Quranic root
ظهر
ẓ · h · r
The root centers on emergence into view and strength expressed through the back: what becomes outward, elevated, dominant, or relied upon.
The semantic field develops from the human back as the outward and supporting side. From this arise meanings of appearing, becoming manifest, rising above or overcoming, supporting another, carrying burdens, and putting something behind one's back.
- Maqāyīs · row 3111
- 10
- Quran-attested forms
- 18
- Quran senses
- 59
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
ظَهَرَ
ẓahara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 10 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 emerge into visibility or become apparent, manifest, or prevalent.
Used for something becoming perceptible after being hidden; with a condition such as فساد, it can mean becoming widespread or manifest.
- Lane · entry 32727
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:151word 26
“(is) apparent”
To prevail over, overcome, or gain mastery of someone or something.
Commonly construed with عَلَى; the object may be an opponent, a thing to be overcome, or a structure to be surmounted.
- Lane · entry 32727
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:8word 3
“they gain dominance”
To come to know, become acquainted with, or gain awareness of something.
Especially with عَلَى; in the Quran this includes attaining awareness of private matters and discovering or recognizing people.
- Lane · entry 32727
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 18:20word 3
“they come to know”
To mount, climb onto, or get upon the top or back of something.
Used with a physical object such as a wall, mountain, or other elevated structure.
- Lane · entry 32727
Selected Quran examples
Quran 43:33word 17
“they mount”
ظَاهَرَ
ẓāhara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form III
- Form
- III
- Quran occurrences
- 6 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 aid, assist, support, or back someone, including by aiding one side against another.
The reciprocal or opposing-party construction can express support for one another or support against an adversary.
- Lane · entry 32729
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:4word 11
“they have supported”
To pronounce the formula of ẓihār: to declare one's wife to be to oneself like the back of one's mother, thereby treating marital relations as forbidden.
A conventional pre-Islamic repudiation formula, Quranically discussed in the construction ظَاهَرَ مِنِ امْرَأَتِهِ and its variant readings.
- Lane · entry 32729
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 58:2word 2
“pronounce zihar”
أَظْهَرَ
ʾaẓhara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 8 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 apparent, show, manifest, disclose, or reveal something.
Used causatively for bringing something hidden or unexpressed into view or public awareness.
- Lane · entry 32730
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:33word 8
“to manifest it”
To make something prevail, dominant, or victorious over another.
In Quranic usage, especially with a religion or doctrine as object, the causative sense can be realized as granting ascendancy rather than merely making visible.
- Lane · entry 32730
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 48:28word 8
“that He (may) make it prevail”
To enter or be present at the time of noon.
A temporal use of the Form IV verb, equivalent to entering the time called ظُهْر or ظَهِيرَة.
- Lane · entry 32730
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 30:18word 8
“you are at noon”
تَظَاهَرَ
taẓāhara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VI
- Form
- VI
- 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 support or aid one another; to combine in support of a cause or party.
The reciprocal Form VI expresses mutual assistance and may be construed against an opposing party.
- Lane · entry 32732
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:85word 11
“you support one another”
Quran 66:4word 9
“you backup each other”
ظَاهِرٌ
ẓāhirun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 8 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.
Outward, external, apparent, visible, or manifest.
Contrasted with باطن; it can describe perceptible reality, the outward side of something, or what is evident rather than hidden.
- Lane · entry 32750
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 30:7word 2
“(the) apparent”
Quran 57:13word 24
“but its exterior”
Predominant, ascendant, or victorious.
Used of a person or group having mastery, and in the divine name الظاهر, of the One who is ascendant over all things.
- Lane · entry 32750
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 40:29word 5
“dominant”
ظَاهِرَةٌ
ẓāhirahun
- 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.
Apparent or visible.
The feminine active-participle form describes something outwardly evident or accessible to perception.
- Mufradāt · row 932
- Lane · entry 32751
Selected Quran examples
Quran 31:20word 16
“apparent”
Quran 34:18word 9
“visible”
ظَهِيرٌ
ẓahīrun
- Part of speech
- Adjective / noun
- Quran occurrences
- 6 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.
An aider, assistant, helper, or supporter.
It may be singular or collective in sense and is commonly construed with عَلَى to express support against an opponent.
