Quranic root
فهم
f · h · m
The root centers on knowing or grasping a thing, especially apprehending its meaning.
Its lexical range extends from grasping the meaning of speech to the mental capacity for quick understanding, and then to causative, sequential, reciprocal, and request constructions.
- Maqāyīs · row 3665
- Mufradāt · row 1138
- Lane · entry 35134
- Lane · entry 35137
- Lane · entry 35140
- 1
- Quran-attested forms
- 1
- 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.
فَهَّمَ
fahhama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- 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 make someone understand a matter; to give or impart understanding of it.
Causative Form II. In 21:79, it denotes granting understanding of a matter; the evidence leaves open whether this occurred through enhanced understanding, intuitive impartation, or revelation.
- Mufradāt · row 1138
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:79word 1
“And We gave understanding of it”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 21:79فَفَهَّمْنَـٰهَاAnd We gave understanding of it
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 13 Classical meanings
فَهِمَ
To understand or know something mentally; to apprehend its meaning.
Also used with عَنْهُ for understanding what another person said.
- Lane · entry 35134
فَهُمَ
To be or become a person of much understanding.
A stative or inchoative use related to being فَهِيم.
- Lane · entry 35134
أَفْهَمَ
To make someone understand or know a thing.
A causative construction in Form IV.
- Lane · entry 35136
تَفَهَّمَ
To understand something progressively, one part after another.
Especially applied to speech or language and its successive parts.
- Lane · entry 35137
تَفَهَّمَ
To endeavor to understand; also to affect or pretend to understand.
These effort and affectation senses are separately reported for the same Form V verb.
- Lane · entry 35137
اِنْفَهَمَ
To be made to understand or know.
Reported as a quasi-passive of فَهَّمَ or أَفْهَمَ, but explicitly judged to be an incorrect usage.
- Lane · entry 35139
اِسْتَفْهَمَ
To ask another to make one understand a thing; to seek clarification from someone.
Form X construction with a person from whom understanding is sought.
- Lane · entry 35140
فَهْمٌ
Understanding: grasping the meaning conveyed by a word or expression, and the mental capacity or quickness to apprehend and discern.
The noun can denote either the act or result of grasping meaning or the intellectual condition enabling rapid apprehension.
- Lane · entry 35141
فَهِمٌ / فَهِيمٌ
An epithet for someone quick or abundant in understanding.
فَهِيمٌ is an intensive form relative to فَهِمٌ.
- Lane · entry 35142
- Lane · entry 35143
فَاهِمٌ
Understanding or knowing a thing.
Active participle of فَهِمَ.
- Lane · entry 35145
مَفْهُومٌ
Understood or known.
Passive participle of فَهِمَ.
- Lane · entry 35146
مَفْهُومٌ
The meaning or sense in which a word or expression is understood.
A technical nominal use concerning the acceptation of an expression.
- Lane · entry 35146
فَهْمٌ
The name of a tribe.
A proper-name use distinct from the semantic field of understanding.
- Maqāyīs · row 3665
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic occurrence in this packet is Form II; the related Form IV and Form X causative and request constructions are retained as broader Classical Arabic meanings rather than treated as additional Quranic forms.
The reported Form VII meaning is retained with its lexical qualification because the evidence explicitly describes it as incorrect.