Linguistic Differences among the Terms for “Falling” in the Holy Qur’an

Abstract

The Holy Qur’an has always been, and continues to be, a rich source for numerous studies examining its vocabulary and meanings in general, particularly those addressing the topic of linguistic differences. From this standpoint, and due to the importance of the subject, we have chosen one specific semantic field—namely, the linguistic differences among the terms denoting “falling” in the Qur’an.

The motivation for this choice lies in the fact that these terms have not been studied within the works dedicated to linguistic differences. This study is divided into two main sections: The first section addresses terms used within the same or closely related contexts, covering the following words: kharr (خرّ), hawā (هوى), and waqa‘a (وقع). The second section deals with terms used in independent contexts, including: radā (ردي), saqaṭa (سقط), qaḍḍa (قضّ), kabba (كبّ), hadama (هدم), and hawara (هور).

The study concludes with several findings, the most important of which is that each term for “falling” in the Qur’an cannot be substituted with another, as neglecting the matter of linguistic differences leads to a loss of precision in expression, as well as to errors and a loss of the intended meaning of the Qur’anic text. Each term signifies a specific and precise manner of falling.