While the Holy Quran has its special language, one should try his best to understand its superficial meaning only. To succeed in this goal, not only one should study the Quranic language, but he should consider many other grammatical aspects for this goal because the Holy Quran is nothing but a Devine Book for the mind and body of every single human. A large number of words have slight variation of meaning while being synonym to each other.
Numerous verbs have different meaning once they get direct or indirect subjects. Myriad verbs even will have opposite meaning once their attachment will change. Considering these as well as many others will succeed one to understand words of Allah more correctly. Other than what is just mentioned, every word inserted in any passage of the Holy Quran is very carefully adopted to deliver its true nature. To name a few, the following verses would display how meticulously all words are selected and inserted to deliver the real facts.
I-Surely Allah has preferred Adam, Noah, Abraham’s family and Imran’s family above the whole world. 3: 33
انّ الله اصطفی آدم ونوحاًوآل ابراهیم وآل عمران علی العالمین.
In fact, Ismael and Isaac were both the sons of Abraham (AS), but because Ismael, the forefather of Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family) was his first born, Abraham family is mentioned before Imran, from the line of Isaac, who was the father of Moses (AS).
II-Truly We created you from dust, subsequently from small seeds; then from Alaq (something sticking strongly, hanging loosely and sucking blood), then from a creating chewed mass and non-creating, to make clear to you and We settle whatever We please till an appointed time in the wombs. 4: 5
فاناّ خلقناکم من تراب ثمّ من نطفه ثم من علقه ثم من مضغه مخلقّه وغیرمخلقّه لنبیّن لکم ونقرّ فی الارحام مانشاء الی اجل مسمیّ.
In fact, the stages of embryo in the womb pass gradually from small seeds, to Alaq, to a non-creating chewed mass and a creating chewed mass. Therefore a non-creating chewed mass which directly does not end to an embryo is mentioned right after creating chewed mass to remind the whole steps of a growing embryo. Knowing the nuance of words with very close meaning will help for a better concept.
1-Allah (SWT) has taught believers to distinctly express this “ایاّک نعبدوایاّک نستعین” at least ten times in daily prayers, but the word “انتصار" which has almost the same meaning is not mentioned. This is because "انتصار” mostly apply for a given situation but “استعانت “means helping at any situation. The following two verses will clarify better the real difference.
And certainly Allah helped you for the distress at the fight of Badr because for the view point of people and equipage you were in lower position. 3: 123
ولقدنصرکم الله ببدروانتم اذلهّ.
Thus Noah called upon his Lord by saying, O Lord! I am defeated and overcome, help me then. 54: 10
.فدعاربّه انیّ مغلوب فانتصر
2-Although all sorts of blessings are from Allah, His visible blessings are called “نعماء” but invisible blessings are named “آلاء”. Paying attention to the following verses will clear their meanings.
And He has given you all sorts of blessings you had needed form Him; so that if you want to count Allah’s blessings, you are not able to count them at all. 14: 34
وآتاکم من کلّ ماسئلتموه، وان تعدوّانعمت الله لاتحصوها.
Most people do not care for sickness when are healthy, nor do they look for oldness when are young, nor are they concerned about poverty when are rich, nor do they feel distress when are comfort, nor do they think of the hereafter when are living.
Most people care only for visible things of this world while being totally oblivious to the hereafter. 30: 7
یعلمون ظاهراًمن الحیوه الدنیاوهم عن الآخره هم غافلون.
But Allah has made you love faith and adorned it for your hearts, while He made you hate disbelief, wickedness and disobedience. 40: 7
ولکن الله حببّ الیکم الایمان وزینّه فی قلوبکم وکرّه الیکم الکفروالفسوق والعصیان.
He has showered upon you His visible and invisible blessings. 31: 20
واسبغ علیکم نعمه ظاهرهً وباطنه.
It is said that devil made roar at 4 times:
A-When he was cursed and Allah said, ‘surely My course will be upon you till the Day of Judgment. 38:78
انّ علیک لعنتی الی یوم الدین.
B-When he was evicted legally from the Garden by being said, ‘Thus get out; surely you are one the dejected (humiliated). 7: 13
فاخرج انّک من الصاغرین.
