Quranic root
شفو
sh · f · w
The root centers on an edge, extremity, or verge, especially the brink of danger.
From the notion of reaching an edge or boundary, the evidence extends to being near destruction and to a small remnant. The related healing noun شِفَاءٌ is explained as reaching the edge of safety, developing into recovery, treatment, and remedy.
- Mufradāt · row 775
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 2
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
شَفَا
shafā
- 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.
Edge, brink, or verge of something.
Used in the Quranic construction عَلَى شَفَا + genitive, expressing being at the edge or brink of a thing, especially a perilous situation such as a pit or collapsing bank.
- Lane · entry 38886
- Mufradāt · row 775
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:103word 22
“(the) brink”
Quran 9:109word 15
“edge”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 2 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 26 Classical meanings
شَفَتِ الشَّمْسُ
Of the sun: to set, or to become near to setting.
The expression قُبَيْلَ الشَّفَا refers to a little before sunset.
- Lane · entry 38878
شَفَا
Of the moon: to rise; of a person or visible form: to appear or become apparent.
- Lane · entry 38878
شَفَاهُ
To restore a sick person to health or convalescence.
Takes a person as object, commonly with مِنْ مَرَضِهِ, from his illness.
- Lane · entry 38878
شَفَاهُ
To relieve someone from doubt; figuratively, to satisfy or please by what one says.
A figurative use connected with relief from an unresolved question or inner distress.
- Lane · entry 38878
شَفَاهُ
To seek, request, or desire recovery for someone.
A causative or supplicatory use distinct from directly restoring the person to health.
- Lane · entry 38878
شَفَّاهُ
To treat someone medically or curatively with whatever may bring recovery.
The object is treated by comprehensive or suitable medical means.
- Lane · entry 38879
شَفَّى
To increase or profit.
A reported substituted usage, described as originally belonging to شَفَّفَ.
- Lane · entry 38879
أَشْفَى
To be or become on the brink or verge of something.
Usually associated with an evil or danger, though it may also be used of something good; the expression شَفَا اللَّيْلِ denotes its final part.
- Lane · entry 38881
أَشْفَى
To be or become at the point of giving or receiving a charge, injunction, trust, or deposit.
A conventional construction describing the threshold of undertaking or entrusting something.
- Lane · entry 38881
أَشْفَى
To give someone a medicinal remedy or prescribe a treatment intended to restore health.
The remedy may be specified as something provided to enable recovery.
- Lane · entry 38881
أَشْفَى
To give someone something.
A reported figurative use without the specifically medicinal sense.
- Lane · entry 38881
تَشَفَّى
To obtain relief or satisfaction from anger, especially by injuring an enemy or attaining what one seeks against him.
The anger is treated metaphorically as an illness from which one recovers.
- Lane · entry 38882
تَشَافَى
To exhaust or use up water.
The reported expression تَشَافَيْتُ المَاءَ is identified as originally تَشَافَفْتُ.
- Lane · entry 38883
اِشْتَفَى
To attain recovery or convalescence by means of something; to become free from illness.
Commonly used with بِـ to indicate the means by which recovery is attained, or with مِنْ for freedom from a disease.
- Lane · entry 38884
اِشْتَفَى
To find satisfaction, relief from doubt, or benefit in something.
May describe being reassured by truthful information or profiting from it.
- Lane · entry 38884
اِسْتَشْفَى
To seek or request a remedy or cure.
- Lane · entry 38885
شَفًا
A little, small portion, or small remainder.
Used of what remains of the moon, daylight, sunlight, sight, life, or another quantity; it may also denote a final remnant or the last part of a period.
- Lane · entry 38886
شِفَاءٌ
Recovery from disease; restoration to health or convalescence.
The primary nominal sense of becoming free from illness.
- Lane · entry 38888
شِفَاءٌ
Medical or curative treatment; the giving of health.
An extension from recovery itself to the treatment that produces it.
- Lane · entry 38888
شِفَاءٌ
A medicine or remedy.
Also used figuratively for a means of remedying an incapacity, such as asking for information.
- Lane · entry 38888
شَافٍ
Recovering, restorative, remedial, or health-giving.
An adjective describing something that restores health or promotes recovery.
- Lane · entry 38892
شَافٍ
Relieving doubt or providing a satisfying resolution.
Figuratively used of an answer that removes uncertainty.
- Lane · entry 38892
أَشْفَى
More or most remedial or health-giving.
A comparative or elative adjective derived from the health-giving sense.
- Lane · entry 38893
أَشْفَى
A person whose lips do not close together.
An anatomical adjective; feminine شَفْيَاءُ.
- Lane · entry 38893
إِشْفًى
An awl or similar instrument for perforating and sewing leather, especially footwear or water-skins.
The term may be masculine or feminine and has plural أَشَافٍ.
- Lane · entry 38894
إِشْفًى
Sharp in the elbow.
A reported figurative expression, إِشْفَى المِرْفَقِ.
- Lane · entry 38894
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
No Maqayis entry matched this root; the root-level development is therefore based on the supplied Mufradat discussion.
The QAC group attests شَفَا only. Related healing forms such as شِفَاءٌ are broader Classical Arabic evidence here, not additional occurrences of this Quranic form.