Near-synonyms: light, shadow, clouds and rain

At the beginning of each chapter of Volume 2 of the Qur’anic Arabic method, we present a study of « near-synonyms », indicating their respective meanings and their Qur’anic context.

The two forms of light

نُور

As the verse below indicates, the word « نور », in its restricted sense, evokes the light of the moon — that is, a soft light.

This term is often used figuratively, unlike the second one. It is this word that God uses to describe Himself when He says: « God is the light of the heavens and the earth » (24:35) — no doubt because it evokes a light that illuminates without dazzling.

ضَوْء / ضِياء

As the verse below indicates, the word « ضياء » evokes the light of the sun — that is, a strong light associated with heat.

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِيَاءً وَالْقَمَرَ نُورًا
He it is who made the sun a radiance and the moon a light. (10:5)

The two forms of shade

فَيْء

The root of this word evokes returning, as in the passage below. It thus refers to the shade that returns where there was once light. This shade is distinctive in that the ground is still warm, unlike the morning shade.

The root is Qur’anic; however, the word فيء does not occur in the Qur’an. Its root also evokes covering, protecting and persisting.

فَإِنْ فَاءُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
And if they go back [on their oath], then indeed God is Forgiving, Merciful. (2:226)

ظِلّ

مَثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ أُكُلُهَا دَائِمٌ وَظِلُّهَا
Such is the Paradise promised to the mindful: rivers flow beneath it; its fruits are everlasting, and so is its shade. (13:35)

The clouds

سَحاب

This word evokes clouds in the broad sense. Its root, however, evokes pulling, as if the clouds dragged the rain along with them.

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُزْجِي سَحَابًا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ رُكَامًا فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَالِهِ
Do you not see that God drives the clouds, then gathers them, then piles them up? Then you see the rain issuing from their midst. (24:43)

غَمام

The root carries the idea of covering, sadness and darkness. It thus refers to the clouds that cover the sky and darken it.

هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الْغَمَامِ
What do they await but that God should come to them in the shadows of the clouds. (2:210)

مُزْن

This refers to the water-bearing cloud. According to some commentators, it evokes the white cloud more specifically, since its root evokes brightness.

أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ الْمَاءَ الَّذِي تَشْرَبُونَ أَأَنْتُمْ أَنْزَلْتُمُوهُ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ أَمْ نَحْنُ الْمُنْزِلُونَ
Have you considered the water you drink? Is it you who sent it down from the [bright] clouds, or are We the senders? (56:68-69)

عارِض

The root of this word means to arrive, to appear, to occur. Commentators specify that it refers to the cloud that appears on the horizon.

قَالُوا هَذَا عَارِضٌ مُمْطِرُنَا
They said: « This is a passing cloud that will bring us rain. » (46:24)

الْمُعْصِرَات

The root of this word means to press (juice, etc.). It thus refers to the cloud pressed by the winds, or whose time of « pressing » has come.

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا
And We sent down from the rain-clouds abundant water. (78:14)

The rains

مَطَر

This word evokes rain in general. But some commentators note that in the Qur’an it is used only in a negative context.

وَأَمْطَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَطَرًا فَسَاءَ مَطَرُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ
And We rained upon them a rain. And evil was the rain of those who had been warned! (27:58)

غَيْث

The root of this word evokes rescue. It thus literally means the saving rain.

وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا
And He it is who sends down the saving rain after they have despaired. (42:28)

رَجْع

The root of this word evokes returning. It thus evokes the annual or seasonal rain.

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
By the sky of recurring rain. (86:11)

وابِل

This word means abundant rain, a downpour.

وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمُ ابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِ اللَّهِ وَتَثْبِيتًا مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ كَمَثَلِ جَنَّةٍ بِرَبْوَةٍ أَصَابَهَا وَابِلٌ فَآتَتْ أُكُلَهَا ضِعْفَيْنِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُصِبْهَا وَابِلٌ فَطَلٌّ
Those who spend their wealth seeking God’s good pleasure and to strengthen their souls are like a garden on a hill: an abundant rain falls upon it, so it yields its produce twofold; and if no heavy rain falls upon it, then a dew [suffices]. (2:265)

وَدْق

According to the dictionaries and the commentaries, this term evokes rain in general, whether abundant or not. Some say it was the term used by a particular tribe.

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللّٰهَ يُزْجِي سَحَابًا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ رُكَاماً فَتَرَى ٱلْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلاَلِهِ
Do you not see that God drives the clouds, then gathers them, then piles them up? Then you see the rain issuing from their midst. (24:43)