- Lane · entry 32746
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
ظَهْرٌ
ẓahrun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 15 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 back, the bodily part opposite the belly.
Used literally of human beings and animals, and in Quranic expressions for something borne on or placed behind the back.
- Lane · entry 32735
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
The upper, outer, or exterior surface or side of something.
This includes the exposed surface of the earth or another object, contrasted with its interior or underside.
- Lane · entry 32735
- Mufradāt · row 932
ظِهْرِيٌّ
ẓihriyyun
- Part of speech
- Noun / adjective
- 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.
Put behind one's back and consequently ignored, neglected, or disregarded.
A figurative relational formation used for something to which one turns one's back, abandons, or pays no attention.
- Lane · entry 32735
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 11:92word 10
“backs”
ظَهِيرَةٌ
ẓahīrahun
- 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.
Noon, midday, or the period of intense midday heat.
The exact limits vary by usage: it may denote the point of midday, the time after the sun's decline, or the vehement heat around midday, especially in summer.
- Lane · entry 32748
- Mufradāt · row 932
Selected Quran examples
Quran 24:58word 23
“noon”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:85تَظَـٰهَرُونَyou support one another
- 2:101ظُهُورِهِمْtheir backs
- 2:189ظُهُورِهَاtheir backs
- 3:187ظُهُورِهِمْtheir backs
- 6:31ظُهُورِهِمْ ۚtheir backs
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 68 Classical meanings
ظَهَرَ
To go out to the outside of a place.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَ
Of a bird, to migrate or move from one region to another.
Reported especially of a vulture moving toward Najd.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَ عَنْهُ
For a fault, disgrace, or vice to be remote from someone and not attach to him.
Figurative construction with عَنْهُ.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَ بِهِ
To glory or boast by reason of something.
Figurative use of having something behind or supporting one's status.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا
To become fat as a result of eating something.
A specialized idiomatic expression concerning the effect of food.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِ
To know a text, especially the Quran, by heart and recite it from memory.
A figurative extension of having something on one's back or at one's command.
- Lane · entry 32727
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهَرَ بِحَاجَتِي
To hold a person's need in contempt or treat it as unimportant.
Literally, to put the need behind one's back and pay it no attention.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَرَهُ
To strike, hit, or hurt someone's back.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهِرَ
To suffer a complaint or pain in the back.
A verbal form describing a person afflicted in the back.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهُرَ
To be or become strong in the back.
Used especially of a camel, and of physical strength located in the back.
- Lane · entry 32727
ظَهَّرَ
To face a garment or provide it with an outer covering.
The covering is the exterior layer, contrasted with the lining.
- Lane · entry 32728
ظَاهَرَ
To put one garment, coat of mail, or sandal over another, or to layer coverings.
A conventional clothing and armor construction; it can also describe placing coverings one over another on an animal.
- Lane · entry 32729
أَظْهَرَ بِفُلَانٍ
To elevate someone or make him publicly known.
A disputed or dialectal construction in the lexical evidence, with differing explanations between elevation and public announcement.
- Lane · entry 32730
أَظْهَرَهُ عَلَيْهِ
To make someone know, discover, or become acquainted with something.
Causative construction with عَلَى.
- Lane · entry 32730
تَظَاهَرَ
To treat one another with hostility or to turn one's back on one another.
An attested contrary reciprocal use, explained as each party turning away from the other; it is distinct from mutual assistance.
- Lane · entry 32732
اِسْتَظْهَرَ
To seek aid or assistance through someone or something.
Usually construed with بِهِ or عَلَيْهِ; wealth, for example, may be used as support against calamities.
- Lane · entry 32734
اِسْتَظْهَرَ بِالشَّيْءِ
To put something behind one's back for protection or security.
Figurative use of the back as a support or safeguard.
- Lane · entry 32734
اِسْتَظْهَرَ
To prepare a camel or other riding animal for future need.
The prepared animal is kept in reserve for a journey or for replacing an animal that fails.
- Lane · entry 32734
اِسْتَظْهَرَ
To use precaution, secure oneself, or adopt the safest course in pursuing something.
Includes taking additional measures to ensure ritual purity or success in an undertaking.
- Lane · entry 32734
ظَهْرٌ
A household or responsibility to be maintained, conceived as a light or heavy burden.
