Quranic root
ملل
m · l · l
The root reflects two principal orientations: turning or manipulating something, especially in heat, and a directed purpose or way. A related branch expresses aversion, weariness, and disgust.
The turning-and-heat orientation yields meanings connected with baking, hot ashes, and implements moved in the eye, with further developments involving marked paths, restlessness, and hurried movement. The Quranic مِلَّة denotes a prescribed prophetic way, while the Form IV verb أَمَلَّ is associated with dictating or causing writing to be recorded.
- Maqāyīs · row 4449
- Mufradāt · row 1389
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 2
- Quran senses
- 18
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
أَمَلَّ
ʾamalla
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- 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.
To dictate; to have words recited or stated for them to be written down.
In the Quranic construction, the person responsible for the debt dictates the written terms; a representative may dictate when that person cannot do so.
- Mufradāt · row 1389
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:282word 24
“and let dictate”
Quran 2:282word 47
“(can) dictate”
مِلَّة
millah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 15 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 religion, revealed way, or creed: the system of belief and practice transmitted through a prophet.
Characteristically denotes a prophetic revealed way and commonly occurs in an attribution such as مِلَّةُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ or مِلَّةُ آبَائِي. Quranic possessive constructions can refer contextually to a group's or community's religion, and the term is distinguished from دِين by its emphasis on the prophetic bearer of the revealed law.
- Lane · entry 5802
- Mufradāt · row 1389
Selected Quran examples
Quran 3:95word 5
“(the) religion”
Quran 12:38word 2
“(the) religion”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:120مِلَّتَهُمْ ۗtheir religion
- 2:130مِّلَّةِ(the) religion
- 2:135مِلَّةَ(the) religion
- 2:282وَلْيُمْلِلِand let dictate
- 2:282يُمِلَّ(can) dictate
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 16 Classical meanings
مَلَّ
To put or turn bread or meat in hot ashes to bake or roast it.
Used of preparing food in a bed of heated ashes or hot dust.
- Lane · entry 5798
- Maqāyīs · row 4449
- Mufradāt · row 1389
مَلَّ
To tack or baste a garment or piece of cloth.
The preliminary, lighter sewing is performed before the stronger final stitching.
- Lane · entry 5798
مَلَّ
To become averse to, weary of, or disgusted with something; to turn away from it in aversion.
The related expression مَلَّ مَلالُكَ is a wish that one's disgust or weariness cease.
- Lane · entry 5798
- Mufradāt · row 1389
اِمْتَلَّ
To follow a religious way or adhere to a creed.
Attested in the construction اِمْتَلَّ مِلَّتَهُ, literally following his religious way.
- Lane · entry 5800
مَلَّة
A baking pit or bed of hot dust and ashes in which bread is baked; in the expression خُبْزُ مَلَّةٍ, bread baked in such ashes.
Refers to the heated ashes, earth, or hollow used for baking rather than to a religious مِلَّة.
- Lane · entry 5801
مَلُول
One who frequently feels disgust or weariness.
- Lane · entry 5803
مَلِيل
A man scorched or burned by the sun.
- Lane · entry 5805
مَلِيل
Something placed in the fire, especially for cooking.
This is distinct from the separately attested use for a person scorched by the sun.
- Mufradāt · row 1389
مَمْلُول
Meat covered over with live coals for cooking.
- Lane · entry 5806
مَلِيلَة
A feverish heat felt in the bones or body.
- Mufradāt · row 1389
أَمَلَّ
To cause someone to become weary or disgusted; to make someone tire of something.
A causative use in which one person brings about another person's weariness or aversion; this is distinct from the dictation use of the same Form IV verb.
- Mufradāt · row 1389
مُمَلّ
A path repeatedly travelled until it becomes marked or familiar.
- Maqāyīs · row 4449
تَمَلْمَلَ
To toss, turn, or writhe restlessly, especially on a bed.
- Maqāyīs · row 4449
اِمْتَلَّ
To run with some haste or increased speed.
A separate classical use of اِمْتَلَّ from the religious-following construction.
- Maqāyīs · row 4449
مُلْمُول
An iron stylus used for writing on tablets.
- Lane · entry 5807
مُلْمُول
A stylus or bodkin used to apply collyrium or kohl to the eyes.
- Lane · entry 5807
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic Form IV occurrences are all imperfect or jussive forms in 2:282; the public headword is normalized to the perfect أَمَلَّ.
مَلِيل is attested here with two distinct Classical meanings—something placed in the fire and a person scorched by the sun—and they should not be conflated.