C-When the first five verses of Chapter 96, was revealed this way, ‘Read while your Lord is the Most Honorable, who taught to write by mean the pen. He taught man what he never knew. 96: 3-5
اقراء وربّک الاکرم، الذی علّم بالقلم، علّم الانسان مالم یعلم.
D-When the whole Chapter of Opening (Praising Chapter) was revealed, during which He taught man to continuously express like this, ‘You alone we worship, and You alone we seek for help. 1: 5
ایاّک نعبد وایاّک نستعین.
Therefore as one can see, true faith, useful knowledge, wisdom, right word, and righteousness are among invisible blessings for which one should always ask Allah. Although all prophets came to establish all these invisible blessings to improve the true nature of human, most people took them down and rejected them.
What a pity upon the servants! No messenger came to them unless they were mocking at them. 36: 30
یاحسرتاعلی العباد! مایائتیهم من رسول الاّکانوا به یستهزئون.
Thus which of your Lord’s invisible blessings could you deny? 53: 55
فبایّ الاء ربکّ تتماری؟
3-There are two words for humbleness: the internal one is not usually seen clearly and is always referred to the eyes, heart and faith and it is called “خشوع", but the external one which can be seen frankly is called “خضوع”. The following verses will sow them very brightly.
If we will, We will send down upon them from the heaven a sign to keep by which their necks crooked. 26: 4
ان نشاء ننزّل علیهم من السماء آیهً فظلتّ اعناقهم لها خاضعین.
On the Day of Resurrection when desolation flares-up; they will be required to prostrate but they are not able to do, so their eyes will be full of humiliation and filled with remorse because they had been invited to prostrate when they were alive but they never did while they were whole and able. 68:42, 43
یوم یکشف عن ساق ویدعون الی السجودفلایستطیعون، خاشعهً ابصارهم ترهقهم ذلّه وقدکانوایدعون الی السجووهم سالمون.
Is it not yet the time for those who believed that their hearts be humble for remembering Allah and what has come down of the truth? 57: 16
الم یآن للذین آمنواان تخشع قلوبهم لذکرالله ومانزل من الحق؟
4-The two terms of fear “خوف” and grief “حزن , which come either separately or together in one verse have slightly different tone. While throughout the Holy Quran the style of their presentation is usually the same خوف regularly refers to fear in future and حزن usually refers to the grief in the past.
And Allah will save those who choose devotion for their own success, so no evil will ever touch them nor will they have any grief from the past. 39: 61
وینجیّ الله الذین اتقوّا بمفازتهم لایمسّهم السوء ولاهم یحزنون.
Close friends will be even enemies to one another on the Day of Resurrection except the devoted whom will be said, O My servants! You will be no more in the course of fear from now on nor will you have any grief from the past; then enter the Paradise delightedly, you and your spouses. 43: 67-70
الاخلاّء یومئذٍ بعضهم لبعض عدّوالاّالمتقینّ، یاعباد!لاخوف علیکم الیوم ولاانتم تحزنون، ادخلواالجنّه انتم وازواجکم تحبرون.
Surely those who said, ‘Our Lord is Allah and steadily stood upright, there will be no more in the course of fear nor will have any grief from the past. 46: 13
انّ الذین قالواربناّالله ثمّ استقاموا فلاخوف علیهم ولاهم یحزنون.
An idiom like علی سفر which means “during or in the course of a trip”, another idiom like خوف علیهم would means “in the course of fear” therefore the idiom لاخوف علیهم would mean “they are no longer in the course of fear.
5-The two terms of مولی and نصیر have almost the same meaning as “eternal protector” but مولی is an eternal protector or sponsor at any situation, while نصیر is an eternal protector or helper at any distressing situation. In grammatical rule, any attribute similar to verb like نصیر , سمیع , قدیر have a meaning of an eternal action.
Did you not know that Allah possesses the kingdom of the heavens and earth and you have no sponsor or helper other than Allah? 2: 107
الم تعلم انّ الله له ملک السموات والارض ومالکم من دون الله من ولیّ ولانصیر؟
Hold fast to Allah, He is your Sponsor, what an Excellent Sponsor, and what an Excellent Protector. 22: 78
واعتصموابالله هو مولیکم، فنعم المولی ونعم النصیر.
People regularly serve others than Allah, while they have neither proof nor reason nor do they have knowledge about them, they should know they have no protector for their injustice of the unjust foe they unjustly served the wrong one. 22: 71
ویعبدون من دون الله مالم ینزّل به سلطانا ومالیس لهم به من العلم وماللظالمین من نصیر.
