Quranic root
فصل
f · ṣ · l
The root centers on distinguishing one thing from another and making it distinct or manifest.
Its central notion develops from physical separation and division into departure, weaning, partitioning and clarification, and finally decisive judgment; related nouns preserve ideas of joints, boundaries, sections, and separating elements.
- Maqāyīs · row 3598
- Mufradāt · row 1118
- 8
- Quran-attested forms
- 11
- Quran senses
- 43
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
فَصَلَ
faṣala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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 go forth or depart from a place or person.
An intransitive movement-away use; the Quranic occurrences describe setting out or departure.
- Lane · entry 34325
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:249word 2
“set out”
Quran 12:94word 2
“departed”
To decide or judge between people, claims, or opposing positions.
Used with a between-phrase or an object of judgment; the decision distinguishes what is true from what is false.
- Lane · entry 34325
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 32:25word 4
“will judge”
Quran 60:3word 8
“He will judge”
فَصَّلَ
faṣṣala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- Quran occurrences
- 17 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 distinct, clear, or detailed; to explain by setting something out in separate portions.
The Quranic Form II use concerns clarifying signs, rulings, accounts, or other matters, including their detailed exposition; active and passive constructions express the same branch.
- Lane · entry 34326
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:97word 13
“We have made clear”
Quran 7:52word 4
“which We have explained”
Quran 11:1word 6
“explained in detail”
Quran 41:3word 2
“are detailed”
فَصِيلَةٌ
faṣīlahun
- 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 man's nearest kindred or close kin-group.
A kinship group closely attached to and supporting a person; the Quranic usage refers to such near kindred.
- Lane · entry 34334
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 70:13word 1
“And his nearest kindred”
فَصْلٌ
faṣlun
- Part of speech
- Noun / Adjective
- Quran occurrences
- 9 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 decision or judgment that distinguishes truth from falsehood; the decisive judgment.
In Quranic usage it commonly denotes the Judgment or Day of Decision, when distinctions and judgments are made between people.
- Lane · entry 34325
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Decisive, clear, or discriminating speech or judgment.
Describes a statement or ruling that is unambiguous and separates what is true or correct from what is false or erroneous.
- Lane · entry 34330
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 38:20word 5
“and decisive”
Quran 86:13word 3
“decisive”
فَاصِلٌ
fāṣilun
- Part of speech
- Active 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.
One who separates, decides, or makes a discriminating judgment.
An active participle referring to a person or other agent that decisively distinguishes between opposing matters; the Quranic plural refers to deciders.
- Lane · entry 34336
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:57word 22
“(of) the Deciders”
فِصَالٌ
fiṣālun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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 weaning of a nursing infant.
The separation of the child from breastfeeding; the Quran also uses it in reckoning the period of bearing and weaning.
- Lane · entry 34325
- Lane · entry 34332
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:233word 36
“weaning”
Quran 31:14word 9
“and his weaning”
Quran 46:15word 11
“and (the) weaning of him”
مُفَصَّلٌ
mufaṣṣalun
- Part of speech
- Passive participle / adjective
- 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.
Made distinct, clear, or detailed; set out in separate portions.
A passive participle or adjective describing signs, scripture, or other matters whose parts have been clarified, differentiated, or explained in detail.
- Lane · entry 34342
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:114word 10
“explained in detail”
Quran 7:133word 9
“manifest”
The portion of the Quran known as al-Mufassal.
A technical Quranic designation for the portion whose chapters are marked by many divisions; its reported starting point varies among authorities.
- Lane · entry 34342
- Mufradāt · row 1118
تَفْصِيلٌ
tafṣīlun
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- 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.
Detailed explanation or clear setting out of something.
The verbal noun of Form II, referring to the act or result of explaining, clarifying, or presenting matters in detail.
- Lane · entry 34326
- Mufradāt · row 1118
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:154word 9
“and an explanation”
Quran 7:145word 9
“and explanation”
Quran 10:37word 15
“and a detailed explanation”
Quran 17:12word 23
“(in) detail”
Quran 12:111word 17
“and a detailed explanation”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:233فِصَالًاweaning
- 2:249فَصَلَset out
- 6:55نُفَصِّلُWe explain
- 6:57ٱلْفَـٰصِلِينَ(of) the Deciders
- 6:97فَصَّلْنَاWe have made clear
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 31 Classical meanings
فَصَلَ
To separate, divide, or put one thing apart from another; to make a separation between two things.
Transitive separation or division, including making a boundary between two lands or a division among people.
- Lane · entry 34325
فَصَلَ
Of a vine, to put forth small grapes.
A specialized botanical use.
