Tarawih Top 🔟, Ramadan 2026🌙

Juz 8 (Al-An’aam Verse 111 through Al-A’raf Verse 87)

Here are 10 fruits 🍐 from the language of Quran:

1.) The root (ج - ه - ل) has two primary root meanings: the first is ignorance (the absence of knowledge) and the second is the lack of peace of mind. Regarding the second root meaning, we obtain the Form X verb اِسْتَجْهَلَ, which means to shake violently, so called because this violent disturbance is a lack of tranquility. From the first root meaning, we obtain the word جَهْل (“ignorance”), which is commonly known as the antithesis of knowledge. This word is seen commonly in the Quran, such as its present-tense third-person masculine plural form in verse 6:111 of Surah Al-An’am: وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ قُبُلًۭا مَّا كَانُوا۟ لِيُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ *يَجْهَلُونَ* (“Even if We had sent them the angels, made the dead speak to them, and assembled before their own eyes every sign ˹they demanded˺, they still would not have believed—unless Allah so willed. But most of them *_are ignorant_* ˹of this˺).  

2.) The root (ز - خ - ر - ف) is a quadriliteral (four-letter) root that revolves around the concept of beauty and adornment. From this root, we obtain the word زُخْرُف (“adornment”). This word originally referred to “gold” (ذَهَبٌ) in the language, but then came to mean any adornment in general. In the Quran, this word often is used in the context of the adornment of the dunya, and how this deludes people from the other-worldly goal.  We see this word used in verse 6:112 of Surah Al An’am: وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّۭا شَيَـٰطِينَ ٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلْجِنِّ يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ *زُخْرُفَ* ٱلْقَوْلِ غُرُورًۭا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ (“And so We have made for every prophet enemies—devilish humans and jinn—whispering to one another with elegant *_[adorned]_* words of deception. Had it been your Lord’s Will, they would not have done such a thing. So leave them and their deceit”). In this ayah, the devils are “adorning” their words with falsehood and deceit.

3.) The root (غ - ر - ر) refers to the idea of deceit and dupery. From this root, we derive the past-tense verb غَرَّ and its present-tense verb of يَغُرُّ, as well as its masdar (verbal noun) of غُرُورٌ. We also obtain the word غِفْلَة from this root, which means “heedlessness while awake,” as if to say that the person is deceived and deluded while awake. We see the word غُرُور used in verse 6:112 of Surah Al An’am: وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّۭا شَيَـٰطِينَ ٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلْجِنِّ يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ ٱلْقَوْلِ *غُرُورًا* ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ (“And so We have made for every prophet enemies—devilish humans and jinn—whispering to one another with elegant adorned words of *_deception_*. Had it been your Lord’s Will, they would not have done such a thing. So leave them and their deceit”). In this ayah, the devils are “adorning” their words with falsehood and deceit.

4.) The root (ص - غ  - و) means “to incline towards.” This is quite similar to the verb مَالَ, which also means to incline towards. The past-tense verb that is derived from this root is صَغِيَ and its present tense is يَصْغَى, which means “to incline towards.” The Form IV version of this verb (أَصْغَى) means “to listen attentively to.”  We see the Form I present tense version (تَصْغَى) (“to incline towards”) in ayah 6:113 of Surah Al An’am: *وَلِتَصْغَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ* أَفْـِٔدَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا۟ مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَ (“so that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter *_may be inclined to it_*, be pleased with it, and be persistent in their evil pursuits”). In this ayah, the hearts of the disbelievers are inclining towards the elegant and adorned words of deceit that were mentioned in the previous verse above. 

5.) The root (ق - ر - ف) alludes to the idea of mixing, as well as wearing something and being plated with something, like armor 👕. From this root, we obtain the word قِرْف which refers to the peel/covering of a fruit 🍐, so called because it “plates” and “protects” the fruit, as if to say it “clothes it.” Also from this root, we obtain the Form VI verb اِقْتَرَفَ (“to acquire”), which is often used to give the meaning of committing a sin, in the sense that the sin is being acquired, as if to say the person is “wearing” the sin or being “armored” by it. We see this verb used in verse 6:113 of Surah Al An’am: وَلِتَصْغَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِ أَفْـِٔدَةُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ *وَلِيَقْتَرِفُوا۟* مَا *هُم مُّقْتَرِفُونَ* (“so that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter may be inclined to it, be pleased with it, and *_continue to commit_* that *_they are committing_*”). In this verse, the verb is being used to refer to the sins that the disbelievers are committing.

