A study of some key terms of the Qur’an. Each concept is illustrated by Qur’anic verses, given here in English with the Arabic text.
Islâm, Îmân, Ihsân
إسلام — Islâm
The word islâm carries three senses. First, “to entrust oneself to someone”: if this surrender is willing, it is “assent”; in a context of war, if it is obtained by defending oneself with arms, one may speak of “submission”. Second, “adherence to peace”. Third, “to be safe and sound, spared” — for that is what peace ensures. In the commentaries, these senses are illustrated by Qur’anic passages.
First sense
“When they had both submitted (entrusted themselves) and he had laid his son down upon his forehead…” (Q 37:103)
فَلَمَّا أَسْلَمَا وَتَلَّهُ لِلْجَبِينِ
“Say to the Bedouins who stayed behind: “You will be called against a people of great might; you will fight them, or they will submit.”” (Q 48:16)
قُلْ لِلْمُخَلَّفِينَ مِنَ الْأَعْرَابِ سَتُدْعَوْنَ إِلَىٰ قَوْمٍ أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ تُقَاتِلُونَهُمْ أَوْ يُسْلِمُونَ
Second sense
“O you who believe! Enter wholly into peace, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan; he is indeed a manifest enemy to you.” (Q 2:208)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ
“And do not say to one who offers you peace, “You are not a believer,” seeking the gains of this lower world. With God there is abundant bounty. So were you before, then God favoured you. Be discerning! God is well aware of what you do.” (Q 4:94)
وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَنْ أَلْقَىٰ إِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَامَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
إيمان — Îmân
The term îmân, generally translated as “faith”, in fact means “to be secure”, “to be safeguarded”. Beyond the popular sense, faith therefore consists in guarding oneself against doubt, in making a truth secure within oneself.
“Have you not seen how God strikes a parable: a good word is like a good tree whose root is firm and whose branches reach into the sky?” (Q 14:24)
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ
“God makes firm those who believe with the firm word, in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.” (Q 14:27)
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ
إحسان — Ihsân
The term ihsân is excellent accomplishment. Its root denotes doing well, but also making beautiful. It means acting in the best way, with excellence and beauty, in worship as in conduct.
“Whoever submits (aslama) his being to God while being a doer of good (muhsin) has truly grasped the firmest handhold.” (Q 31:22)
وَمَنْ يُسْلِمْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىٰ
“There is no blame upon those who believe and do righteous deeds for what they have consumed (when it was not yet forbidden), so long as they are mindful of God, believe and do righteous deeds, then are mindful and believe, then are mindful and do good (muhsin). For God loves the doers of good (muhsinîn).” (Q 5:93)
لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوا إِذَا مَا اتَّقَوْا وَآمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَآمَنُوا ثُمَّ اتَّقَوْا وَأَحْسَنُوا وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
Conclusion. The first degree, islâm, consists in conforming outwardly to the practice. The second, îmân, is the inner adherence of faith. The third, ihsân, is perfection, excellence in worship — when one worships God as though seeing Him. These three degrees form a spiritual progression.
Religion — dîn (دِين) and milla (مِلّة)
The term dîn is generally translated as “religion”, but it also evokes the idea of judgement, requital, debt and obedience. The term milla, for its part, designates the religious community or the way followed by a group.
“His is the dominion that Day.” (Q 22:56)
لَهُ الْمُلْكُ يَوْمَئِذٍ
“Master (mâlik) of the Day of Judgement (dîn).” (Q 1:4)
مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
“That is the upright religion (dîn).” (Q 12:40)
ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ
“And who has a better religion (dîn) than one who submits his being to God while being a doer of good (muhsin), and follows the creed (milla) of Abraham, a pure monotheist (ḥanîf)?” (Q 4:125)
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا
“Religion (dîn), in God’s sight, is islâm.” (Q 3:19)
إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ
“And whoever seeks a religion (dîn) other than islâm, it will not be accepted from him.” (Q 3:85)
وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ
“Follow the creed (milla) of Abraham, a pure monotheist (ḥanîf).” (Q 3:95)
فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا
“And who would disdain the creed (milla) of Abraham, except one who fools himself?” (Q 2:130)
وَمَنْ يَرْغَبُ عَنْ مِلَّةِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِلَّا مَنْ سَفِهَ نَفْسَهُ
Soul and spirit — rûh (روح) and nafs (نَفْس)
The term rûh designates the spirit, the breath of life breathed in by God. The term nafs designates the soul, the self, which may be turned downward (the passions) or upward (serenity).
“And they ask you about the spirit (rûh). Say: “The spirit is from the command (amr) of my Lord.”” (Q 17:85)
وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي
“Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit (rûh).” (Q 32:9)
ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِهِ
“O soul (nafs) at peace! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing.” (Q 89:27-28)
يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً
“Indeed the soul (nafs) is ever inciting to evil, except for those on whom my Lord has mercy.” (Q 12:53)
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّي
“And by the soul (nafs) and Him who fashioned it, and inspired it with its wickedness and its piety.” (Q 91:7-8)
وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا
“I do not absolve my own soul (nafs), for the soul is ever inciting to evil.” (Q 12:53)
وَمَا أُبَرِّئُ نَفْسِي
Intellect — ‘aql (عَقْل)
The term ‘aql designates the intellect, reason; but its root evokes the idea of “binding”, of “holding back”. Intelligence is therefore what binds things together and what holds a person back from error.
