Near-synonyms: garments

Garments

سِرْبال (pl. سرابيل) / ثَوْب (pl. ثِياب) / لِباس (pl. ألْبِسة)

The root ل ب س carries the idea of « clothing », but also of « confusion », « ambiguity » and « concealment ». The two verbs لبِس (« to clothe oneself ») and لبَس (« to make confused ») are indeed often confused. The link lies in the fact that the لِباس is, in a sense, a second skin that makes appearances « intermingle »; clothing makes the personality « confused ». The proper name of the Devil in Arabic is none other than Iblîs — « the disguiser of reality », so to speak. Since the لِباس is what « clings to the skin », it is also used metaphorically in expressions such as « the garment of hunger » or « the garment of piety ».

The root ث و ب evokes return, as in the verb ثاب / يثُوب (« to return ») and the word مثابة (« place of return »). One can also link it to the word ثواب (« retribution »), for this word evokes what « comes back » by right. Some linguists thus see in the word ثَوْب (which is also the maṣdar of the verb ثاب) a garment to which one returns — that is, which is customary to us.

The word سِربال, for its part, is used for garments that protect the body, whether against heat, cold or injury.

يَا بَنِي آدَمَ قَدْ أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَارِي سَوْآتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ

O children of Adam! We have sent down upon you a garment to cover your nakedness, as well as adornment. But the garment of mindfulness — that is better. (7:26)

يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَلُؤْلُؤًا وَلِبَاسُهُمْ فِيهَا حَرِيرٌ

[Gardens of Eden] which they will enter, adorned with bracelets of gold and pearls, and their garments therein of silk. (35:33)

فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ اللَّهِ فَأَذَاقَهَا اللَّهُ لِبَاسَ الْجُوعِ وَالْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

And this [town] denied the favours of God, so God made it taste the garment of hunger and fear for what they used to do. (16:112)

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا وَالنَّوْمَ سُبَاتًا وَجَعَلَ النَّهَارَ نُشُورًا

It is He who has made the night a garment for you and sleep a repose, and has made the day a resurrection. (25:47)

وَلَا تَلْبِسُوا الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتَكْتُمُوا الْحَقَّ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

And do not mix truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth. (2:42)

يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًا مِنْ سُنْدُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ نِعْمَ الثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا

They will be adorned with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on couches. What an excellent reward, and what a beautiful resting-place! (18:31)

وَالْقَوَاعِدُ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ اللَّاتِي لَا يَرْجُونَ نِكَاحًا فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ يَضَعْنَ ثِيَابَهُنَّ غَيْرَ مُتَبَرِّجَاتٍ بِزِينَةٍ وَأَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْنَ خَيْرٌ لَهُنَّ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

And as for women past childbearing who no longer hope for marriage, there is no blame on them for laying aside their [outer] garments, provided they do not flaunt their adornments; but to remain modest is better for them. And God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (24:60)

فَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا قُطِّعَتْ لَهُمْ ثِيَابٌ مِنْ نَارٍ يُصَبُّ مِنْ فَوْقِ رُءُوسِهِمُ الْحَمِيمُ

For those who deny, garments of fire will be cut out, and boiling water will be poured over their heads. (22:19)

وَإذْ جَعَلْنَا البَيْتَ مَثَابَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَأَمْناً

And [recall] when We made the House a place of visitation and a refuge for the people. (2:125)

وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ سَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمُ الْحَرَّ وَسَرَابِيلَ تَقِيكُمْ بَأْسَكُمْ

He has given you garments that protect you from the heat, and others that protect you from your [mutual] violence. (16:81)

سَرَابِيلُهُمْ مِنْ قَطِرَانٍ وَتَغْشَى وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ

Their garments will be of tar, and the fire will cover their faces. (14:50)

The other near-synonyms