- Lane · entry 34325
فَصَّلَ
To place a separating bead between each two beads of a string.
Used of arranging beads or pearls with intervening separators.
- Lane · entry 34326
فَصَّلَ
To divide something into distinct portions or parts; to cut it into sections.
Includes dividing a carcass into limbs and cutting cloth for a garment.
- Lane · entry 34326
فَاصَلَ
To separate oneself from a partner with the partner's concurrence.
A reciprocal or mutually agreed separation.
- Lane · entry 34327
اِنْفَصَلَ
To become separated or divided and put apart.
Intransitive separation or division.
- Lane · entry 34328
اِنْفَصَلَ
To go forth or away.
An intransitive departure use.
- Lane · entry 34328
اِفْتَصَلَ
To transplant a palm-tree by removing it from its place of growth.
A specialized agricultural use.
- Lane · entry 34329
فَصْلٌ
A separation, division, or partition between two things.
The noun of separation, including a dividing boundary or interval.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلٌ
The place of articulation or joint between two bones.
An anatomical use referring to a bodily joint.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلٌ
One of the divisions or seasons of the year.
Used as the singular of the divisions of the year.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلٌ
A section or division of a chapter or book.
A textual or structural division distinguished from other sections.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلٌ
A branch of a lineage or relationship, contrasted with its ancestral stock.
A genealogical use contrasting branches with origins.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلٌ
A widespread plague or pestilence.
A rare lexical use.
- Lane · entry 34330
فَصْلَةٌ
A transplanted young palm-tree removed from its place of growth.
The young palm is understood as removed from its mother-tree or original growth-place.
- Lane · entry 34331
فَصِيلٌ
A young camel after being weaned from its mother.
The term can also be extended to a young camel generally and, less commonly, to a young bovine animal.
- Lane · entry 34333
فَصِيلٌ
A low wall or enclosure-wall in front of a fortress or city wall.
A defensive wall standing before the principal wall.
- Lane · entry 34333
فَصِيلٌ
A piece of stone.
A lexical use in which the form has the sense of something separated or cut off.
- Lane · entry 34333
فَصِيلَةٌ
A female young camel, the feminine counterpart of a فَصِيل.
A specialized animal term.
- Lane · entry 34333
فَصِيلَةٌ
A piece of flesh from the thigh or another limb of the body.
An anatomical use for a separated portion of flesh or limb.
- Lane · entry 34334
فَصَّالٌ
A man who praises people excessively in order to obtain gifts from them.
An epithet described as adventitious rather than indigenous.
- Lane · entry 34335
فَصَّالٌ
A loquacious man.
A separate epithet use for talkativeness.
- Lane · entry 34335
فَيْصَلٌ
A complete cut or severance between two persons.
A decisive and completed separation.
- Lane · entry 34337
فَيْصَلٌ
A judge, arbiter, or arbitrator.
A figurative intensive designation for one who decides judicially.
- Lane · entry 34337
فَاصِلَةٌ
A bead, gem, or other separator placed between beads in a necklace.
A separating element distinguishing adjacent beads or groups of beads.
- Lane · entry 34338
فَاصِلَةٌ
A final word or ending that separates and marks the verses of the Quran; also an ending in rhymed prose.
The plural فَوَاصِل is used for verse-final divisions and comparable prose endings.
- Lane · entry 34338
مَفْصِلٌ
A joint or articulation where two bones or limbs meet.
Includes bodily joints such as the elbow, knee, knuckle, or phalangeal articulation.
- Lane · entry 34340
مَفْصِلٌ
The point on which an affair turns or its utmost particular point.
A figurative use in the expression for tracing an affair from its hinge or decisive point.
- Lane · entry 34340
مَفْصِلٌ
A place between mountains or between a mountain and sandy terrain, often associated with a clear watercourse.
A geographical and topographical use with several closely related descriptions.
- Lane · entry 34340
مِفْصَلٌ
The tongue.
A figurative designation of the tongue as an instrument by which matters are distinguished and clarified.
- Lane · entry 34341
مُفَصَّلٌ
A necklace arranged with separators between successive beads or groups of beads.
An adjective describing a necklace whose beads are divided by intervening beads, gems, or gold pieces.
- Lane · entry 34342
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
Lane Quran citations retain historical citation conventions and have not been converted into modern verse locations unless independently confirmed by QAC.
The Quranic plural active participle فَاصِلِينَ is normalized under the singular citation form فَاصِلٌ; the feminine plural adjective مُفَصَّلَات is likewise grouped under مُفَصَّلٌ.
The technical boundaries reported for the Quranic portion called al-Mufassal vary among the cited authorities.