6.) The root (ب - ي - ت) refers to the idea of refuge and solace for a person at night. From this root, we obtain the word بَيْت (“house”) 🏠, so called because a house is a sanctuary and refuge for people at night, wherein they sleep 💤. From this root, we also obtain the verb بَاتَ, which means to stay at a place at the night.  Also from this root, we obtain the ism بَيَات, which means to to pursue an enemy at night 🌃. We see this word used in ayah 7:4 of Surah Al-A’raf: وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا فَجَآءَهَا بَأْسُنَا *بَيَـٰتًا* أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ (“˹Imagine˺ how many societies We have destroyed! Our torment took them by surprise ˹while sleeping˺ *_at night_* or midday”). 

7.) The root (ب - ء - س) refers to intensity and difficulty. From this root, we obtain the word بَأْس, which refers to intensity during war.  In fact, a man can be described as بَأْس, in this case describing him as brave 🦁. Another derived word is بُؤْس, which means “misery,” so called because it involves difficulty in one’s living. Also from this root, we obtain the verb بِئْسَ, which means (“how wretched …!”), and is used frequently in the Quran. We see the word بَأْس in verse 7:4 in Surah Al-A’raf: وَكَم مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهَا فَجَآءَهَا *بَأْسُنَا* بَيَـٰتًا أَوْ هُمْ قَآئِلُونَ (“˹Imagine˺ how many societies We have destroyed! *_Our torment_* took them by surprise ˹while sleeping˺ at night or midday”). 

8.) The root (ن - ظ - ر) refers to contemplation on something, as well as seeing it with one’s eyes. From this root, we derive the verb نَظَرَ (“to see”).” We also derive the Form VIII verb اِنْتَظَرَ (“to wait”), so called because when one waits, it is as if they are looking at the time to elapse. Also from this root, we obtain the Form IV verb أَنْظَرَ, which means “to give respite” or “to delay something.” We see this verb used in verses 14-15 of Surah Al-Ar’af: قَالَ *أَنظِرْنِىٓ* إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ قَالَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ *ٱلْمُنظَرِينَ* (“He appealed, “Then *_delay_* my end until the Day of their resurrection.”  Allah said, “*_You are delayed_* ˹until the appointed Day˺”).  In this ayah, God gives respite and a delay to Shaytan until the Day of Judgment.

9.) The root (ذ - ء - م) refers to the idea of repugnancy and defect, as well as coercion. From this root, we obtain the Form IV verb أَذْأَمَ, which means “to coerce.” The Form I verb ذَأَمَ means “to debase or humiliate someone.” The word الذَّأْم refers to عَيْب (“shame/defect”). We also obtain the adjective مَذْءُوم (“that which is debased/disgraced”), as we see in verse 7:18 of Surah Al-A’raf: قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا *مَذْءُومًۭا* مَّدْحُورًۭا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (“Allah said, “Get out of Paradise! You are *_disgraced_* and rejected! I will certainly fill up Hell with you and your followers all together”). In this verse, God expels Iblees from Jannah, informing him that he is disgraced and cursed until the End of Times. 

10.) The root (م - ل - ء) refers to filling up something. From this root, we obtain the Form I verb مَلَأ, which means “to fill up,” similar to how a pot is filled with water 🚰. We also derive the ism المَلَأ, which has a very different meaning: “assembly” or “congregation.” In fact, when we say المَلَأُ الأَعْلَى, this linguistically means “The Higher Assembly,” but refers to the Angelic Assembly.”  We see the Form I verb مَلَأَ used in its emphatic form in verse 7:18 of Surah Al-A’raf: قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ *لَأَمْلَأَنَّ* جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (“Allah said, “Get out of Paradise! You are disgraced and rejected! *_I will certainly fill up_* Hell with you and your followers all together”).