Near-synonyms: to see and to look, to hear and to listen, to feel

To see

رَأَى / يَرَى

This verb means « to see » in the literal sense, and « to have a vision » or « to hold a point of view ».

مَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَى لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِ الْكُبْرَى
The sight did not swerve, nor did it transgress. He certainly saw some of the greatest signs of his Lord. (53:17-18)

قَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي الْمَنَامِ أَنِّي أَذْبَحُكَ فَانْظُرْ مَاذَا تَرَى
[Abraham] said: « O my son, I see in a dream that I am sacrificing you. Consider [this], and tell me what you think. » (37:102)

بصُر ــُـ / أَبْصَرَ يُبْصِرُ

These verbs are derived from the word « بَصَر » (sight). They mean « to see » literally and « to be clear-sighted » figuratively.

قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا بِهِ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ
He said: « I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful from the track of the Messenger. » (20:96)

قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَصَائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ عَمِيَ فَعَلَيْهَا
Sources of insight (or clear proofs) have already come to you from your Lord. Whoever sees clearly does so for himself, and whoever is blind does so to his own detriment. (6:104)

To look

نظَر ــُـ

This verb commonly means « to look », but it can also mean « to wait », like the verb « to watch out » in French.

وَإِنْ تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَى لَا يَسْمَعُوا وَتَرَاهُمْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ
And if you call them to guidance, they do not hear. And you see them looking at you, yet they do not see. (7:198)

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

اِطَّلَعَ يَطّلِعُ على

This verb originally means « to take a high vantage point to observe », in keeping with its root, which evokes elevation. It is often used in the sense of « to observe » or « to look ».

لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَوَلَّيْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِرَارًا
Had you observed them, you would have turned away from them in flight. (18:18)

To hear

سمِع ــَـ

This verb, which means « to hear », should not be confused with its derivative below.

وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
If an associator asks you for asylum, grant it to him so that he may hear the Word of God; then convey him to a place safe for him. [Act] thus because they are a people who do not know. (9:6)

To listen

اِسْتَمَعَ يَسْتَمِعُ

This verb is Form VIII of the previous one. It takes the sense of « to listen ».

قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا
Say [O Muhammad]: « It has been revealed to me that a band of jinn listened and said: ‘Indeed, we have heard a wondrous Qur’an!’ » (72:1)

أذِن ــَـ

This verb is built on the same root as أُذُن (ear). It can thus be translated as « to lend an ear ».

إِذَا السَّمَاءُ انْشَقَّتْ وَأَذِنَتْ لِرَبِّهَا وَحُقَّتْ
When the sky is split open, and it lends an ear to its Lord and does its duty. (84:1-2)

أَنْصَتَ يُنْصِتُ

This verb means « to keep silent in order to listen ».

وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنْصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
When the Qur’an is recited, listen to it attentively and keep silent. Perhaps you will be shown mercy. (7:204)

أَصْغى يُصْغِي

This verb initially has the sense of « to lean towards something ». By extension, it can mean « to incline one’s ear ».

وَلِتَصْغَى إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ
So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may be inclined towards such things. (6:113)

To feel

شعَر ــُـ

This verb is built on the same root as مشاعِر (feelings) and شاعِر (pl. شُعَراء, poet = the sensitive one). It literally means « to have a feeling » or « to feel ». In the Qur’an, it is used only figuratively to mean « to be aware of something », « to realize something ».

أَمْوَاتٌ غَيْرُ أَحْيَاءٍ وَمَا يَشْعُرُونَ أَيَّانَ يُبْعَثُونَ
They are dead, not living, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected. (16:21)

أَحَسَّ يُحِسُّ

This verb is built on the same root as حاسّة (pl. حَواسّ, the physical senses). It thus literally means « to sense ». It is also used figuratively.

فَلَمَّا أَحَسُّوا بَأْسَنَا إِذَا هُمْ مِنْهَا يَرْكُضُونَ
When they sensed [the coming of] Our might, they fled from it running. (21:12)

فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ
Then, when Jesus sensed disbelief from them, he said: « Who are my allies in the way of God? » The disciples said: « We are the allies of God. » (3:52)