Quranic root
أذن
ʾ · dh · n
The root develops from two closely related bases: the ear as the organ of hearing, and knowledge or information received through hearing.
From hearing come listening, heeding, and becoming informed; the same semantic field extends to informing or proclaiming, permission and authorization, and the ear or ear-shaped appendage.
- Maqāyīs · row 57
- Mufradāt · row 24
- 9
- Quran-attested forms
- 13
- Quran senses
- 102
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَذِنَ
ʾadhina
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 23 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.
to listen to, heed, and submit to what is heard
Used of listening attentively or obediently; in the Quranic image of the earth listening to its Lord, the sense includes compliance and submission.
- Lane · entry 6422
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 84:2word 1
“And has listened”
to know, become informed, or be apprised of something
Constructed with بِـ for becoming informed or certain of a matter; the Quranic construction فَأْذَنُوا بِـ means to be informed or assured of the matter announced.
- Lane · entry 6422
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:279word 4
“then be informed”
to permit, allow, or give leave
Used with لِـ or فِي for granting permission. Passive forms express being granted permission. The related construction أَذِنَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ can mean obtaining permission for someone from another person.
- Lane · entry 6422
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:43word 5
“you grant leave”
أَذَّنَ
ʾadhdhana
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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.
to announce, proclaim, or call out publicly
The Form II causative/intensive usage makes information known publicly; it is used for proclaiming a matter among people, including proclaiming the pilgrimage.
- Lane · entry 6423
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 22:27word 1
“And proclaim”
Quran 12:70word 10
“called out”
آذَنَ
ʾādhana
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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.
to inform, notify, or announce something to someone
A transitive informing construction, commonly with بِـ or a direct object; it makes a matter known to its addressee.
- Lane · entry 6424
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:109word 4
“I (have) announced to you”
Quran 41:47word 24
“We announce (to) You”
تَأَذَّنَ
taʾadhdhana
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form V
- Form
- V
- 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.
to declare or proclaim decisively
Used for a forceful or assured pronouncement, especially a declaration presented as certain to take effect.
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 14:7word 2
“proclaimed”
Quran 7:167word 2
“declared”
اِسْتَأْذَنَ
āistaʾdhana
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- Quran occurrences
- 12 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.
to ask or seek permission
The requester seeks leave from an authority or person, commonly to enter, depart, or undertake an action; the object of the request may be expressed directly or with فِي.
- Lane · entry 6426
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 24:62word 19
“ask your permission”
Quran 24:58word 4
“Let ask your permission”
إِذْنٌ
ʾidhnun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 39 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.
permission, leave, or authorization
Denotes the allowance or release of an action. With God as possessor of the permission, it can include His command, will, or enabling authorization rather than human leave alone.
- Lane · entry 6428
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:102word 50
“by permission”
Quran 10:100word 7
“by (the) permission”
knowledge or awareness conjoined with will or command
A specialized Quran-attested interpretive use in which knowledge is not bare awareness but knowledge accompanied by will, command, or effective authorization; it is therefore narrower than ordinary عِلْمٌ.
- Lane · entry 6428
- Mufradāt · row 24
أَذَانٌ
ʾadhānun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
a notification or public announcement
A nominal form denoting the act or result of making a matter publicly known.
- Lane · entry 6433
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:3word 1
“And an announcement”
أُذُنٌ
ʾudhunun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 18 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.
the ear, the organ of hearing
The ordinary anatomical noun, with plural آذَانٌ.
- Lane · entry 6430
- Mufradāt · row 24
Selected Quran examples
Quran 22:46word 11
“ears”
a person who listens to and accepts whatever is said
An epithet applied to a person regarded as excessively receptive or credulous; in the Quran it is answered by the qualification أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ, a hearer of what is good for you.
- Lane · entry 6430
- Mufradāt · row 24
- Maqāyīs · row 57
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:61word 7
“(all) ear”
مُؤَذِّنٌ
muʾadhdhinun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
one who announces or calls out a matter
An active participle of أَذَّنَ; in the Quranic occurrences it denotes an announcer who calls out publicly, not specifically a caller to prayer.
- Mufradāt · row 24
- Lane · entry 6446
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:44word 22
“an announcer”
Quran 12:70word 11
“an announcer”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:19ءَاذَانِهِمtheir ears
- 2:97بِإِذْنِby (the) permission
- 2:102بِإِذْنِby permission
- 2:213بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۗwith His permission
- 2:221بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖby His permission
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 32 Classical meanings
أَذِنَ
to desire eagerly or long for food after perceiving its smell
A specialized construction with لِرَائِحَةِ الطَّعَامِ; the desire is prompted by sensing the food's odor.
- Lane · entry 6422
- Lane · entry 6432
أَذَنَهُ
to strike, hit, or hurt someone's ear
A transitive physical use distinct from listening and permission.
- Lane · entry 6422
أُذِنَ
to suffer a complaint or pain in the ear
Said of a person whose ear is affected.
- Lane · entry 6422
أَذَّنَهُ
to twist, wring, strike, or flip someone's ear
Includes striking the ear with a finger; the usage is also associated with dismissing someone from a limited watering.
