Know Your Roots

KNOW YOUR ROOTS

Among the most fascinating aspects of the structure of the Arabic word, in particular, and Semitic words in general, is that the meaning of its tri-literal root permeates its derivatives. Let us take, as an example, the tri-literal root عَلِم (ʿalima) x knew y, then observe how the different shades of meaning of knowledge color its derivatives: عَلَم (ʿalam) guidepost; عالَـم (ʿālam) the world; عالِـم (ʿālim) scholar; عَلامة (ʿalāmah) a mark of distinction.

Another dimension of lexical coherence is observed when the sequence of the tri-literal root is varied. In our example, عِلْم (ʿilm) knowledge is manifested as proof in our عَمَل (ʿamal) action, which reflects on our faces as لَمْع (lamʿ) light. Admittedly, this is a more subtle approach to the root structure and is more appropriately classified as إشارة (ishārah) spiritual inference than تفسير (tafsīr) Qur’anic exegesis, especially owing to its lack of consistency across the lexicon.

KNOW YOUR ROOTS is an original pedagogy designed to create mnemonic pegs for the acquisition of Qur’anic vocabulary. In its initial phase, our project will span حزب سبح (ḥizb sabbiḥ) the last 60^th of the Qur’an, which Imam Mālik recommended for our five daily prayers and includes the chapters that most have memorized of the Qur’an. Through this humble effort, we hope to deepen our understanding of the verses we recite in prayer and more gratefully appreciate the individual words that our Lord revealed.

—El-Hajj Hisham Mahmoud

al-Fātiḥah (1)al-ʿAṣr (103)al-Ikhlāṣ (112)

Allah commands all praise, Lord of all realms (1)	ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعٰلَمِينَ
Artwork is worthy of praise through no merit of its own مَدْح (madḥ), though the artist, in his person, can be praiseworthy or blameworthy. But for His essence and attributes, however, our Lord is worthy of eminent praise حَمْد (ḥamd).
Allah is God الإِله (al-ilāh), in Whose presence is the lover utterly mad with love وَلِهَ (waliha).
He is Lord رَبّ (rabb) of all realms and with beneficence بِرّ (birr) does He lord them all.
The realm of this world عالَم is where He has reveals Himself to us, that we may come to know عَلِم (ʿalima) Him.
Compassionate in essence, compassionate with all (2)	ٱلرَّحۡمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
He has obliged compassion رَحْمة (raḥmah) upon Himself, and assured us that the bearer of the womb رَحِم (raḥim) is no more compassionate with her children as He is with His servants. Whoever observes His sacred right حُرْمة (ḥurmah) with reverence shall not experience deprivation حرمان (ḥirmān) even when He deprives them, for even His deprivation is from His generosity, and so they are blissful مَرِح (mariḥ) in the comfort of Heaven’s embrace.
Master of the Day of Judgment (3)	مَلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
He possesses مَلَك (malaka) all of creation and lords time, itself. When He decrees a thing, He commands it into existence with a word كَلِمة (kalimah) “Be!” and it necessarily comes to pass. He lords with perfection كَمال (kamāl) and with the dictates of His wisdom.
He guides us to the religion دِين (dīn) where the debt دَين (dayn) of His blessing upon us is paid in the currency of gratitude or of patience, as gold and silver deeds, respectively.
We worship You, alone, and beseech only Your succour (4)	إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
Those who accept the religion of submission are distinguished as worshippers عِباد (ʿibād) among His slaves عَبِيد (ʿabīd), always turned toward His light just as the sunflower عُبّاد (ʿabbād) orients itself to the sun, their beloved مَعْبُود (maʿbūd) source of light and life.
They ask His succor عَوْن (ʿawn) with humility, obedience, subjection عُنُوّ (ʿunuww), and love.
Guide us to the straight path (5)	ٱهۡدِنَا ٱلصِّرٰطَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ
And He answers their prayers with هِداية (hidāyah), the gift هَدِيّة (hadiyyah) of divine love.
They stand قام (qāma) firm upon the straight قَيِّم (qayyim) path of resistance مُقاوَمة (muqāwamah), opposing all evil in the world as heralds to virtue, for the value قِيمة (qīmah) of that gift surpasses the world and all therein.
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace (6)	صِرٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ
Allah will raise them up in the company of those who led the way along the path, i.e., the Prophets, those who affirm them, the martyrs, and the righteous, who exemplified true gratitude to their Lord and who received every deprivation مَنْع (manʿ) as a blessing نِعْمة (niʿmah) from Him. They give thanks for every blessing, from their daily utensils ماعون (māʿūn) to their cattle أنعام (anʿām) and even the pasture عنم (ʿanam) from which their cattle feed.
Not of those upon whom Your displeasure obtains, nor of those who have strayed (7)	غَيۡرِ ٱلۡمَغۡضُوبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Their love is for His sake, their hatred بُغْض (bughḍ) is for His sake, and so they incur not His wrath غَضَب (ghaḍab) in this life or the next.

By Time (1)	وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ
Time عَصْر (ʿaṣr) is squeezed عَصَر (ʿaṣara) from man like juice عَصِير (ʿaṣīr) from its fruit or a tornado إِعْصار (iʿṣār) from the clouds, while he struts haughtily, entitled, his face swelled with pride صَعِر (ṣaʿira).
Verily, man is in loss (2)	إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَفِي خُسۡرٍ
Man إِنْسان (insān) is predisposed to befriend أَنِس (anisa) his fellow man, but faith will well serve to remind him of the imminent reality that he would otherwise seek to delay نَسَأ (nasaʾa): his inevitable death and that he will soon decompose أَسِن (asina) in a lonely grave.
He seeks to establish رَسَخ (rasakha) himself in this abode, but will certainly lose خَسِر (khasira) everything he amasses, and he who utters not thanks in this life shall lose his voice خَرِس (kharisa) on the Day of Reckoning when asked, the Day in which his mockery سُخْر (sukhr) of God’s blessings will turn against him.
Save those possessed of faith and deeds of righteousness (3)	إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ
Not such those possessed of faith آمَن (āmana), who find safe haven أَمْن (amn) in calling upon their Lord, with full reliance on Him for all their provisions مُؤَن (muʾan), and certainty that He answers all prayers, آمين (āmīn).
The proof of their knowledge علم (ʿilm) is radiance لمع (lamʿ) in their faces and righteousness in their deeds عمل (ʿamal).
who bid each other be true, and bid each other be patient (4)	وتواصوا بالحق وتواصوا بالصبر
They advise one another تَوَاصَى (tawāṣā) with the sincerity of one imparting his parting words وَصِيّة (waṣiyyah).
Their advice is rooted in truth حَقّ (ḥaqq), for they realize that their brothers are entitled حَقِيق (ḥaqīq) to nothing less than being reminded of ultimate reality حَقِيقة (ḥaqīqah).
Their advice is given with patience صَبْر (ṣabr), like that of the cactus fig صُبار (ṣubār)—sweet of flesh despite the desert thirst—for they give in abundance while their need is minimal. Such are the men of discernment بَصِيرة (baṣīrah).

Proclaim it! He is Allah, One (1)	قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Allah, the Eternal (2)	ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ
We repair ourselves unto Allah because all affairs are stayed upon Him صَمَد (ṣamad), alone. Who created the camel to endure drought, yet it gives copious milk مِصْماد (miṣmād) to all in need, despite the intense heat and cold مَصَد (maṣad) of the barren desert.
He begets naught, nor is He begotten (3)	لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ
And none bear similitude unto Him (4)	وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ

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