Quranic root
هدي
h · d · y
The root centers on advancing or directing toward a way, especially by guidance, and on extending a gracious gift.
From the idea of preceding another to guide arise guidance, right direction, the guide, and related notions of a way or manner. A distinct branch concerns presenting a gift or offering, including an offering brought to the Sacred House.
- Maqāyīs · row 4855
- Mufradāt · row 1515
- 8
- Quran-attested forms
- 11
- Quran senses
- 316
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
هَدَى
hadā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 144 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 guide, direct, or show someone a way or course, especially a right way.
May take a direct object or be construed with إلى or لام. It can describe indicating a path, teaching, calling, or directing without implying that the recipient necessarily accepts or follows the guidance.
- Lane · entry 17072
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 1:6word 1
“Guide us”
Quran 90:10word 1
“And shown him”
To grant or bring about successful guidance: to enable someone to recognize, accept, and follow the truth.
In divine contexts this includes guidance of the heart and enabling or granting success. Human guidance is ordinarily limited to explaining or indicating the way, whereas this inward result is not under human control.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
To lead or bring someone to a final destination or good outcome, including the reward or abode of Paradise.
This use presents guidance as reaching the intended final state, not merely being shown the route.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 47:5word 1
“He will guide them”
اِهْتَدَى
āihtadā
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VIII
- Form
- VIII
- Quran occurrences
- 40 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 find, follow, or accept the right way; to become rightly guided.
The Form VIII reflexive sense presents guidance as pursued, received, or realized by the subject. It can include guiding oneself, choosing a right course, and continuing to seek or remain in guidance.
- Lane · entry 17075
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:16word 4
“guide themselves”
Quran 19:76word 4
“accept guidance”
Quran 20:82word 9
“remains guided”
أَهْدَى
ʾahdā
- Part of speech
- Adjective · comparative
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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.
More guiding, better directed, or more expert in finding the right way.
A comparative form; Quranic contexts compare the degree of guidance or the effectiveness of a guide or way.
- Lane · entry 17081
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:51word 16
“(are) better guided”
Quran 28:49word 8
“(is) a better guide”
Quran 17:84word 10
“(is) best guided”
هَادٍ
hādin
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 10 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 guide; one who directs or calls another to a way.
The active participle may refer to a person or other agent characterized by guiding or directing.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
هَدِيَّة
hadiyyah
- 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 gift or present given to another as a token of courtesy, affection, or honor.
Refers to a gift exchanged between people, distinct from a sacrificial offering brought to the Sacred House.
- Lane · entry 17079
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 27:35word 4
“a gift”
Quran 27:36word 15
“in your gift”
هَدْي
hady
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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.
An offering brought to the Sacred House or sanctuary, especially a sacrificial animal offered in worship.
A cultic offering associated with the Kaaba, the Haram, or pilgrimage regulations; Quranic contexts include the animal or offering itself.
- Lane · entry 17079
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:196word 10
“the sacrificial animal”
Quran 5:95word 24
“(as) an offering”
Quran 48:25word 8
“while the offering”
هُدًى
hudan
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 85 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.
Guidance or right direction, especially the guidance granted or revealed by God.
May denote the indication of the right path, guidance through revelation and prophetic teaching, enabling guidance, or the state of being on the right way.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
- Lane · entry 17077
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:2word 6
“a Guidance”
The Qur’an, understood as the revealed guidance.
A conventional metonymic use in which the revealed book is named by its guiding function.
- Lane · entry 17077
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:185word 7
“a Guidance”
مُهْتَدٍ
muhtadin
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 21 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.
One who has found, accepted, and follows the right guidance; a rightly guided person.
An active participle of اِهْتَدَى; it can describe someone guided in belief, conduct, or chosen course.
- Lane · entry 17075
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:178word 5
“(is) the guided one”
Quran 2:157word 9
“(are) the guided ones”
Quran 36:21word 7
“(are) rightly guided”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 1:6ٱهْدِنَاGuide us
- 2:2هُدًۭىa Guidance
- 2:5هُدًۭىGuidance
- 2:16بِٱلْهُدَىٰfor [the] guidance
- 2:16مُهْتَدِينَguided-ones
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 15 Classical meanings
هَدَى
To convey or deliver, in the construction يَهْدِي meaning يُؤَدِّي.
A specialized Form I construction distinct from ordinary guidance.
- Lane · entry 17072
هَدَى العَرُوسَ
To send or conduct a bride to her husband or to her husband’s house.
A conventional expression for escorting or sending the bride to the marital home.
- Lane · entry 17072
أَهْدَى
To give or present a gift.
The Form IV verb denotes giving, in contrast with هَدَى for directing or showing a way.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
تَهَادَنَا
For two parties who had been at war to make a truce with one another.
A reciprocal Form VI construction.
- Lane · entry 17074
اِهْتَدَى
To fail to find a way, direction, or means of accomplishing an affair.
Occurs in negative constructions such as لَا يَهْتَدِي إِلَى جِهَةٍ and لَا يَهْتَدِي لِأَمْرِهِ.
- Lane · entry 17075
اِهْتَدَى
In an idiom, a calamity from which one cannot discern the right course or means of escape.
A specialized expression describing a calamity that leaves no apparent way forward.
- Lane · entry 17075
هَدْيٌ
A way, course, method, manner, or mode of conduct; also calm or placid deportment.
A nominal branch concerning a person’s manner of acting, proceeding, or comportment.
- Lane · entry 17076
هَدِيٌّ
Goods or commodities brought to the Haram as an offering.
A broader collective use of the offering term beyond the Quranic focus on sacrificial animals.
- Lane · entry 17079
هَدِيٌّ
Camels considered absolutely, without further qualification.
An absolute lexical use reported for the collective offering term.
- Lane · entry 17079
هَدِيٌّ
One entitled to respect, honor, or protection.
An archaic nominal use distinct from the offering and gift branches.
- Lane · entry 17079
هَادِيَةٌ
The forepart or leading part of a horse’s neck; the plural هَوَادِي denotes horses’ necks.
A specialized anatomical and figurative extension associated with what leads or is foremost.
- Lane · entry 17080
هَادِي
The handle of a mill.
A specialized noun for the part that leads or turns the millstone.
- Lane · entry 17080
المَهْدِيّ
The one directed by God to the truth; also a proper name for the eschatological figure whose coming is expected.
A later proper-name use, distinct from the ordinary active participles مُهْتَدٍ and هَادٍ.
- Lane · entry 17082
المِهْدَى
A tray or platter on which a gift is presented.
A derived noun associated with presenting gifts.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
المِهْدَاء
One who frequently gives gifts.
An intensive derived noun from the gift branch.
- Mufradāt · row 1515
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic أَهْدَىٰ group is treated as a comparative adjective or noun meaning “more/better guided”; this is distinct from the Form IV verb أَهْدَىَ, which Lane cross-references but which is not a supplied QAC form group.
The هَادٍ, هَادِي, and هَٰدِي groups are inflectional or orthographic realizations of one active-participle lexeme, and the singular and plural مُهْتَدٍ groups are presented under one active-participle headword.