- Lane · entry 6423
أَذَّنَهُ
to repel or send someone away, especially from drinking water
A derived, figurative extension of the ear-striking usage.
- Lane · entry 6423
أَذَّنَ النَّعْلَ
to fit a sandal with an ear-like strap or loop
Used of attaching the part called أُذُنٌ to a sandal.
- Lane · entry 6423
- Lane · entry 6430
أَذَّنَ بِإِرْسَالِ إِبِلِهِ
to announce or speak of sending away one's camels
A conventional expression referring to announcing the release or departure of camels.
- Lane · entry 6423
آذَنَ
to prevent, forbid, or repel
A rare or figurative Form IV usage reported as an extension of the root's permission and notification senses.
- Lane · entry 6424
آذَنَ
to please or delight someone, causing him to listen to it
A specialized causative usage in which what is heard gives pleasure.
- Lane · entry 6424
آذَنَ
to give notice of an impending condition or change
Used figuratively of a building indicating its coming collapse; also of herbage beginning to dry and grain putting forth its leaves.
- Lane · entry 6424
آذَنَ
to know or become informed of something
An intransitive or reflexive Form IV use equivalent to becoming apprised or certain.
- Lane · entry 6424
أُذُنٌ
a sincere adviser, intimate, or special friend
A figurative extension from the person who listens closely; distinct from the Quranic epithet for a credulous hearer.
- Lane · entry 6430
أُذُنٌ
an ear-shaped appendage or projecting part
Applied by comparison to appendages of the heart and to the wings or feathers of an arrow.
- Lane · entry 6430
أُذُنٌ
a handle or loop-shaped grip of a vessel or bucket
A metaphorical use based on the shape of the external ear.
- Lane · entry 6430
أُذُنٌ
a sharp, ear-shaped part that emerges from certain plants and later falls away
Applied to the specified plant growths because of their form.
- Lane · entry 6430
أَذَنَةٌ
a leaf of a tree or of grain
Includes the leaf called خُوصَة of the ثُّمَام.
- Lane · entry 6432
أَذَنَةٌ
a young camel, sheep, or goat
A figurative designation based on resemblance to the leaf-like خُوصَة of the ثُّمَام.
- Lane · entry 6432
أَذَنَةٌ
a piece or kind of straw
The term may also function as a collective designation for such pieces.
- Lane · entry 6432
أَذَانٌ
the call announcing the time of prayer
In later conventional usage it can also denote the إقامة, the notification to attend the prayer, and أَذَانَانِ can refer to both the call and the إقامة.
- Lane · entry 6433
أَذُونٌ
an animal possessing an external ear
Contrasted with an animal having only an ear-hole.
- Lane · entry 6434
أَذِينٌ
one who makes known, informs, notifies, or announces
An adjectival or quasi-participial form used for an informer or notifier.
- Lane · entry 6435
أَذِينٌ
a responsible or answerable person, surety, or guarantor
A conventional synonym of كَفِيلٌ or زَعِيمٌ in the sense of one who undertakes responsibility.
- Lane · entry 6435
أَذِينٌ
a place reached by the call from every direction
A place is so called when the أَذَان reaches it from all sides.
- Lane · entry 6435
أُذَانِيٌّ
large-eared or long-eared
Applied to a man or to certain animals, including camels and sheep or goats.
- Lane · entry 6437
أُذَيْنِيٌّ
one who hears everything that is said
A vulgar or colloquial derivative of the ear epithet.
- Lane · entry 6438
آذِنٌ
one who permits or allows; hence a doorkeeper or chamberlain
The occupational sense arises from the person who grants access or permission.
- Lane · entry 6440
مُؤْذِنٌ
one who or something that indicates or gives notice of a matter
Used of an impression indicating goodness; in vulgar usage, also of women who announce times of festivity and rejoicing.
- Lane · entry 6442
مُؤْذِنٌ
herbage beginning to dry, or partly dried wood retaining some moisture
A specialized descriptive use for vegetation or wood in an intermediate state between freshness and complete dryness.
- Lane · entry 6442
مِئْذَنَةٌ
a place, generally a mosque turret, from which the time of prayer is announced
Also used for a tower or structure called مَنَارَةٌ or صَوْمَعَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 6445
مُؤَذِّنٌ
one who announces or chants the time of prayer
The conventional religious occupation associated with the call to prayer.
- Lane · entry 6446
مَأْذُونٌ
a slave authorized by his master to engage in trade
A legal and commercial term, commonly understood with لَهُ after it.
- Lane · entry 6447
مَأْذُونٌ
having one's ear struck or hurt
A passive participial use distinct from the legal sense of authorization.
- Lane · entry 6447
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Form I QAC group contains multiple grammatical voices, aspects, and surface spellings; the senses are distinguished by lexical construction rather than by English gloss alone.
Lane's historical Quran references, including bracketed Roman-numeral citations and alternate readings, are not converted into modern verse locations unless independently secured by QAC.
Unassigned or ambiguous evidence
The historical Lane citations attached to the knowledge/notification discussions are retained as lexical evidence, but their printed citation notation is not used as a modern Quran example location.