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Pray for the Truth

Quranic root

شطط

sh · ṭ · ṭ

The root centers on distance and inclination: going far from a point or departing from a proper line.

The notion of distance develops into exceeding due bounds, extravagance, and injustice through deviation from what is right; it also extends to physical sides, separation, and stature.

  • Maqāyīs · row 2636
  • Mufradāt · row 767
2
Quran-attested forms
2
Quran senses
3
Quran occurrences

Forms in the Quran

The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.

أَشْطَطَ

ʾashṭaṭa

Part of speech
Verb · Form IV
Form
IV
Quran occurrences
1 occurrence

Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.

  1. To depart from what is right; to exceed due bounds or act unjustly, especially in judgment.

    In the Quranic prohibitive construction وَلَا تُشْطِطْ, it means not to go beyond right conduct or deal unjustly in judging.

    • Lane · entry 38501
    Selected Quran examples

    Quran 38:22word 19

    be unjust

شَطَطٌ

shaṭaṭun

Part of speech
Noun
Quran occurrences
2 occurrences

Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.

  1. An excessive departure from truth or right; an extravagant or far-from-truth statement or claim.

    In the Quranic occurrences, it describes a saying or claim that is excessively remote from the truth, including an assertion made about God.

    • Lane · entry 38509
    • Mufradāt · row 767
    Selected Quran examples

    Quran 18:14word 19

    an enormity

    Quran 72:4word 7

    an excessive transgression

Occurrences in the Quran

Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.

  • 18:14شَطَطًاan enormity
  • 38:22تُشْطِطْbe unjust
  • 72:4شَطَطًۭاan excessive transgression
View all 3 occurrences

Broader Classical Arabic meanings

Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.

Show 18 Classical meanings
  • شَطَّ

    To be or become distant, remote, or far away; to pass beyond or away from a place.

    Used of a dwelling, place, or other location, and of moving far from a place.

    • Lane · entry 38501
  • شَطَّ

    To go beyond due bounds in bargaining, pricing, or demanding a price; also to go to great lengths in pursuing someone or something.

    Used with commercial transactions, demands, and pursuit.

    • Lane · entry 38501
  • شَطَّ

    To distress or afflict someone and treat that person unjustly, wrongfully, injuriously, or tyrannically.

    A transitive use describing harmful unjust treatment of another person.

    • Lane · entry 38501
  • شَطَّ

    To be rough, harsh, or coarse in speech.

    Used of the manner or quality of speaking.

    • Lane · entry 38501
  • شَطَّطَ

    To exert oneself or persist in exceeding due bounds and acting unjustly or wrongfully.

    Form II conveys strenuous or sustained engagement in the excessive or unjust action.

    • Lane · entry 38502
  • شَاطَّ

    To vie with another in exceeding bounds or acting unjustly, and to surpass or overcome that person in it.

    A reciprocal construction involving competition in the excessive or unjust conduct.

    • Lane · entry 38503
  • شَطٌّ

    The bank or side of a river or valley; for a valley, the rising ground beside its bottom.

    A geographical noun for the side or bank adjoining a watercourse or valley.

    • Lane · entry 38506
  • شَطٌّ

    The side or half of a camel’s hump.

    A specialized anatomical use referring to either side of the hump.

    • Lane · entry 38506
  • شَطَطٌ

    An extravagant or exorbitant action or affair that exceeds due bounds.

    Used of conduct or an affair, as distinct from the Quranic use describing an extravagant saying or claim.

    • Lane · entry 38509
  • شَطَاطٌ

    Distance or remoteness.

    A nominal expression for the distance of a space or route.

    • Lane · entry 38510
  • شَطَاطٌ

    The distance between a person’s extremities; hence tallness, beauty of stature, or well-proportioned stature.

    A physical description of extended or well-proportioned bodily stature.

    • Lane · entry 38510
  • شَطَاطٌ

    A fragment of baked brick.

    A concrete noun, also reported in a plural form.

    • Lane · entry 38510
  • شَطُوطٌ

    A she-camel with a large hump, or one large on the two sides of its hump.

    A specialized description of a camel’s hump.

    • Lane · entry 38512
  • شَطْشَاطٌ

    A certain bird.

    The identification is reported as having no established authority.

    • Lane · entry 38515
  • شَاطٌّ

    Distant, remote, or far away.

    An adjectival use applied to anything characterized by remoteness.

    • Lane · entry 38516
  • شَاطٌّ

    A person of tall or well-proportioned stature, whose extremities are far apart.

    A physical description of stature; the source illustrates it with both male and female persons.

    • Lane · entry 38516
  • شَاطٌّ

    Unjust, wrongful, injurious, or tyrannical in judging.

    An adjectival description of unjust conduct in judgment.

    • Lane · entry 38516
  • مَشَطَّةٌ

    Difficulty, distress, affliction, trouble, or inconvenience.

    A derived noun for hardship or troubling circumstances.

    • Lane · entry 38517

Cautions

Points that affect how this root should be read.

  • The public verb headword is normalized to the Form IV perfect أَشْطَطَ; the supplied Quran occurrence is its imperfect prohibitive form تُشْطِطْ.

  • The bird meaning شَطْشَاطٌ is retained because it is a reported lexical item, but its source explicitly marks the identification as lacking established authority.