“In that there are signs for a people who reason (ya‘qilûn).” (Q 13:4)
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
“Do you not reason (afalâ ta‘qilûn)?” (Q 2:44)
أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ
“The worst of creatures in God’s sight are the deaf and dumb who do not reason (lâ ya‘qilûn).” (Q 8:22)
إِنَّ شَرَّ الدَّوَابِّ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الصُّمُّ الْبُكْمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
“They will say: “Had we listened or reasoned (na‘qil), we would not be among the inmates of the Blaze.”” (Q 67:10)
وَقَالُوا لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ
Good actions — sâlihât (صالِحات) and hasanât (حَسَنات)
The term sâlihât designates pious works, virtuous actions that reform and improve. The term hasanât designates good deeds, benefactions — that which is beautiful and good.
“Those who believe and do good works (sâlihât): those are the people of Paradise.” (Q 2:82)
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ
“Whoever does a good work (sâlihan), male or female, while being a believer, We shall give them a good life.” (Q 16:97)
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً
“Good deeds (hasanât) drive away evil ones.” (Q 11:114)
إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ
“Whoever comes with a good deed (hasana) shall have ten times the like of it.” (Q 6:160)
مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ عَشْرُ أَمْثَالِهَا
“Repel [evil] with that which is better (ahsan).” (Q 41:34)
ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
Bad actions — sayyi’ât (سَيِّئات)
The term sayyi’ât designates bad actions, that which harms and disfigures. The root evokes the idea of what is evil, of what afflicts.
“Whoever commits a sin (sayyi’a) does so only against himself.” (Q 4:111)
وَمَنْ يَكْسِبْ إِثْمًا فَإِنَّمَا يَكْسِبُهُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ
“The requital of an evil deed (sayyi’a) is an evil deed like it.” (Q 42:40)
وَجَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِثْلُهَا
“And when an affliction (sayyi’a) befalls them, they ascribe it to the ill omen of Moses.” (Q 7:131)
وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَىٰ
“Whatever good (hasana) befalls you is from God, and whatever evil (sayyi’a) befalls you is from yourself.” (Q 4:79)
مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ
“And whoever does an evil (sû’) or wrongs himself, then asks God’s forgiveness, will find God Forgiving and Merciful.” (Q 4:110)
وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءًا أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ يَجِدِ اللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
Guidance — hudā (هُدى) and rushd (رُشْد)
The term hudā designates guidance, direction toward the straight path. The term rushd designates uprightness, maturity, the discernment that leads to the right choice.
“It is a guidance (hudā) and a mercy for the doers of good.” (Q 31:3)
هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِلْمُحْسِنِينَ
“As for him who feared the standing before his Lord and restrained the soul from desire, Paradise will be the refuge.” (Q 79:40-41)
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ
“There is no compulsion in religion! Right guidance (rushd) has become distinct from error.” (Q 2:256)
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ
“And We had already given Abraham his right judgement (rushd) before.” (Q 21:51)
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ رُشْدَهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ
“Perhaps my Lord will guide me (yahdiyani) to what is nearer than this in rightness (rashad).” (Q 18:24)
عَسَىٰ أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَٰذَا رَشَدًا
The path
Several Qur’anic terms designate the “path” or the “way”, with nuances:
- سُنّة — sunna: the way that has been traced, the established custom, the habitual practice.
- مِنْهاج — minhâj: the clear and broad way, the method.
- شِرْعة — shir‘a: the way of access to water, the revealed law.
- سبيل — sabîl: the road, the way one takes (often fî sabîl Allâh, “in the way of God”).
- سِراط — sirât: the straight way, the great road (sirât mustaqîm).
- طريق — tarîq: the path, the way, the road travelled.
Interpretation — tafsîr (تَفْسِير) and ta’wîl (تَأْوِيل)
The term tafsîr designates explanation, the commentary on the apparent meaning. The term ta’wîl designates the interpretation that traces back to the origin, to the deeper or final meaning.
“They bring you no parable but that We bring you the truth and a better interpretation (tafsîr).” (Q 25:33)
وَلَا يَأْتُونَكَ بِمَثَلٍ إِلَّا جِئْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَحْسَنَ تَفْسِيرًا
“This is the interpretation (ta’wîl) of my dream of long ago.” (Q 12:100)
هَٰذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُؤْيَايَ مِنْ قَبْلُ
“Do they await only its final interpretation (ta’wîl)? The Day its interpretation comes…” (Q 7:53)
هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا تَأْوِيلَهُ يَوْمَ يَأْتِي تَأْوِيلُهُ
“None knows its interpretation (ta’wîl) except God. And those firmly grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in it.”” (Q 3:7)
وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ
Creation
Several Qur’anic verbs express the act of creating, with nuances:
- بدَع — bada‘a: to create without a prior model, to originate (hence badî‘, the absolute Originator).
- ذرَأ — dhara’a: to create by multiplying, by scattering (offspring).
- فطَر — fatara: to create by cleaving, to bring forth the origin (hence fiṭra, the primordial nature).
- برَأ — bara’a: to create by distinguishing, by bringing into existence from nothing (hence al-Bâri’).
- أَنْشَأَ — ansha’a: to make grow, to bring forth gradually.
- خَلَقَ — khalaqa: to create by measuring, by proportioning (the most general term).
Forgiveness
Several Qur’anic verbs express forgiveness, with nuances:
- رأَف — ra’afa: to feel a tender, delicate compassion (hence al-Ra’ûf).
- تاب / يَتُوب — tâba: to return (forgiveness as a mutual return: the servant returns to God, and God turns back to him).
- صفَح — safaha: to turn the page, to forgive by turning away from the fault.
- عَفا / يَعْفو — ‘afâ: to efface, to pardon, to make the fault as though it had never existed.
- غفَر — ghafara: to cover, to protect (hence al-Ghafûr, the One who covers faults).
- رحِم — rahima: to show mercy, to envelop in love.