In the expressions خَفِيفُ الظَّهْرِ and ثَقِيلُ الظَّهْرِ, referring respectively to a small or large household.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
What is behind someone, especially in the idiom of stealing or acting wrongfully with respect to what is behind him.
A figurative rearward construction.
- Lane · entry 32735
أَقْرَانُ الظَّهْرِ
Adversaries who approach from behind, unexpectedly or without being known.
Used in warfare or conflict.
- Lane · entry 32735
قَتَلَهُ ظَهْرًا
To kill someone unexpectedly or assassinate him.
An idiom synonymous with killing by stealth.
- Lane · entry 32735
مِنْ وَلَدِ الظَّهْرِ
A person regarded as outside one's group, disregarded, or held in contempt.
A figurative kinship expression for someone given no relational consideration.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرًا
Distantly related on the father's side.
Contrasted with close or near kinship.
- Lane · entry 32735
رَجَعَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ
To recede, retire, or retreat.
An idiomatic expression.
- Lane · entry 32735
بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْهِمْ
To dwell among a people, in their midst or main body.
Originally conveys being surrounded and supported by people on either side; later it can simply mean residing among them.
- Lane · entry 32735
بَيْنَ الظَّهْرَيْنِ
During the day or within an interval between times or days.
Several idioms use the dual form for a daytime interval or a period between specified temporal boundaries.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ
To turn something over and over, or to consider and manage an affair thoroughly and with foresight.
The literal image is turning back to belly; the extended use applies to careful deliberation or management.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
The outward wording, reading, or apparent interpretation of a text, contrasted with its inward meaning.
In discussion of a Quranic verse's ظَهْر and بَطْن, the outward expression may be contrasted with interpretation, understanding, teaching, or esoteric meaning.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
A riding or burden-bearing camel, or the riding animals used for travel.
By extension, عَلَى ظَهْرٍ can mean being prepared or determined for travel as though already mounted.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
Property consisting of riding or burden-bearing animals, and by extension substantial property.
A figurative extension from animals that support and carry a person.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
The short or outer side of a feather, especially the part used in feathering an arrow.
Contrasted with the longer inner side of the feather.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
The upper or convex surface of the hand, foot, or tongue.
An anatomical specialization contrasted with the palm, sole, or underside.
- Lane · entry 32735
طَرِيقُ الظَّهْرِ
A land route, especially when contrasted with a sea route.
A figurative use of an open or exposed way.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
Elevated, rugged, or upper land, including the higher part of a mountain.
Contrasted with low, soft, or level ground; ظَاهِرَةٌ may denote elevated tracts.
- Lane · entry 32735
سَالَ وَادِيهِ ظَهْرًا
For a valley to flow with rain originating in its own land.
Contrasted with a valley receiving rain from elsewhere.
- Lane · entry 32735
مَطَرُ ظَهْرٍ
Abundant benefit or good obtained from someone or something.
An idiomatic extension from productive or elevated land.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظَهْرٌ
Something absent, hidden, or concealed from a person.
A less usual lexical sense opposed to what is present or visible.
- Lane · entry 32735
عَنْ ظَهْرِ الغَيْبِ
By memory, without consulting a book or other written aid.
Includes reciting a text or carrying the Quran on one's tongue or memory.
- Lane · entry 32735
عَلَى ظَهْرِ يَدِ فُلَانٍ
At another person's expense, or from resources left after one's own needs are met.
The same family of expressions can mean living at another's expense or giving freely from manifest competence.
- Lane · entry 32735
قِدْرُ ظَهْرٍ
An old cooking pot.
An idiom suggesting something cast behind the back because of its age.
- Lane · entry 32735
ظُهْرٌ
Midday, noon, or the time around the sun's decline from the meridian.
Also used for the midday prayer, with the word صلاة sometimes elided.
- Lane · entry 32736
ظَهِرٌ
A person suffering from a complaint or pain in the back.
An adjectival description of someone afflicted in the back.
- Lane · entry 32737
ظُهْرَةٌ
A tortoise.
A specialized nominal sense.
- Lane · entry 32738
ظَهَرَةٌ
The goods, furnishings, or utensils of a house or tent.
