Quranic root
حرث
ḥ · r · th
The root has two divergent orientations: gathering or acquiring, especially through cultivation, and causing a thing—particularly an animal—to become lean.
From acquisition and working land for yield come the agricultural senses of sowing, tilled land, produce, and figurative harvest or reward. Other lexical extensions include procreation, study, and stirring; a separate branch concerns emaciation through use or travel.
- Maqāyīs · row 1328
- Mufradāt · row 307
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 6
- Quran senses
- 14
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
حَرَثَ
ḥaratha
- 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 sow, plant, or cultivate land.
The supplied Quran occurrence is an imperfect active form used of sowing or cultivating land.
- Lane · entry 14001
- Mufradāt · row 307
Selected Quran examples
Quran 56:63word 3
“you sow”
To study, examine, or repeatedly engage with the Qur'an.
A Quran-directed figurative construction; this is distinct from the agricultural use and is not represented by the supplied QAC occurrence location.
- Lane · entry 14001
- Mufradāt · row 307
حَرْث
ḥarth
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 13 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.
Tilled or cultivated land; a field or tilth prepared for sowing.
Literal agricultural land, including land prepared for planting.
- Lane · entry 14004
- Mufradāt · row 307
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:78word 6
“the field”
Seed-produce, crops, or the harvest yielded by cultivation.
The produce or yield of agricultural activity; context may foreground crops, harvest, or the cultivated yield.
- Lane · entry 14004
- Mufradāt · row 307
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:205word 9
“the crops”
A field metaphorically understood as the place in which offspring are sown; in the Quranic construction, wives are likened to a field for procreation.
A reproductive metaphor, not a general lexical meaning ‘wife’. The supplied Quranic construction occurs in 2:223.
- Lane · entry 14004
- Mufradāt · row 307
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:223word 2
“(are) a tilth”
Figurative harvest: the gain, yield, or recompense resulting from one's pursuit or deeds.
The Quran applies this figurative sense to the harvest of worldly or Hereafter-directed aims, including the expression ‘harvest of the Hereafter’.
- Lane · entry 14004
- Mufradāt · row 307
Selected Quran examples
Quran 42:20word 9
“his harvest”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:71ٱلْحَرْثَthe field
- 2:205ٱلْحَرْثَthe crops
- 2:223حَرْثٌۭ(are) a tilth
- 2:223حَرْثَكُمْ(to) your tilth
- 3:14وَٱلْحَرْثِ ۗand [the] tilled land
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 24 Classical meanings
حَرَثَ
To gain, acquire, earn, or collect wealth.
A result-oriented use of the verb, distinct from the effort of working for a livelihood.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To seek sustenance and labor diligently for one's family, livelihood, or benefit.
May be used of work for worldly benefit or, figuratively, for one's benefit in the world to come.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To plough up ground by repeatedly walking over it.
A specialized method of working land, distinct from ordinary sowing or cultivation.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To take or have four wives at the same time.
A specialized Classical Arabic verbal use.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To have sexual intercourse, especially excessively.
The verb is also attested in a transitive construction with a wife as object; the source's example does not establish a broader object restriction.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To emaciate or render an animal lean through journeying or use.
Used of animals such as beasts of burden, camels, or horses.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To use or work an animal, especially a she-camel.
A related animal-use expression distinct from the resultative sense of making the animal lean.
- Mufradāt · row 307
حَرَثَ
To stir a fire and make it blaze.
The action is performed with a fire-stirring implement.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To examine, investigate, or study a book or body of knowledge; to apply oneself to jurisprudence.
The broader Classical Arabic study sense includes examination of a book or Qur'an and dedicated study of fiqh.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرَثَ
To call a thing or affair to mind and become excited or stirred by it.
An expressly figurative and attributed Classical Arabic use.
- Lane · entry 14001
حَرْث
Gain, acquisition, or earned wealth; also recompense or reward.
A broader nominal use for what is acquired or received, including worldly goods and compensation.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرْث
A lot, share, or portion.
A nominal extension distinct from agricultural produce.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرْث
A wife, by metaphorical extension from a field in which offspring are sown.
A Classical Arabic metaphorical use; the Quranic construction is represented separately as a reproductive field metaphor rather than as a general synonym for wife.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرْث
A plain or soft place.
Reported as a possible extension, apparently connected with the suitability of the place for ploughing.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرْث
A road, beaten track, or much-trodden middle of a road.
The sense is based on the appearance of a track repeatedly trodden by hooves or similar traffic.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرْث
A ploughshare.
A tentatively reported lexical use in the supplied evidence.
- Lane · entry 14004
حَرِيثَةٌ / حَرَائِثُ
Camels emaciated by travel; the plural was originally also applied to horses.
A derived adjectival or nominal use, distinct from the Form I verb meaning ‘to emaciate’.
- Lane · entry 14005
حَرَّاث
A sower, plougher, tiller, or cultivator of land.
A derived agent noun for one who prepares or works land for sowing.
- Lane · entry 14006
حَرَّاث
A great eater.
A specialized derived-noun use, unrelated to the occupational sense except by lexical form.
- Lane · entry 14006
حَارِث
A collector or acquirer of property.
An active-participial use connected with acquiring wealth.
- Lane · entry 14007
الحَارِث
The lion, used as a generic proper name.
The name is explained by the lion's strength in acquiring or seizing prey.
- Lane · entry 14007
مِحْرَاث
An implement for stirring a fire; figuratively, an instigator of war.
The literal sense refers to a fire-stirring piece of wood or shovel, while the figurative expression refers to what or who stirs up war.
- Lane · entry 14011
مِحْرَاث
A plough or ploughshare.
A later or current usage reported separately from the fire-stirring implement.
- Lane · entry 14011
أَرْضٌ مَحْرُوثَةٌ
Ground ploughed up by the repeated treading of people.
A passive participial description of ground altered by heavy foot traffic.
- Lane · entry 14012
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
In 2:223, حَرْث is a reproductive field metaphor applied to wives; it should not be treated as a general noun meaning ‘wife’.
The ploughshare sense reported for حَرْث is tentative in the supplied lexical evidence and is kept separate from the ordinary agricultural senses.