
Tocallsomeoneoverandoveragain;desparatelyandrelentlessly.Itisanismfil!
17.
(3:64)
Tosendforward
toproceedforward/towalkahead.Totakethelead. todosomethingbefore
thehourofneed.Theoppositeof
toprocrastination.
(2:94)
Alsousedtoinformsomeoneoftheresultsoftheirdeedsaheadoftime.
(50:28)
isasaleinwhich
isofsomethingtohavealreadybeendoneorpassed.
thepriceispaidaheadoftime. Previousgenerationsarecalled.
(4:23)
alsomeanstoproceedorgetahead.
istheworkonemayalreadyhavecommittedinthepast.
(10:30)
Meansaheightandimpliestocallsomeonetoahigherplaceorfigurativelytoahigher
purpose.Tocallsomeonewithenthusiasm,encouragementand/orrespect.
18.
(33:18)
Read&Recite
Thegeneralwordforreadingbeitabook,aletterorjustaword.
is implyingsomethingthatisreadexcessively.
(69:19)
tomakesomeoneelseread.
(87:6)
Tofollowsomethingandtocontinuetodoso.
(91:2)
toreadabookortheQuran
(29:45)
(2:102)
isthedecorationandbeautificationofsomething.Toreadsomethingcalmlyand
rhythmically.
(73:4)
Wasusedwhensomethingaged. meaningtheoutfitbecameoldand
withered. istopayattentioninordertomemorizeknowledge.Itcanonlybe
donethroughrepetitiousreading;italsoconnotescontinuousreading.
(3:79)
tostudy
toreadoffsomethingtooneanother.
(6:156)
isconsideredaderivativeoftworoots: or .Ineithercaseitis
togivedictation.Itisassumedthattheonegivingdictationisreadingsomethingtothe
listener.
19.
(25:5)
Enemy
Anenemywhowishesharmonyou,whoconstantlyplanstohurtyouandispleased
withanypain.Oppositeof
(7:22)
isanimosity.Tonolongerbeonanothersgoodside.
istheoppositeof.Tohatesomeoneorsomething.Thisisastepabove
.istheintenttohumiliatesomeone.
(5:64)
Ahater,anenemy.Itcombinestheabovetwo.
20.
(5:8)
Thisisastepabovethefirsttwo
(108:3)
Theheart,thechest&theself
Famouspartofthebodythatisthecenteroflife.Allahaddressestheheartfor
thought,understanding,andreflection.Inshortthethingsattributedtothemind/brain
inmodernscience,Allahaddressestotheheart.
(7:179)
isapartoftheheart.Itistheoutermostlayeroftheheart.Itspluralis .
istoroastmeatoveraflame. isroastedmeat.Thiswordpointsto
extremeheatandintensity.Thereforeitisusedwhenextremeemotionalstatesare
beingdiscussed.
Theactionstalkedaboutinreferencetoaretheoneshumanbeingscommitwhen
overwhelmedemotionally.
Meanschest.
(22:46)
the ismeant.Sincethatisalocation, a
Sometimesbysaying
referencetothechestismadewhenthereisanissueofspace(constrictionor
expansion).
(94:1)
Whenyouwanttokeepasecret,itistheparalleledwithhidingsomethinginasecret
place.Therefore,isusedincontextofsecretknowledgeormotivesaswell.
(40:19)
(114:5)
Thisistheentitywheredesires,dreamsandurgesrest.
Itisalsousedinreferencetosecretkeepingwhenthesecretsarebeingkeptfora
desirablemotive.
(33:37)
Goodandbaddesiresrestinthenafs
(53:23)
Happinessisalsoassociatedwiththenafs.
(4:4)