It can also be contrasted with the interior furnishings as the exterior portion.
- Lane · entry 32740
ظَهَرَةٌ
Abundant property or cattle.
A specialized extension from useful property that provides support.
- Lane · entry 32740
ظِهْرِيٌّ
A camel kept in reserve for future need or to carry a burden when another camel fails.
The animal is prepared for riding or carrying but may remain unused until needed.
- Lane · entry 32741
ظُهْرَان
The upper, thick pair of wings of a locust.
A specialized zoological term.
- Lane · entry 32742
ظَهَارٌ
The exterior or elevated part of a stony tract.
Used of the upper or exposed part of a حرّة.
- Lane · entry 32744
ظُهَارٌ
Pain in the back.
A specialized nominal form distinct from the ordinary noun for the back.
- Lane · entry 32745
ظَهِيرٌ
Strong-backed, sound, or hard and strong.
Applied especially to a man or camel; the evidence also extends the adjective to strength generally.
- Lane · entry 32746
ظَهِيرٌ
A camel whose back is unusable or unsound because of sores, galls, or another defect.
This is an attested contrary specialization to the sense of being strong-backed.
- Lane · entry 32746
ظِهَارَةٌ
The uppermost or outward-facing covering of a garment or carpet.
Contrasted with the lining or underside.
- Lane · entry 32747
ظُهَارِيَّةٌ
A wrestling maneuver that twists or throws an opponent down onto his back.
A named method of seizing and bringing an opponent down.
- Lane · entry 32749
ظُهَارِيَّةٌ
A particular manner of compression or sexual intercourse.
A figurative extension from the wrestling maneuver.
- Lane · entry 32749
ظُهَارِيَّةٌ
To bind a person's hands behind his back.
Used in the construction أَوْثَقَهُ الظُّهَارِيَّةَ.
- Lane · entry 32749
عَيْنٌ ظَاهِرَةٌ
A prominent eye that fills its cavity.
A specialized anatomical use of ظَاهِرَةٌ.
- Lane · entry 32750
ظَاهِرٌ عَنْهُ
Remote from someone and not attaching to him, said of a fault or disgrace.
A figurative construction with عَنْهُ.
- Lane · entry 32750
ظَاهِرٌ
The external state, circumstances, or outward character of a person.
Contrasted with the inward state or disposition.
- Lane · entry 32750
حَاجَتُهُ ظَاهِرَةٌ
A person's need being treated as an object of contempt or neglect.
Figuratively, the need is cast behind the back.
- Lane · entry 32750
ظَوَاهِرُ
Sheep, goats, or other animals that come to water at noon.
A specialized plural and watering-time expression.
- Lane · entry 32750
- Lane · entry 32751
ظَاهِرَةٌ
An exterior or higher locality, such as the outer or elevated parts of a city.
Used of communities or districts situated outside or above the central lowland area.
- Lane · entry 32751
ظَاهِرَةٌ
The coming of camels, sheep, or goats to water at noon.
A recurring watering schedule, including watering on alternate days for some animals.
- Lane · entry 32751
مَظْهَرٌ
A place of ascent, an elevated grade, rank, station, or condition.
It can be used figuratively for an exalted station, including Paradise in poetic usage.
- Lane · entry 32752
مُظْهَرٌ
Made apparent; in grammatical terminology, explicit rather than concealed or pronominal.
The technical grammatical use is opposed to مُضْمَرٌ and ضَمِيرٌ.
- Lane · entry 32753
مُظْهِرٌ
One possessing camels for riding or carrying goods.
A specialized active-participial noun.
- Lane · entry 32754
مُظْهِرٌ
A camel made to sweat by the intense midday heat, or a person arriving at midday.
The evidence records variant forms and usage around ظَهِيرَة and ظُهْر.
- Lane · entry 32754
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
With عَلَى, Form I ظَهَرَ can mean becoming acquainted with, prevailing over, or mounting/surmounting; the object and construction determine the sense.
Some Quranic translations of the appearance and predominance senses overlap; the artifact keeps causative manifestation, dominance, and temporal noon uses distinct where the lexical evidence supports them.
The Form VI verb also has an attested Classical Arabic contrary use meaning to turn one's back on one another; that specialization is kept outside the Quranic mutual-support sense.