Surely the hypocrites are committed to the lowest level of Hell, while you will never find any protector for their hypocrisy. 4: 145
انّ المنافقین فی درک الاسفل من النارولن تجدلهم نصیرا.
6- Although the word “حسنه" is repeated within this verse two times, they have different meaning because not only the situations of this and future life are absolutely different, this life is a world of work, struggle combined with all sorts of distractions and inconvenience, whereas the hereafter is a world of Paradise or Hell Fire. That is why the mean for this world “حسنه” must be nothing but a mental and physical blessing, mental and physical health and good success from Allah (النعمه والعافیه والتوفیق ); whereas the mean for the hereafter “حسنه “ must be nothing but Mercy, Charity and absolute Salvation because Allah is the absolute Master of the Day of Judgment (الرحمه ووالاحسان والنجاه).
ومنهم من یقول ربنا آتنا فی الدنیاحسنه وفی الآخره حسنه وقناعذاب النار.
7-Pardoning or releasing for further punishment has two different aspects. One may forgive others while keeping its memory in his mind forever, this form of pardoning is called عفو""; but once one pardons while he forgets its memory as well, this is this kind of pardoning is called “صفح”. And if you pardon, forget and forgive; you should know that Allah is surely Much-Forgiving. 64: 14
وان تعفواوتصفحواوتغفروا، فانّ الله غفوررحیم.
Meanwhile one should know that words of غفور andغفاّر are exaggerative mode of غفران which means Much Forgiving.
8-The word قسطand عدل are synonym to one another with a slight variation in meaning. عدلmeans treating people on equal basis, while قسط means treating others according to their real worth. Searching in the Holy Quran, one will find that Allah is the maintainer of fairness, so He always prefers قسط over عدل. Allah (the fairness Maintainer) bears witness that there is no god but He, and so do the angels and those possessing knowledge; there is no god but He, the Almighty, the All-Wise. 3: 18
شهدالله انهّ لااله الاّهووالملائکه واولوالعلم قائمابالقسط، لااله الاّهوالعزیزالحکیم.
If two groups of believers fight against each other, you should reconcile them. But if one group treated the other unjustly, you should fight against the unjust one until they return to Allah’s command. Once they returned to normal position, reconcile them according to justice and fairness; Indeed Allah loves those being fair. 49: 9
وان طائفتان من المومنین اقتتلوافاصلحوابینهما، فان بغت احدیهما علی الاخری فقاتلواالتی تبغی حتی فائت فاصلحوابینهمابالعدل واقسطوا، ان الله یحبّ المقسطین.
Certainly we send Our messengers with clear signs and We send down the Book and Scale with them to make people establish fairness. 75: 25
لقدارسلنارسلنابالبیناتّ وانزلنامعهم الکتاب والمیزان لیقوم الاس بالقسط.
If you judge among people judge with fairness, truly Allah loves those who judge with fairness. 5: 42
وان حکمت فاحکم بینهم بالقسط، انّ الله یحبّ المقسطین.
And we will set-up the scales (measures) of fairness for the Day of Resurrection, and no soul would be oppressed (suffered) in the least, so We bring the equivalent of a mustard weight to justice, and suffice it that We are a Reckoner. 21: 47
ونضع الموارین القسط لیوم القیامه فلا ُتظلم نفسا شیئا، وان کان مثقال حبّه من خردل اتینابهاوکفی بناحاسبین
9-Word رشد and غیّ are totally opposite to each other. If رشد، راشد، رشید means “being correctly guided on the right way with having an assigned goal” غوی،غیّ، اغوی means “being misguided on the wrong way with unknown goals. Considering the following passages can clearly tell their difference, while no dictionary can help distinctly. By the star when it falls down, your companion (Mohammad) has never been misguided nor was his goals unknown, or does he speak out of his own desire, it is nothing but Devine revelations. 53:1-4
والنجم اذاهوی، ماضلّ صاحبکم وماغوی، وماینطق عن الهوی، ان هوالاّ وحیٌ یوحی.
There is no compulsion in religion, for indeed the right way and clear goal has been distinct from the wrong way and unknown goals. 2: 256
لااکراه فی الدین، قدتبیّن الرشدمن الغیّ.
