Quranic root
بهل
b · h · l
The root centers on releasing or leaving something unrestrained, and also has a distinct branch of earnest supplication or mutual imprecation; a third lexical branch concerns scant water.
The release sense appears in leaving a person or animal to itself, with related uses for being unprovided or at liberty. The supplication sense develops into earnest, humble prayer and into mutual invocation of a curse; the sources also record a separate sense of paucity of water.
- Maqāyīs · row 864
- Mufradāt · row 163
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- 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.
اِبْتَهَلَ
āibtahala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- 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 join in invoking God's curse upon whichever party is lying or in the wrong.
In the Quranic first-person plural construction at 3:61, the verb denotes mutual imprecation; the related noun مُبَاهَلَةٌ names this act of invoking the curse on the wrongdoer.
- Lane · entry 37345
- Mufradāt · row 163
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:61word 20
“let us pray humbly”
To humble oneself and address God with earnest, sincere supplication.
In the same Quranic construction, the verb is also explicitly explained as striving earnestly and humbly in prayer; this interpretation accounts for renderings such as “let us pray humbly.”
- Lane · entry 37349
- Mufradāt · row 163
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:61word 20
“let us pray humbly”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 3:61نَبْتَهِلْlet us pray humbly
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 20 Classical meanings
بَهَلَ
To leave a she-camel without an udder-band, allowing her to be milked or allowing her young to suck.
A related intransitive use describes the camel whose udder-band has been loosened and whose young has been left free to suck.
- Lane · entry 37344
بَهَلَ
To leave a person to his own will, opinion, or judgment; to leave him to himself.
The expression is used for abandoning a person to act without direction or restraint.
- Lane · entry 37344
أَبْهَلَ
To leave someone to his own will or disposition.
This Form IV causative use is explained by comparison with an animal left unrestrained.
- Mufradāt · row 163
بَهَلَ، بَهْلٌ، بَهْلَةٌ
To curse; a curse or invocation that God curse someone.
The noun بَهْلَةٌ is used in expressions such as “the curse of God be upon him.”
- Lane · entry 37344
- Lane · entry 37351
بَهْلٌ
Scant water or paucity of water.
This is a separate lexical branch from release and supplication.
- Maqāyīs · row 864
إِبْهَالٌ
The sending or letting flow of water over a sown field after sowing has been completed.
- Lane · entry 37346
اِسْتَبْهَلَ
To milk a camel after removing its udder-band; of a young camel, to pull off the band and suck its mother.
The entry records both the milker's action and the young camel's removal of the bands.
- Lane · entry 37350
اِسْتَبْهَلَ
To leave subjects or a community unrestrained, free to do as they please.
By extension, a place such as the shores or desert may be said to leave people free in their settlements, beyond the reach of authority.
- Lane · entry 37350
بَهْلَلَةٌ
The quality of shrinking from foul things together with generosity or nobility.
- Lane · entry 37353
بُهْلُولٌ
A person who avoids foul things and is generous or noble; also, a lord, chief, or prince combining good qualities.
The term is applied to both men and women in the cited lexical record.
- Lane · entry 37354
بُهْلُولٌ
A great or frequent laugher.
- Lane · entry 37354
بَاهِلٌ
Of a camel, having no udder-band, nose-rein, or brand, and thus being left free.
The term can describe a camel whose udder-band has been loosened and whose young has been left free to suck.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلًا
In an idiom, to come with one's property fully at another's disposal, withholding nothing.
This figurative use occurs in a woman's address to her husband and expresses making all her property lawful or available to him.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلٌ، بَاهِلُونَ
People living at liberty in their place of abode, beyond the reach of a ruler and free to do as they please.
This is a figurative plural use of the adjective.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلٌ
Going to and fro without work.
A figurative personal description.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلٌ
A shepherd without a staff, or one walking without a staff.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلٌ
A man without a weapon.
A figurative use describing lack of customary equipment.
- Lane · entry 37355
بَاهِلَةٌ
A woman without a husband.
A figurative use synonymous with being unmarried or without a spouse.
- Lane · entry 37355
أَبْهَلٌ
The fruit of a tree identified in the lexical record with the juniper or a related tree.
The sources describe differing botanical identifications and medicinal uses for the fruit.
- Lane · entry 37356
اِبْتَهَلَ
To let oneself loose upon someone or something, acting without restraint and overwhelming or destroying it.
This use is preserved from a poetic illustration and is distinct from the Quranic supplication sense.
- Mufradāt · row 163
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The sole Quran occurrence is the first-person plural imperfect نَبْتَهِلْ; the public headword is normalized to the Form VIII perfect اِبْتَهَلَ. The Quranic construction has two explicitly attested lexical interpretations, which are kept as separate senses.