Quranic root
حبط
ḥ · b · ṭ
The root has two closely related orientations: nullification or loss of efficacy, and painful swelling or obstruction, especially of the belly.
The physical image is an animal becoming dangerously swollen after excessive or unwholesome feeding. From this developed the figurative use for deeds becoming void or unrewarded, as well as related uses for blood going without compensation and for wounds or water undergoing an adverse change.
- Maqāyīs · row 1282
- Mufradāt · row 290
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 16
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
حَبِطَ
ḥabiṭa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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 become null, void, or ineffective of reward; to go for nothing.
In Quranic usage, the subject is commonly deeds or works. The use covers deeds that yield no benefit in the Hereafter, deeds performed without sincere intention, and good deeds whose opposing sins outweigh them; the emphasis is on loss of efficacy, standing, or reward.
- Lane · entry 13333
- Mufradāt · row 290
Selected Quran examples
Quran 5:5word 37
“(are) wasted”
Quran 11:16word 9
“And (has) gone in vain”
Quran 39:65word 10
“surely, will become worthless”
أَحْبَطَ
ʾaḥbaṭa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 4 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 make deeds or works null, void, or ineffective of reward; to annul their reward.
A transitive causative use with deeds or works as the object. In the Quran it describes the nullification of the efficacy or reward of actions.
- Lane · entry 13334
- Mufradāt · row 290
Selected Quran examples
Quran 47:9word 7
“so He has made worthless”
Quran 47:32word 20
“and He will make worthless”
Quran 33:19word 28
“so Allah made worthless”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:217حَبِطَتْbecame worthless
- 3:22حَبِطَتْbecame worthless
- 5:5حَبِطَ(are) wasted
- 5:53حَبِطَتْBecame worthless
- 6:88لَحَبِطَsurely (would be) worthless
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 17 Classical meanings
حَبِطَ
To become swollen or inflated, especially in the belly, through excessive eating or unwholesome pasture, with retention of what is inside; also, of the skin, to become swollen.
Used of animals and people. In reference to a horse, the swollen flank or belly region is named rather than simply the horse.
- Lane · entry 13333
حَبِطَ
Of a wound, to leave scars or raised marks after healing, or to break open and become recurrent.
The marks may be scars of wounds or whips; the usage includes excrescent or swollen scar tissue.
- Lane · entry 13333
- Lane · entry 13336
حَبِطَ، أَحْبَطَ
Of well water, to go away and not return as it was.
The intransitive and causative forms are both attested for this change in the water of a well.
- Lane · entry 13333
- Lane · entry 13334
حَبِطَ
Of blood, to go for nothing, without retaliation or compensation by blood-money.
Used of the blood of a slain person when no retaliatory claim or financial compensation is obtained.
- Lane · entry 13333
أَحْبَطَ
To make a beast or a belly enter the swollen or obstructed condition called حَبَط.
This is the primary causative physical use, distinct from the figurative causation of deeds becoming void.
- Lane · entry 13334
أَحْبَطَ
For beating to leave a mark or scar upon someone.
The object is the person who bears the resulting mark or marks.
- Lane · entry 13334
أَحْبَطَ
To cause blood to go for nothing, without retaliation or compensation by blood-money.
A causative use corresponding to the intransitive use of blood going unavenged or uncompensated.
- Lane · entry 13334
أَحْبَطَ
To turn away from, avoid, shun, or leave someone.
A transitive interpersonal use.
- Lane · entry 13334
اِحْبَنْطَى
Of a man, to be or become swollen or inflated in the belly; to be short and big-bellied; or to become filled with wrath, rage, or repletion.
The expressions for anger and repletion are recorded alongside the physical description and belong to this special derived form.
- Lane · entry 13335
حَبَطٌ
Swelling or inflation, especially of the belly, from excessive or unwholesome feeding; also a swelling of the udder or another part.
The swelling may be attributed to food, disease, or another cause; the term also denotes the condition in which the animal cannot void what is inside.
- Lane · entry 13336
حَبَطٌ
Scars or marks of wounds or whips remaining after healing, including raised scar tissue.
This is a nominal use for the resulting scars or excrescent flesh, not for the swelling condition of the belly.
- Lane · entry 13336
حَبِطٌ
An animal whose belly is swollen or painful from excessive or unwholesome pasture and whose contents do not pass freely.
The word is also used of a horse swollen in the flanks.
- Lane · entry 13337
حُبَاطٌ
The disease in which the belly becomes swollen or inflated from eating the herb ذُرَق.
This names the disease condition rather than the verb or the animal experiencing it.
- Lane · entry 13338
حَبَنْطًى
A short, big-bellied person; also one filled with wrath, rage, or repletion.
The supplied lexical discussion primarily describes a man; related feminine and variant forms are recorded separately in the tradition.
- Lane · entry 13341
حَبَنْطَاةٌ
A short, ugly, big-bellied woman.
This is the feminine lexical specialization explicitly distinguished in the discussion of the related forms.
- Lane · entry 13341
مُحْبَنْطٍ
A man or child swollen or inflated in the belly; one filled with anger; one who becomes angry because something seems slow or late; or one who refrains in the manner of a seeker or desirer rather than one who refuses.
Several closely related physical, emotional, and behavioral uses are recorded for this active participial form.
- Lane · entry 13344
مُحْبَنْطِئٌ
Swollen or big-bellied; regarding something as slow or late; or cleaving to the ground.
These uses are distinguished in the lexical comparison with مُحْبَنْطٍ.
- Lane · entry 13344
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The physical swelling, wound, water, blood, and affective idioms are broader Classical Arabic branches and are not presented as Quranic senses of the two displayed verb forms.
A historical Quran citation in the classical evidence is not used as a modern verse location; Quran examples here use independently supplied QAC locations.