Tarāwīh Top 🔟, Ramadan 2026🌙
Juz 4 (Ali Imran, Verse 93 to An-Nisa Verse 23)
Here are 10 fruits 🍐 from the language of Quran:
1.) The root (و - ض - ع) has one primary root meaning, and that is to lower something down. From this, we obtain the verb وَضَعَ, which means “to put something down.” For example, وَضَعْتُهُ بِالأَرْضِ (“I placed it on the ground”). This verb is also used in a more figurative way for childbirth. For example, if we say وَضَعَتْ الْمَرْأَةُ وَلَدَهَا, this means “the woman gave birth to her child” (literally: “the woman *_placed_* her son”). This verb is also seen in its passive form as وُضِعَ (“he/it _was_ placed), as seen in ayah 3:96 as such: إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ *وُضِعَ* لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًۭا وَهُدًۭى لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ (“Surely the first House ˹of worship˺ established [*_was placed_*] for humanity is the one at Bakkah—a blessed sanctuary and a guide for ˹all˺ people”). In this verse, we see that the use of this passive verb indicates that the first house of worship _was placed/put_ in Bakkah (which was the name before Mecca was called Mecca).
2.) The root (ح - ب - ل) gives the meaning of the extension and lengthening of something. From this root, we obtain the word حَـبْـلٌ (“rope/cord”) 🪢, and this word is used figuratively in the Quran to refer to the “Rope” of Allah, as is seen in ayah 3:103 as such: وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ *بِحَبْلِ* ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا۟ ۚ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَآءًۭ فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِۦٓ إِخْوَٰنًۭا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ (“And hold firmly together *_to the rope_* of Allah and do not be divided. Remember Allah’s favour upon you when you were enemies, then He united your hearts, so you—by His grace—became brothers. And you were at the brink of a fiery pit and He saved you from it. This is how Allah makes His revelations clear to you, so that you may be ˹rightly˺ guided”). Scholars differ as to what حَبْل exactly refers to. Some say that it refers to obedience (طَاعَة) and staying as a cohesive and unified group (جَمَاعَة), while other scholars say that it refers to sincerity (إِخْلَاص) to Allah.
3.) The root (ب - ي - ض) refers to the “whiteness” of a thing as its color. From this root, we derive the word بَـيْـضٌ (“eggs”) 🥚, so called because eggs are generally white in color. Also from this root, we obtain the Form IX verb اِبْـيَـضَّ (“to be whitened”). This can be used literally to refer to, for example, the whiteness of the eyes, or figuratively to refer to happiness and delight. We see this figurative usage in ayah 3:106, in which the verse states: يَوْمَ *تَبْيَضُّ* وُجُوهٌۭ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌۭ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ (“On that Day some faces *_will be bright_* while others gloomy. To the gloomy-faced it will be said, “Did you disbelieve after having believed? So taste the punishment for your disbelief”). In this verse, we see the figurative use of this verb: those who faces are “whitened” will be exuberant and felicitous on the Day of Judgment.
4.) The root (س - و - د) refers to the “blackness” of a thing as its color. This is the converse of the previous root (ب - ي - ض), referring to the “whiteness” of a thing, as these two roots are juxtaposed. Just as the root (ب - ي - ض) can be used figuratively to refer to happiness and exuberance, the root (س - و - د) can be used figuratively to indicate the opposite: wretchedness and sadness. From this root, we obtain the Form IX verb اِسْوَدَّ (“to become blackened”), which can be used literally or figuratively. If used figuratively, it can have the meaning of misery and wretchedness, as occurs in ayah 3:106, in which the verse states: يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌۭ *وَتَسْوَدُّ* وُجُوهٌۭ ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ *ٱسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ* أَكَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ (“On that Day some faces will be bright while others *_gloomy_*. To the *_gloomy-faced_* it will be said, “Did you disbelieve after having believed? So taste the punishment for your disbelief”). Here, we see the figurative use of this root to indicate that those whose faces are “blackened” indicate their wretchedness and regret on the Day of Judgment.
5.) The root (ب - ط - ن) refers to the inner aspect of a thing, including that which is hidden to the outside world. From this root, we obtain the word بَاطِن, referring to the inner aspect of something. We also obtain the word بِطَانَة, which according to Ibn ‘Ashur, linguistically refers to the inner aspect of one’s garment, and it also can refer to the undergarment that is worn beneath another external garment. Then, from this linguistic meaning comes a more figurative meaning for the word بِطَانَة, referring to a person’s close friend who knows the inner workings of that person, so called because this friend acts as his/her “inner garment” 👕 due to how close he/she is to that person. We see this word بِطَانَة used in ayah 3:118 as such: يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا۟ *بِطَانَةًۭ* مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًۭا وَدُّوا۟ مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ ٱلْبَغْضَآءُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِى صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (“O believers! Do not take as *_close associates_* those who would not miss a chance to harm you. Their only desire is to see you suffer. Their prejudice has become evident from what they say—and what their hearts hide is far worse. We have made Our revelations clear to you, if only you understood”). The context of this verse is that the believers were advised to not take the disbelievers as their close friends, even if they had been friends before.
