Quranic root
برأ
b · r · ʾ
The root develops around two related orientations: bringing something into existence and becoming separate, clear, or free from something else.
The creation branch yields بَرَأَ and بَارِئٌ, while the separation branch yields recovery from illness, exemption from claims or obligations, disavowal, mutual separation, cleansing, and investigation undertaken to remove doubt.
- Maqāyīs · row 729
- Mufradāt · row 108
- 10
- Quran-attested forms
- 13
- Quran senses
- 31
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
بَرَأَ
baraʾa
- 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 bring into existence; to create or produce.
In the Quranic construction, the verb takes the thing brought into existence as its object. The lexical evidence allows application to created beings and, more broadly, to created things or events.
- Lane · entry 35977
Selected Quran examples
Quran 57:22word 16
“We bring it into existence”
بَرَّأَ
barraʾa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- 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 absolve, acquit, or declare someone free of blame, accusation, or implication.
A transitive construction in which the person cleared is the object; the matter from which someone is cleared may be expressed with مِنْ.
- Lane · entry 35978
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:53word 2
“I absolve”
Quran 33:69word 9
“then Allah cleared him”
أَبْرَأَ
ʾabraʾa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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 cure, heal, or restore someone from illness.
The Quranic use concerns restoring a person afflicted by disease to health or recovery; the construction is transitive.
- Lane · entry 35980
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:49word 24
“And I cure”
Quran 5:110word 39
“and you heal”
تَبَرَّأَ
tabarraʾa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form V
- Form
- V
- Quran occurrences
- 5 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 dissociate oneself from, disown, renounce, or declare oneself clear of someone or something.
A subject-oriented reflexive construction, commonly followed by مِنْ; it expresses repudiation or non-involvement with a person, act, belief, or other matter.
- Lane · entry 35981
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:166word 2
“will disown”
Quran 9:114word 17
“he disassociated”
Quran 28:63word 13
“We declare our innocence”
بَارِئٌ
bāriʾun
- Part of speech
- Active participle · divine epithet
- Quran occurrences
- 3 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 Creator, Originator, or Former who brings created things into being and distinguishes them in their forms.
In Quranic usage this active participle is used as a divine epithet.
- Lane · entry 35991
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:54word 13
“your Creator”
Quran 59:24word 4
“the Inventor”
بَرَاءٌ
barāʾun
- 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.
A state of being clear of, disassociated from, or uninvolved with something.
The Quranic construction expresses disavowal or separation from an object of worship or other matter, commonly with مِنْ.
- Lane · entry 35987
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 43:26word 7
“disassociated”
بَرَاءَةٌ
barāʾahun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A formal declaration of release, disavowal, or immunity, especially an announcement terminating obligations and giving notice or warning.
Used for a public or formal declaration of freedom from an agreement, obligation, or association.
- Lane · entry 35977
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:1word 1
“Freedom from obligations”
Exemption or immunity from a debt, claim, obligation, or demand.
The noun can denote the resulting state of being released from an obligation, not only the announcement that establishes it.
- Lane · entry 35977
- Lane · entry 35988
Selected Quran examples
Quran 54:43word 7
“(is) an exemption”
بَرِيءٌ
barīʾun
- Part of speech
- Adjective / noun
- 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.
Free or innocent of a fault, wrongdoing, accusation, or blame.
The adjective may predicate innocence or absence of responsibility; the matter of which someone is free may be expressed with مِنْ or by the surrounding context.
- Lane · entry 35987
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:112word 9
“(on) an innocent”
Disassociated from, clear of, or not implicated in a person, object, practice, or cause.
This relational use expresses repudiation or lack of connection and commonly occurs with مِنْ.
- Lane · entry 35987
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 10:41word 9
“(are) disassociated”
Quran 6:19word 35
“free”
Clear or quit of a debt, claim, duty, or other obligation; exempt from its demand.
The use concerns liability or an outstanding claim rather than moral innocence or general disassociation.
- Lane · entry 35987
Selected Quran examples
Quran 9:3word 12
“(is) free from obligations”
بَرِيَّةٌ
bariyyahun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
Created beings; creatures or creation, especially mankind when the context specifies it.
A collective noun for beings that have been created; the lexical evidence also permits the more specific sense ‘mankind.’
- Lane · entry 35990
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 98:6word 16
“(of) the creatures”
Quran 98:7word 9
“(of) the creatures”
مُبَرَّأٌ
mubarraʾun
- Part of speech
- Passive participle
- 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.
