Quranic root
فتي
f · t · y
The root has two principal semantic branches: freshness and youth on the one hand, and clarification of a ruling or answer on the other.
The freshness branch denotes young people and extends to gendered forms and euphemistic designations for servants or slaves. The ruling branch yields أفتى, to provide an answer or ruling, and استفتى, to seek one.
- Maqāyīs · row 3511
- Mufradāt · row 1088
- 4
- Quran-attested forms
- 5
- Quran senses
- 21
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَفْتَى
ʾaftā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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 give an answer, explanation, or ruling when consulted; to clarify what is sought in a difficult matter.
Form IV. In the Quran, the response may concern a legal matter, a dream, or another affair requiring an authoritative explanation or considered advice.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:127word 6
“gives you the ruling”
Quran 12:43word 18
“Explain to me”
Quran 27:32word 4
“Advise me”
اِسْتَفْتَى
āistaftā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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 ask for an answer, explanation, or ruling; to seek a considered response from someone.
Form X. Used for seeking a ruling or explanation and for asking about an unclear matter, including questions addressed to a person or concerning a particular issue.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:127word 1
“And they seek your ruling”
Quran 12:41word 19
“you both inquire”
Quran 37:11word 1
“Then ask them”
فَتًى
fatan
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A youth or young male.
Masculine personal noun. Its Quranic plural forms include فِتْيَة and فِتْيَان.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Selected Quran examples
A male servant or slave, used as a euphemistic designation.
The term may designate a male bondsman or attendant; the Quranic evidence includes Joseph’s servant and his male servants.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:30word 8
“her slave boy”
Quran 12:62word 2
“to his servants”
فَتَاةٌ
fatāhun
- Part of speech
- Noun · feminine
- 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 female servant or slave, used as a euphemistic designation.
Feminine noun. In the supplied Quranic occurrences, the plural refers to enslaved women or female servants.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:25word 15
“your slave girls”
Quran 24:33word 30
“your slave girls”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 4:25فَتَيَـٰتِكُمُyour slave girls
- 4:127وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَAnd they seek your ruling
- 4:127يُفْتِيكُمْgives you the ruling
- 4:176يَسْتَفْتُونَكَThey seek your ruling
- 4:176يُفْتِيكُمْgives you a ruling
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 3 Classical meanings
فَتَاةٌ
A young woman or girl; the feminine counterpart of فَتًى when referring to youth.
This is the ordinary feminine-youth use, distinct from the euphemistic designation for a female slave or servant.
- Mufradāt · row 1088
فَتَاءٌ
Youthfulness; the condition or vigor of being young.
An abstract noun associated with the youth branch of the root.
- Maqāyīs · row 3511
- Mufradāt · row 1088
فَتِيٌّ
Tender or fresh, especially said of a young camel.
Applied to a camel described as tender or fresh; this belongs to the freshness branch rather than the personal noun for a youth.
- Maqāyīs · row 3511
- Mufradāt · row 1088
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The supplied Lane primary material is only a pointer to فتو, so no independent Lane lexical definition was assigned.
Maqayis separately discusses the hamzated forms فَتِئَ and فَتَأَ and explicitly places them outside the two branches treated for فتي; they are not included here.