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Arabic root

ع-ر-ف

Ayn-Ra-Fa

4 words from this root family

About this root

Ayn-Ra-Fa (ع-ر-ف) has 4 words in the Fahm dictionary: yaʿrifu (he knows), maʿrūf (good deed / what is recognized as right), ʿarafa (to know), maʿrifa (knowledge).

In the Quran, words built on this root occur 71 times in 63 verses, across 26 of the 114 suras. The first is in 2:89. The form مَعْرُوفٌ (good deed / what is recognized as right) accounts for 38 of them.

Themes: Verbs, Basics, Quranic, Cognition, Abstract Concepts

Words from this root

WordMeaningTypeIn the QuranTaught in
يَعْرِفُ
yaʿrifu
he knowsverb, A1Essential Verbs
مَعْرُوفٌ
maʿrūf
good deed / what is recognized as rightnoun, A238×Lawful, Forbidden, and Duty
عَرَفَ
ʿarafa
to knowverb, A120×Action Verbs - Daily Activities
مَعرِفَة
maʿrifa
knowledgenoun, B1Time & Change

“In the Quran” counts every occurrence of that dictionary form, in any of its senses.

In the Quran

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُمُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ يَعْرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognise (this revelation) as they recognise their sons. But lo! a party of them knowingly conceal the truth.

Quran 2:146
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا ٱلْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ

It is prescribed for you, when death approacheth one of you, if he leave wealth, that he bequeath unto parents and near relatives in kindness. (This is) a duty for all those who ward off (evil).

Quran 2:180
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۚ فَإِذَآ أَفَضْتُم مِّنْ عَرَفَـٰتٍ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عِندَ ٱلْمَشْعَرِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَٱذْكُرُوهُ كَمَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَإِن كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

It is no sin for you that ye seek the bounty of your Lord (by trading). But, when ye press on in the multitude from 'Arafat, remember Allah by the sacred monument. Remember Him as He hath guided you, although before ye were of those astray.

Quran 2:198

Arabic text: Tanzil Quran Text (Uthmani 1.1), CC BY 3.0, tanzil.net. English: Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), public domain, via Project Gutenberg. Counts and verse choice: Quranic Arabic Corpus morphology data (corpus.quran.com).

Word cards with examples

A1verb
يَعْرِفُ
yaʿrifu

he knows

Example
هُوَ يَعْرِفُ الْإِجَابَةَ.
huwa yaʿrifu al-ijābata.
He knows the answer.
Grammar

Form I verb. Root ʿ-r-f gives: maʿrifa (knowledge), taʿāruf (getting to know each other).

A2noun
مَعْرُوفٌ
maʿrūf

good deed / what is recognized as right

Example
وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ
waʾmur bil-maʿrūfi wanha ʿani al-munkar
And enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong (31:17)
Grammar

Passive participle of عَرَفَ (to know). Literally 'what is known/recognized' - i.e. recognized as good. Opposite: مُنْكَر.

Culture

Commanding good and forbidding evil (al-amr bil-maʿrūf) is a fundamental Islamic ethical duty incumbent on every Muslim.

A1verb
عَرَفَ
ʿarafa

to know

Example
عرفتُ الإجابةَ الصحيحةَ
ʿaraftu al-ijābata aṣ-ṣaḥīḥata
I knew the correct answer
Grammar

Form I verb. Past: 'arafa, Present: ya'rifu. Used for knowing facts, people, or places.

B1noun
مَعرِفَة
maʿrifa

knowledge

Example
المَعرِفَةُ كَنزٌ لا يَفنى.
al-maʿrifatu kanzun lā yafnā.
Knowledge is a treasure that never perishes.

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