Soon I will keep away My revelations from those who take pride on earth with no reason, for if they see any sign they do not believe in it; and if they see a path of guidance, they will not adopt it as their path, but if they see a path of misguidance, they will adopt it as their path; this is because they dined Our revelations and were negligent thereof. 7: 146
ساصرف عن آیاتی الذینیتکبروّن فی الارض بغیرالحق وان یرواکلّ آیه لایومنوابهاوان یرواسبیل الرشدلایتخذوه سبیلاوان یرواسبیل الغی یتخذوه سبیلاذلک بانهمّ کذبوّابآیاتناوکانواعنهاغافلین.
10-At the first glance خشیه and خوف mean fear and regular dictionary will help to grasp their differences, while Allah (SWT) has described them very correctly. While خوف means “feeling fear from a ferocious animal when encountering it unexpectedly”; خشیه on the other hand, means love, reverence, and fear combined with knowledge not just openly but secretly as well. Surely the knowledgeable servants love, fear and revere Allah. 35: 28
انمّا یخشی الله من عباده العلماء.
Surely forgiveness and great reward is for those who love, revere, and fear Allah in secret. 67: 12
انّ الذین یخشون ربهم بالغیب لهم معفره واجرکریم.
Those who deliver Allah’s messages love, revere, and fear Him alone; not anyone else other than Allah; Allah alone is sufficient.33: 39
الذین یبلّغون رسالات الله ویخشونه ولایخشون احداالاّ الله وکفی بالله حسیبا.
11-The words of محبتّ and مودّت which mean “love” are almost the same, while محبّت is more general, including everything, but مودّت is restricted to human and is more serious. The following verses are depicted to show their specific situation. The feed (serve food), despite they needed and loved it, to a poor, an orphan and a captive; saying that, ‘we feed you just for the sake of Allah, expecting no reward, nor any tanks from you. 76: 8, 9
ویطعمون الطعام علی حبّه مسکیناً ویتیماٍ واسیرا، انّمایطعمکم لوجه الله لانریدمنکم جزاء ولاشکورا.
Some of the people take equals other than Allah and love them as they love Allah, while those who believe love Allah the most. 2: 165
ومن الناس من یتخذّ من دون الله اندادایحبوّنهم کحبّ الله، والذین آمنوااشدحبّا لله.
Righteousness is not turning your face towards East or West; but righteousness is believing in Allah sincerely, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books, the prophets, giving wealth, despite loving for it, to the relatives, the orphans, the destitute, the wayfarers, the beggars, freeing the slaves; observing regular prayers, giving poor rate, fulfilling their promises when making promise; and being patient in distress, affliction and in the time of conflict. These are those telling the truths and are the devoted. 2: 177
لیس البرّان تولوّاوجوهکم قبل المشرق والمغرب ولکنّ البرّ من آمن بالله والیوم الآخروالملائکه والکتاب وانبییّن وآتی المال علی حبّه ذوی القربی والیتامی والمساکین وابن السبیل والسائلین وفی الرقاب واقام الصلوه وآتی الزکوه والموفون بعهدهم اذاعاهدوا والصابرین فی الباساء والضرّاء وحین الباس، اولئک الذین صدقواواوالئک هم المتقون.
Say, ‘if you love Allah, thus follow me; as a result, Allah will love you, forgive your sins; for Allah is much Forgiver, Most Merciful. 3: 31
قل ان کنتم تحبوّن الله فاتبعونی یحببکم الله ویغفرلکم ذنوبکم والله غفوررحیم.
Say, ‘I do not ask you for any reward over it (my mission) unless truly loving my near kin; and whoever commits good-deed, We add to it for him loveliness. Truly Allah is Much-Forgiver, Most-Grateful. 42:23
قل لا اسئلکم علیه اجراالاّ المدهّ فی القربی ومن یقترف حسنه نزدله فیهاحسنا، انّ الله غفورشکور.
And among His signs is creating from yourself a mate for you in order to have tranquility with each other and He has placed between you sincere love (tender love) and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for people who think.30: 21
ومن آیاته ان خلق لکم من انفسکم ازواجالتسکنواالیهاوجعل بینکم مودّه ورحمه، انّ فی ذلک لآیات لقوم یتفکروّن.