Quranic root
عبأ
ʿ · b · ʾ
The root centers on gathering or assembling something with weight, yielding the notions of burden, packing, preparation, and assigning importance.
The evidence connects physical weight and packed arrangement with figurative evaluation: what has weight is regarded or valued, while what has no weight is disregarded. Related nominal developments include a load, an enclosing garment, and associated derived forms.
- Maqāyīs · row 3113
- Mufradāt · row 934
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- Quran senses
- 1
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
عَبَأَ
ʿabaʾa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To care about, heed, or regard as having weight or worth.
In the Quranic occurrence it appears in the negated construction مَا يَعْبَؤُا بِكُمْ رَبِّي, meaning not to care about or regard someone as having weight or importance; the construction may also be paraphrased as asking what would be done with them.
- Lane · entry 1809
- Mufradāt · row 934
Selected Quran examples
Quran 25:77word 3
“will care”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 25:77يَعْبَؤُا۟will care
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 15 Classical meanings
عَبَأَ
To pack goods or utensils; to put things together, prepare, set in order, or arrange them; to equip people for war, and to prepare evil or mischief for someone.
Used of goods, utensils, supplies, horsemen, an army, or something prepared for another person.
- Lane · entry 1809
عَبَأَ
To make, prepare, or mix perfume.
A conventional use with perfume as the object.
- Lane · entry 1809
عَبَأَ
To receive something with approbation or accept it favorably.
Attested in the construction عَبَأَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, distinct from the negative بِهِ or لَهُ construction expressing disregard.
- Lane · entry 1809
عَبَأَ
To think or opine something and adopt it as a tenet.
Used with لِـ in عَبَأَ لَهُ, referring to holding something as an opinion or doctrine.
- Lane · entry 1809
عَبَأَ
To shine or radiate, said of the face.
A reported use alongside the unhamzated form عَبَا.
- Lane · entry 1809
الاِعْتِبَاءُ
To stuff the vulva with a مِعْبَأَة.
An anatomical and sexual use explicitly described in reference to a woman; the derived verb may occur without the instrumental phrase.
- Lane · entry 1811
الاِعْتِبَاءُ
To put together for oneself, grasp, or gain possession of property.
A reported use of اعتبأ, presented with some qualification in the lexical evidence.
- Lane · entry 1811
عَبْءٌ
The light of the sun.
A reported nominal use with related variant forms.
- Lane · entry 1812
عِبْءٌ
A load, burden, or weight; especially a debt or other responsibility that one undertakes.
Used of goods, debt, responsibility, or anything borne; the plural is أَعْبَاءٌ.
- Lane · entry 1813
عِبْءٌ
A half-load carried on one side of a beast and balanced by a corresponding load on the other side.
A specialized sense synonymous with عِدْلٌ; the plural is أَعْبَاءٌ.
- Lane · entry 1813
عِبْءٌ
A like, equal, or counterpart.
Used in the expression هٰذَا عَبْءُ هٰذَا, meaning “this is the like of this.”
- Lane · entry 1813
عَبَاءٌ
Stupid, dull, or heavy-minded.
The supplied lexical evidence applies this adjective to a man.
- Lane · entry 1814
عَبَاءَةٌ
A well-known woollen outer garment, a kind of كِسَاء, generally made with stripes; also described as a woollen جُبَّة.
A garment term; عَبَايَةٌ is cited as a variant form.
- Lane · entry 1815
مَعْبَأٌ
A way of thinking adopted as a tenet.
A noun equated with مَذْهَبٌ and connected in the evidence with عَبَأَ لَهُ.
- Lane · entry 1816
مِعْبَأَةٌ
The piece of rag used by a menstruating woman.
A specific article of menstrual hygiene; it is also the instrument named in the anatomical use of الاِعْتِبَاءُ.
- Lane · entry 1817
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The sole Quranic occurrence is 25:77; the displayed headword is normalized from the imperfect Quranic form to the Form I perfect citation form عَبَأَ.
The historical Quran citation notation in the lexical evidence is not converted into a modern verse location; 25:77 is used here because that location is independently supplied by QAC.
Distinct classical vocalizations and headwords such as عَبْءٌ, عِبْءٌ, عَبَاءٌ, and عَبَاءَةٌ are retained as separate lexical entries rather than being collapsed into the Quranic verb.