Near-synonyms: sea and mountain, gardens and fruits

The sea

بَحْر / يَمّ / لُجّة

The word بَحْر denotes the sea in general. The word يَمّ adds a notion of depth and volume. This is why it is sometimes also used for great rivers such as the Nile, particularly in the Qur’an.

As for the word لُجّة, it evokes the impetuosity of the waves, or the swell. Its root also evokes tumult.

قِيلَ لَهَا ادْخُلِي الصَّرْحَ فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ حَسِبَتْهُ لُجَّةً وَكَشَفَتْ عَنْ سَاقَيْهَا
She was told: « Enter the palace. » But when she saw it, she took it for deep water and bared her legs. (27:44)

فَانْتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُمْ فِي الْيَمِّ
So We took vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea. (7:136)

أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِنْ فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ
Or [their deeds] are like darknesses in a deep sea covered by a wave, above which is another wave, above which is a cloud — darknesses piled one upon another. (24:40)

The mountains

جَبَل / طُور / عَلَم

The word جبل is used for mountains in general. Note that its root also carries the meanings: to create, to mould, to gather, to knead. This sense is found in the Qur’anic word of the same root جِبِلّة, notably in the verse: وَاتَّقُوا الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ وَالْجِبِلَّةَ الْأَوَّلِينَ — « And be mindful of the One who created you, you and the earlier generations » (26:184).

The word طُور is generally described as a mountain on which trees or vegetation grow. Its root also evokes the limit or boundary, as well as the period or phase (see the word طَوْر). But this is probably unrelated, for some commentators suggest that this word is of Syriac origin.

As for the word عَلَم, it originally denotes a landmark: something known, as its root suggests. Since (great) mountains are landmarks by nature, this word is often used to designate them.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ الْجَوَارِ فِي الْبَحْرِ كَالْأَعْلَامِ
And among His signs are the ships sailing through the sea like mountains. (42:32)

وَشَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ طُورِ سَيْنَاءَ تَنْبُتُ بِالدُّهْنِ وَصِبْغٍ لِلْآكِلِينَ
And a tree (the olive) that grows on Mount Sinai, producing oil and a condiment for those who eat. (23:20)

فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا
But when his Lord manifested Himself to the mountain, He levelled it to dust. (7:143)

The gardens

حَدِيقة / رَوْضة / جَنَّة

حَدِيقة — Through its root, this word evokes roundness. It thus refers to an enclosed garden, whether naturally because it stands on a height, or because it is surrounded by a fence or a wall.

رَوْضة — Denotes a place where water is abundant, and therefore very green and lush. Some authors add that it is a basin, hence the accumulation of water and the greenery.

جَنَّة — Originally, this word denotes a garden in which there are trees (an orchard), and more specifically date palms. In the Qur’an, it often (but not always) denotes Paradise.

وَأَنْزَلَ لَكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنْبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَائِقَ ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ
And He sent down for you water from the sky, by which We caused lush gardens to grow. (27:60)

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فِي رَوْضَاتِ الْجَنَّاتِ
And those who are faithful and do righteous deeds will be in the verdant meadows of the gardens. (42:22)

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ جَعَلْنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيْنِ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ
Set forth for them the parable of two men: to one of them We had given two gardens of grapevines. (18:32)

The fruits

فاكهة / ثَمْرة

فاكهة — The root of this word carries the idea of joy and delight. It thus evokes ripe fruits that are pleasant to eat. This is no doubt why it is almost always this word that is used to describe the fruits of Paradise.

ثَمْرة — This word is more general than the first. It denotes everything that plants and trees produce. It is generally this word that is used to speak of the fruits or agricultural produce of this lower world.

إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ الْيَوْمَ فِي شُغُلٍ فَاكِهُونَ هُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُمْ فِي ظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ مُتَّكِئُونَ لَهُمْ فِيهَا فَاكِهَةٌ وَلَهُمْ مَا يَدَّعُونَ
That Day, the inhabitants of Paradise will be busy rejoicing. They and their spouses will be in shade, reclining on adorned couches. There they will have fruits and whatever they call for. (36:55-57)

وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنْشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ وَالنَّخْلَ وَالزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ كُلُوا مِنْ ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثْمَرَ وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ
It is He who brings forth gardens trellised and untrellised, palm trees and crops of varied taste, olives and pomegranates, alike and unlike. Eat of their fruit when they bear fruit, and pay its due on the day of harvest. (6:141)