6.) The word يَتِيم refers to an “orphan.” Its plural is يَتَامَى, and يُـتْـم refers to “orphanhood.” The concept of orphanhood in Arabic is slightly different than how it is understood in English. In English, an orphan is one who has lost both of his/her parents, but in Arabic, the word يَتِيم refers to the loss of one’s father. The Arabic word for the one who has lost his/her mother only is العَجِيّ, and the one who has lost both of his/her parents اللَّطِيم.
This word يَتِيم and its plural of يَتَامَى is seen frequently in the Quran, such as in ayah 4:2 of Surah Al Nisa, it the verse states: وَءَاتُوا۟ *ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰٓ* أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا۟ ٱلْخَبِيثَ بِٱلطَّيِّبِ ۖ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ حُوبًۭا كَبِيرًۭا (“Give *_orphans_* their wealth ˹when they reach maturity˺, and do not exchange your worthless possessions for their valuables, nor cheat them by mixing their wealth with your own. For this would indeed be a great sin”).
7.) The root (ح - و - ب) refers to a few concepts: sin, need, and poverty. How are these related? This root refers to someone in poverty and need, this need leads one to commit sin. From this root, we obtain the word حُوب (“sin”), such as occurs in ayah 4:2 of Surah Al Nisa, it the verse states: وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰٓ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَتَبَدَّلُوا۟ ٱلْخَبِيثَ بِٱلطَّيِّبِ ۖ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوٓا۟ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَمْوَٰلِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ *حُوبًا* كَبِيرًۭا (“Give orphans their wealth ˹when they reach maturity˺, and do not exchange your worthless possessions for their valuables, nor cheat them by mixing their wealth with your own. For this would indeed be a great *_sin_*”). What is the difference between إِثْم and حُوب, while both of them translate to “sin”? The word حُوب refers to a much graver sin than إِثْم, so one might translate حُوب closer to “atrocity.”
8.) The root (ع - و - ل) revolves around the concept of inclining towards oppression and injustice. From this root, we obtain the past tense verb عَال and the present tense verb يَعُولُ (“to oppress and deviate from the truth”). This verb can also be used in the context of deficiency in measurements and scales (المِيزَان). We see this verb used in its masculine plural second-person form in ayah 4:3 as such: وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا *تَعُولُوا۟* (“If you fear you might fail to give orphan women their ˹due˺ rights ˹if you were to marry them˺, then marry other women of your choice—two, three, or four. But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one or those ˹bondwomen˺ in your possession. This way you are less likely to *_commit injustice_*”). Scholars differ as to how to understand this verb in this unique context. The majority opinion is that this verb means “to oppress,” so the Quranic injunction is not to oppress here.
9.) The root (ط - ي - ب) refers to purity and the antithesis of filth. From this root, we obtain the verb طاب (“to be pure/wholesome/goodly in nature”), and we also obtain the adjective طَيِّب (“goodly/wholesome”). What is considered pure and wholesome? According to classical Arabic literature, that which is pure and wholesome is that which pleases the bodily senses and the soul. However, in the Islamic sciences, that which is طَيِّب is halal and from a good source. The verbal version of this root is seen in the feminine plural form (which itself is a relatively uncommon conjugation) in ayah 4:4 of Surah An Nisa, wherein it states: وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلنِّسَآءَ صَدُقَـٰتِهِنَّ نِحْلَةًۭ ۚ فَإِن *طِبْنَ* لَكُمْ عَن شَىْءٍۢ مِّنْهُ نَفْسًۭا فَكُلُوهُ هَنِيٓـًۭٔا مَّرِيٓـًۭٔا (“Give women ˹you wed˺ their due dowries graciously. But if they waive some of it willingly [if they *_are purified_* of] , then you may enjoy it freely with a clear conscience”).
10.) The root (ك - س - و) means to clothe 👕 someone. The past tense is كَسَا and the present tense is يَكْسُو (“to clothe”). We see this verb in the masculine plural second-person command form (الأمر) in verse 4:5 in Surah An-Nisa, wherein the verse states: وَلَا تُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلسُّفَهَآءَ أَمْوَٰلَكُمُ ٱلَّتِى جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ قِيَـٰمًۭا وَٱرْزُقُوهُمْ فِيهَا *وَٱكْسُوهُمْ* وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًۭا مَّعْرُوفًۭا (“Do not entrust the incapable ˹among your dependants˺ with your wealth which Allah has made a means of support for you—but feed *_and clothe them_* from it, and speak to them kindly”). This verse instructs the believers to clothe 👔 and feed 🍞 those who are dependent on them for their subsistence.
This verb is also used in the first-person (referring to God) “clothing” bones 🦴 with muscle 🍖, used in a rhetorically eloquent manner in ayah 23:14 of Surah Al Mu’minun, in which the verse states: ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا ٱلنُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةًۭ فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةًۭ فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْمُضْغَةَ عِظَـٰمًۭا *فَكَسَوْنَا ٱلْعِظَـٰمَ لَحْمًۭا* ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَـٰهُ خَلْقًا ءَاخَرَ ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقِينَ (“then We developed the drop into a clinging clot, then developed the clot into a lump ˹of flesh˺, then developed the lump into bones, *_then We clothed the bones with flesh_*, then We brought it into being as a new creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators”). Here, this is a more figurative use of the verb “to clothe,” in that Allah covers the bones with flesh as a means of “clothing” them.