Declared free of blame or accusation; acquitted or cleared.
A passive participle denoting the result of being absolved or shown innocent, especially with respect to an allegation.
- Lane · entry 35978
- Mufradāt · row 108
Selected Quran examples
Quran 24:26word 10
“(are) innocent”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:54بَارِئِكُمْyour Creator
- 2:54بَارِئِكُمْyour Creator
- 2:166تَبَرَّأَwill disown
- 2:167فَنَتَبَرَّأَthen we will disown
- 2:167تَبَرَّءُوا۟they disown
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
بَرِئَ
To recover or become convalescent from illness; of a wound, to heal or enter a healing state.
Form I usage concerning recovery from disease, including partial convalescence while weakness or some illness remains.
- Lane · entry 35977
بَرِئَ
To become free, clear, or quit of a fault, debt, claim, affair, or liability.
An intransitive Form I construction, commonly followed by مِنْ; it can denote immunity from a demand or responsibility.
- Lane · entry 35977
بَرِئَ
To keep away from or shun unclean or blameworthy things.
A Form I avoidance construction, generally followed by مِنْ.
- Lane · entry 35977
بَارَأَ
To mutually release or separate from one another; to settle with a partner or associate for reciprocal separation.
Form III expresses reciprocal clearance or separation between the parties.
- Lane · entry 35979
بَارَأَ
To divorce a wife in return for compensation or relinquishment of part of her due.
A conventional mutual-separation construction in which the spouses become clear of one another through an agreed compensation.
- Lane · entry 35979
أَبْرَأَ
To acquit or declare another person free of a fault, debt, claim, or responsibility.
A transitive Form IV construction; the matter from which the person is cleared may be expressed with مِنْ. This is the broader Classical Form IV use, distinct from the Quranic Form IV healing use.
- Lane · entry 35980
أَبْرَأَ
To enter the period or day called البَرَاء.
A rare temporal usage referring to the named lunar-period designation.
- Lane · entry 35980
تَبَرَّأَ
To assert oneself free or clear of a fault or matter.
A broader Classical Form V use of the reflexive verb; the Quranic disavowal use is represented separately under the Quranic form.
- Lane · entry 35981
تَبَارَأَ
To separate from one another, each party becoming clear of the other.
Form VI expresses reciprocal separation.
- Lane · entry 35982
اِسْتَبْرَأَ
To take exceptional care to remove all remaining urine from the penis and cleanse it completely.
A technical purification usage concerning the male organ and the remains of urine.
- Lane · entry 35983
اِسْتَبْرَأَ
To abstain from sexual intercourse with a purchased or captive woman until menstruation and purification establish that she is not pregnant.
A legal and social usage concerning the waiting period before intercourse in order to establish absence of pregnancy.
- Lane · entry 35983
اِسْتَبْرَأَ
To investigate or search a thing or matter thoroughly until doubt is removed.
A figurative or extended Form X usage involving repeated, careful inquiry to obtain certain knowledge.
- Lane · entry 35983
بُرْأَةٌ
A hunter’s lurking-place or concealed hunting shelter.
A concrete nominal usage; its plural is بُرَأٌ.
- Lane · entry 35984
البَرَاءُ
A traditional name for a boundary day or night of the lunar month.
Classical authorities differ over whether it denotes the first night, first day, last night, or last day of the month; the term is associated with the moon’s separation from the sun or month.
- Lane · entry 35985
بَرِيءٌ
Sound in body and intellect.
A Classical adjectival specialization distinct from the Quranic uses of innocence, disassociation, and exemption.
- Lane · entry 35987
بَرَاءَةٌ
A written instrument conferring immunity or exemption.
A nominal legal or administrative usage derived from release from a debt, claim, or defect.
- Lane · entry 35988
بَارِئٌ
Recovering or convalescent from illness, especially becoming sound at the close of disease while still weak.
A Classical active-participial use distinct from the Quranic divine epithet ‘Creator.’
- Lane · entry 35991
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The public Form I headword is normalized to بَرَأَ from the inflected QAC occurrence نَّبْرَأَ.
A Lane citation placed in the Form IV discussion refers to Qur'an 33:69, whose supplied QAC occurrence is morphologically Form II فَبَرَّأَهُ. The clearance meaning is therefore covered under the Quranic Form II while retained separately as a broader Classical Form IV use; no additional Form IV Quran occurrence is inferred.