Near-synonyms: to speak and to be silent

To speak

كَلَّمَ يُكَلِّمُ

The word كَلام properly evokes speech. Note that in Islamic terminology, divine Speech is often called كَلام, while the speech of the Prophet is called حَدِيث. Nevertheless, in the Qur’an, God’s speech is also called حديث.

The term كَلِمة, for its part, evokes the word, and by extension the given word, the pledge and even the creed. It is this term that the Qur’an uses to describe Jesus.

Consequently, the verb كلّم means « to speak to someone », « to address someone ». As for the reflexive form تكلّم مع, it means « to speak with someone ».

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ
And if one of the associators asks you for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the word of God. (9:6)

قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ
Say: « O People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you: that we worship none but God, that we associate nothing with Him, and that none of us take others as lords besides God. » (3:64)

إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ
The angels said: « O Mary! God gives you the good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary. » (3:45)

مَا يَكُونُ لَنَا أَنْ نَتَكَلَّمَ بِهَذَا
It is not for us to speak of this. (24:16)

حدَّث يُحَدِّثُ

Originally, the word حديث designates the relating of new information, in keeping with the sense of the root. Then, by extension, it designates speech in general. In the Qur’an, it sometimes has the sense of discussion.

Consequently, the verb حدّث means « to inform of something » or « to engage in a discussion with someone ». As for the reflexive form تحدّث مع, it takes the sense of « to converse » (it is not Qur’anic).

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ
God has sent down the most beautiful of discourses. (39:23)

هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ ضَيْفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ
Has the account of Abraham’s honoured guests reached you? (51:24)

مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَكِنْ تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
It is not an invented account, but a confirmation of [the revelations] that preceded it, a detailed explanation of all things, a Guidance and a Mercy for a people who are loyal (and believe). (12:111)

فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانْتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ
And after eating, disperse, without seeking to engage in familiar conversation. (33:53)

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا
When the earth trembles with its [violent] quaking, and the earth brings forth its burdens, and man says: « What is wrong with it? » — that Day it will relate its tidings. (99:1-4)

To be silent

صمَت ــُـ / سكَت ــُـ

It is said that سكت means « to be silent while having the ability to speak », which is not necessarily the case for صمت. This is why the latter term is also used for beings not endowed with speech (صامِت). For this same reason, it is also said that this verb often implies a relatively long silence.

سكت can also have a figurative sense. In the Qur’an, it appears only once, and precisely in a figurative sense. صمت also appears only once, in the same sura.

سَوَاءٌ عَلَيْكُمْ أَدَعَوْتُمُوهُمْ أَمْ أَنْتُمْ صَامِتُونَ
It is the same for you whether you call them or remain silent. (7:193)

وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَنْ مُوسَى الْغَضَبُ
When Moses’ anger subsided. (7:154)