Tarawih Top Five, Ramadan 2026🌙

Juz 24 (Az-Zumar Verse 32 Through Fussilat Verse 46)

Here are 5 fruits 🍐 from the language of Quran:

1.) The root (ق - ب - ل) refers to the central concept of coming face-to-face with something. From this root, we obtain the word كَعْبَة (“Kaabah), so called because the Ka’bah 🕋 is what Muslims face when praying, and the Ka’bah is also “facing” Muslims. Also from this root, we obtain the verb قَبِلَ - يَقْبَل, which means “to accept.” Also from this root is the Form V verb تَقَبَّلَ, which also means “to accept.” We see this in a common dua; تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنْكَ صَالِحِ الأعْمَالِ وَالْأَدْعِيَةِ (“may Allah accept from you the most righteous of actions and supplications”).  We also derive the اسم الفاعل (doer pattern) from this verb, which is قَابِلٌ (“acceptor”). This is one of the Names used to describe Allah in ayah 40:3 of Surah Ghafir: غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ *وَقَابِلِ* ٱلتَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ ٱلْعِقَابِ ذِى ٱلطَّوْلِ ۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ إِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ (“the Forgiver of sin and *_Acceptor_* of repentance, the Severe in punishment, and Infinite in bounty. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. To Him ˹alone˺  is the final return”).

2.) The word (ب - ل- د) has a variety of derived meanings, but its core root meaning involves the chest/bosom (الصَّدْر). From this root, we obtain the Form V verb تَبَلَّدَ, which is used to indicate the moment of one’s hand to one’s chest to suggest a state of confusion. Also from this root, we obtain the word بَلَد and its plural of بِلَاد, which can refer to either “countries” or “cities.”  We see this word in its plural form in verse 40:4 of Surah Ghafir: مَا يُجَـٰدِلُ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَلَا يَغْرُرْكَ تَقَلُّبُهُمْ فِى *ٱلْبِلَـٰدِ* (“None disputes the signs of Allah except the disbelievers, so do not be deceived by their prosperity throughout *_the land_*”).  

3.) The root (د - ح - ض) has two primary root meanings: the first involves disappearance or vanishing, and the second involves the concept of sliding. From the second root meaning, we obtain the verb دَحَضَ, which has a variety of meanings, one of which is “to slide” and another is “to refute.” Yet another meaning of this verb is to disappear.  Regarding the meaning of refutation, this is aligned with the root meaning of “disappearance,” in that the refutation of a point is as if it is being made to vanish. We see this usage in ayah 40:5 of Surah Ghafir: كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍۢ وَٱلْأَحْزَابُ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ ۖ وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍۭ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ ۖ وَجَـٰدَلُوا۟ بِٱلْبَـٰطِلِ *لِيُدْحِضُوا۟* بِهِ ٱلْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ ۖ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَابِ (“Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth˺, as did ˹other˺ enemy forces afterwards. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him, and argued in falsehood, ˹hoping˺ *_to discredit_* the truth with it. So I seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment”). 

4.) The root (ص - ح - ب) refers to the central concept of comparison and proximity/nearness. From this root, we obtain the verb صَحِبَ - يَصْحَبُ, which means “to befriend, accompany.” Also from this root, we obtain the adjectival version/doer pattern of صَاحِب (“companion”) and its plural of صَحَابَة (“companions”) as well as أَصْحَاب (“companions”). We see this word used frequently in the Quran, such as in ayah 40:6 of Surah Ghafir: وَكَذَٰلِكَ حَقَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُمْ *أَصْحَـٰبُ* ٱلنَّارِ (“And so your Lord’s decree has been proven true against the disbelievers — that they will be the *_Companions_* of the Fire”). Note here that the word أَصْحَاب can be used in a figurative manner to refer to the Companions of Hellfire or to the Companions of Paradise. 

5.) The root (ع - د - ن) refers to the central idea of stability and establishment. From this root, we obtain the word عَدْن, which has a few different meanings, one of which is that referring to جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ, commonly translated as “Gardens of Eden”, but the word عَدْن more accurately means establishment, similar to saying “The Gardens of Establishment.” We see this usage frequently in the Quran, including in verse 40:8 of Surah Ghafir: رَبَّنَا وَأَدْخِلْهُمْ جَنَّـٰتِ *عَدْنٍ* ٱلَّتِى وَعَدتَّهُمْ وَمَن صَلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَآئِهِمْ وَأَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ (“Our Lord! Admit them into the Gardens of Eternity [*_Establishment_*] which You have promised them, along with the righteous among their parents, spouses, and descendants. You ˹alone˺ are truly the Almighty, All-Wise”).