Quranic root
ملك
m · l · k
A firm hold or strength in a thing, extending to possession, control, authority, and sovereignty.
The root's basic notion of strength and firmness develops into having a secure hold over property or affairs, exercising power and rule, and designating kingship, ownership, and related realms of dominion.
- Maqāyīs · row 4462
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- 8
- Quran-attested forms
- 10
- Quran senses
- 206
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
مَلَكَ
malaka
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 44 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 possess or own; to hold something under one's control.
In the Quranic construction مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ and related expressions, the object is a person under ownership; the verb is otherwise general and is not restricted to persons or property.
- Lane · entry 5813
- Mufradāt · row 1388
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:3word 23
“possesses”
To have power or capacity over something; to be able to affect or dispose of it.
Often used with benefit, harm, life, death, resurrection, or another outcome; this use denotes capability or effective control rather than simple possession.
- Lane · entry 5813
- Mufradāt · row 1388
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:188word 3
“I have power”
To exercise command or rule over an affair or a people.
The construction may concern the ordering of an affair or the exercise of dominion over people, emphasizing governing authority.
- Lane · entry 5813
Selected Quran examples
Quran 27:23word 4
“ruling them”
مَالِك
mālik
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
Owner, possessor, or master: one who possesses something and has disposal or authority over it.
Can designate human ownership or mastery and divine ownership and authority; it may occur in relation to a thing, a realm, or an affair.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5825
Selected Quran examples
Quran 1:4word 1
“(The) Master”
Quran 3:26word 3
“Owner”
مَلَك
malak
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 88 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 angel; a single member of the angelic beings.
The singular denotes one angel, while مَلَائِكَة refers to angels collectively or in the plural; Quranic compounds also include the angel of death.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5821
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:102word 20
“the two angels”
Quran 32:11word 3
“(the) Angel”
مَلَكُوت
malakūt
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 4 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.
God's dominion or kingdom: the encompassing realm of divine sovereignty over creation.
In Quranic usage it is associated especially with the heavens and earth and with recognition of God's comprehensive authority.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5828
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:75word 4
“the kingdom”
Quran 7:185word 4
“(the) dominion”
مَلِك
malik
- Part of speech
- Noun / adjective · Sovereign
- Quran occurrences
- 16 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.
King or sovereign: one who exercises command and prohibition over a people.
The lexical focus is governance and political or sovereign authority, not mere possession; the Quran applies the title to human kings and to God as sovereign.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5822
Selected Quran examples
Quran 12:43word 2
“the king”
Quran 59:23word 8
“the Sovereign”
مَلْك
malk
- 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.
Possession, authority, or the effective hold by which something is controlled.
In the Quranic reading بِمَلْكِنَا, the expression means by our possession or authority; this vocalization is distinct from مِلْك and مُلْك.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5813
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:87word 5
“by our will”
مُلْك
mulk
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 48 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.
Dominion, sovereignty, kingship, or rule: authority and power to command and dispose over a realm or what is governed.
The Quran uses it for divine universal dominion as well as human kingship and rule; context may render it kingdom, dominion, sovereignty, or kingship.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5820
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:26word 4
“(of) the Dominion”
Quran 2:247word 15
“the kingship”
مَمْلُوك
mamlūk
- 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.
A person owned as a slave; a bondperson.
The Quranic form is a passive participle describing a human subject to ownership; it does not itself impose a gender restriction.
- Mufradāt · row 1388
- Lane · entry 5832
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:75word 5
“(who is) owned”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 1:4مَـٰلِكِ(The) Master
- 2:30لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِto the angels
- 2:31ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِthe angels
- 2:34لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِto the angels
- 2:98وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦand His Angels
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
مَلَّكَ
To make someone possess a thing, or to make someone king and grant dominion, kingship, or rule.
Includes making a person responsible for the ordering of an affair as well as conferring possession or kingship.
- Lane · entry 5814
أَمْلَكَ
To knead dough thoroughly and make its kneading firm.
Used with dough as its object.
- Lane · entry 5816
تَمَلَّكَ
To take possession of something, absolutely or by force.
The form emphasizes acquisition of possession, including forcible acquisition.
- Lane · entry 5817
تَمَالَكَ
To restrain oneself from doing something.
Occurs especially in the negative idiom مَا تَمَالَكَ أَنْ فَعَلَ, meaning that one could not restrain oneself from acting.
- Lane · entry 5818
مِلْك
Owned property, especially houses and lands.
A conventional usage of مِلْك includes real property and possessions.
- Lane · entry 5819
مُلْك
God's world of spirits or the invisible world.
A specialized theological usage distinguished from the apparent realm.
- Lane · entry 5820
مُلْك
The apparent or manifest dominion, especially the earthly realm when contrasted with مَلَكُوت.
This distinction is a Classical usage of مُلْك versus the less visible or spiritual realm.
- Lane · entry 5820
مَلَك
Water carried by a traveler.
A separate homonymous Classical meaning, unrelated to the angelic noun in sense.
- Lane · entry 5821
مَلِكُ الأَمْلَاكِ
King of kings.
A conventional superlative-style title for the supreme king or ruler.
- Lane · entry 5822
مَلَاكُ الأَمْر
The foundation, support, cause, or means by which an affair subsists and is ordered.
Refers to what an affair depends upon for its maintenance, order, or governance.
- Lane · entry 5823
مَالِكٌ الكَبِير
The great master or owner, especially God, contrasted with the lesser human owner.
A conventional distinction between divine supreme ownership and ordinary human ownership.
- Lane · entry 5825
مَالِكٌ الحَزِين
A heron or a species of long-necked, long-legged bird.
A specialized bird name and a homonymous lexical use of مَالِك.
- Lane · entry 5825
أَبُو مَالِك
Hunger.
An idiomatic expression rather than the ordinary owner or master meaning of مَالِك.
- Lane · entry 5825
أَمْلَاكَات
A bride's goods or chattels.
A specialized plural referring to bridal property.
- Lane · entry 5826
مَلَكَة
A faculty or firmly rooted quality of mind.
A settled mental disposition or ability, not possession in the ordinary material sense.
- Lane · entry 5827
مِلِيك
A slave or bondperson; a synonym of مَمْلُوك.
This Classical form is vocalized مِلِيك and is distinct from the Quranic مَلِيك subsumed under the king/sovereign headword.
- Lane · entry 5829
مَمْلَكَة
A kingdom or realm: the sultanate of a king and the regions under his possession.
Denotes the realm or territorial domain rather than the ruler himself.
- Lane · entry 5831
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The proper-name occurrence Mālik at 43:77 is excluded from the lexical form list and is not conflated with مَالِك, owner or master.
مَلَك meaning angel and the Classical homonym مَلَك meaning water are distinct lexical branches.
The Quranic مَلِيك occurrence is subsumed under the king/sovereign branch of مَلِك; the Classical مِلِيك meaning slave is a different vocalization and meaning.