Taraweeh Top 🔟 :

Juz 14 (Surah Al Hijr and Surah An Nahl).

Here are 10 fruits 🍐 from the language of the Quran:

1.) The word الأَمَلُ means “hope,” ☀ as appears in the following verse: ذَرْهُمْ يَأْكُلُوا۟ وَيَتَمَتَّعُوا۟ وَيُلْهِهِمُ ٱلْأَمَلُ ۖ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ [“˹So˺ let them eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by ˹false˺ hope, for they will soon know” (15:3)]. Its root is (أ - م - ل), which has the primary meaning of establishment and waiting ⌛ for something. The word الأَمَلٌ means “hope,” and it has this meaning because hope is established and anticipated for. This is because الأمَل is like الرَّجَاء, which is hope that is realistic and probable. In grammar and rhetoric, this is also called التَّرَجِّي. In contrast, there is hope that is unlikely or impossible to actually happen, which some refer to as “wishful thinking,” and in grammar and rhetoric, it is referred to as التَّمَنِّي.

2.) The word أَجَل means “appointed term, due date 📅,” as appears in the following verse: مَّا تَسْبِقُ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلَهَا وَمَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ [“No people can advance their doom, nor can they delay it” (15:5)]. According to classical sources, the root is (أ - ج - ل), which has several distinct root meanings. The first meaning refers to the furthest allowed extent of the repayment of debt, which fits with the word أَجَل in this verse. The second meaning is to delay something, and this is where we get the verb أَجِلَ - يَأْجَلُ, which means to delay payment of debt, for example.

3.) The root (ع - ر - ج) has several root meanings. The first is that of inclination towards something. From this root meaning, we get the adjective أَعْرَجُ (masculine) and عَرْجَاءُ (feminine), which refers to a person who leans to one side while walking due to a physical defect in his/her legs. The second is that of ascension and raising. This is where we get the verb عَرَج - يَعْرُجُ - عُرُوجٌ, which means “to ascend/rise.” This is where we get the word المِعْرَاجُ, referring to the ascent of the Prophet ﷺ to the heavens during his Night Journey. This verb is also seen in the following verse with this meaning of ascension: وَلَوْ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَابًۭا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَظَلُّوا۟ فِيهِ يَعْرُجُونَ [“And even if We opened for them a gate to heaven, through which they continued to ascend” (15:14)].

4.) The root (س - ك - ر) revolves around the meaning of confusion. From this, we obtain the word السُّكْرُ, which refers to alcohol, as its intoxicating effects cause confusion in the minds of the inebriated. This meaning also related to the passive Form II verb سُكِّرَتْ, as appears in the following verse: لَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا سُكِّرَتْ أَبْصَـٰرُنَا بَلْ نَحْنُ قَوْمٌۭ مَّسْحُورُونَ [“still they would say, “Our eyes have truly been dazzled! In fact, we must have been bewitched” (15:15)]. This verb gives the meaning of confusion and bewilderment, and in this ayah, it refers to the disbelievers being confused if they were to be placed in Paradise, as a way of showing that no matter what the disbelievers see from the Truth, they will deny it.

5.) The root (ز - ي - ن) refers to the beauty of something. From this root, we obtain the commonly-known male name of زَينٌ, which literally means “beauty 🌹.” And the Form II verb زَيَّنَ means “to beautify, adorn,” as appears in the following verse: وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجًۭا وَزَيَّنَّـٰهَا لِلنَّـٰظِرِينَ [“Indeed, We have placed constellations in the sky, and adorned it for all to see” (15:16)], in which the Quran states that God adorned the sky with constellations. ⭐

6.) The root (ر - ج - م) means “to pelt with stones 🪨.” From this root, we obtain the word الرِّجَامُ, which refers to the stones themselves. The verb رَجَمَ means “to pelt someone with stones.” Interestingly, the verb رَجَمَ also means to insult someone (شَتَمَ), as if they are pelting them with “stones” of insult, as appears in verse 19:46. And the adjective رَجِيمٌ can also more generally mean accursed, as seen in the verse: وَحَفِظْنَـٰهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيْطَـٰنٍۢ رَّجِيمٍ [“And We protected it from every accursed devil” (15:17)], in which the Shaytan is referred to as “accursed.”

7.) In the first ayah of Surah An Nahl, God is described with the phrase سُبْحَانَهُ, which is usually translated as “Glorified is He,” as the Quran states: أَتَىٰٓ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ [“The command of Allah is at hand, so do not hasten it. Glorified and Exalted is He above what they associate” (16:1)]. However, while this is correct, the actual meaning of this is much deeper. When we say سُبْحَانَ الله, what this more accurately means is that “God is far beyond any description that does not befit His Majesty.” This is referred to in Tafsir Books as التَّنزِيه. The root (س - ب - ح) has the general meaning of worship (عبادة). As for the first root meaning, this is where we get the word السُّبْحَةُ, which refers to optional prayers (نَوَافِلُ).

8.) The verb تَعَالَى means “to be exalted,” and is commonly attributed to God, such as in the verse: خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ تَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ (“He created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. Exalted is He above what they associate with Him” (16:3)]. The root is (ع - ل - و), which refers to ascension and rising (just as the previous root of ع - ر - ج as well). This is apt to describe God, as God is Exalted above all else. We do not mean physical elevation, as that is not applicable to God, but rather elevation of rank and honor, as nothing is above God in this sense.

9.) The root (د - ف - ء) refers to physical warmth ☀ and the absence of cold ❄. From this root, we obtain the word دِفْءٌ, which means “physical warmth,” as seen in the following verse: وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمَ خَلَقَهَا ۗ لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌۭ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ [“And He created the cattle for you as a source of warmth, benefits, and that from which you all eat” (16:5)]. In this verse, God reminds us of the blessings of cattle, from which we obtain many blessings, including warmth and sustenance. In fact, the Arabs use the word دِفْءٌ to refer to the milk of cattle 🐄(and camels 🐫) due to its inherent warm nature. Interestingly, from this root, we also get the word الدَّفَئِيُّ, which refers to rainfall 🌦 specifically in the summer season, called as such because it is warmer rain in the summer. Also, the word المُدْفَأَةُ refers to many camels 🐪 huddled together, as they warm each other due to their huddled body heat.

10.) The root (ن - ب - ت) refers to the growth of herbs 🌿, crops 🌽, plants 🎍, and the like. From this root, we obtain the word نَبَاتٌ, which means “plant.” The verb أَنْبَتَ - يُنْبِتُ means “to plant something,” and its مَصْدَر (gerund) is إِنْبَاتٌ (the process/action of planting), and is seen in the following verse: يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرْعَ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلْأَعْنَـٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ [“With it He produces for you ˹various˺ crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and every type of fruit. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect” (16:11)].