Quranic root
قسم
q · s · m
The root has two classical semantic axes: apportionment or partition, and beauty or comeliness. Its oath vocabulary is associated with the division of sworn declarations in the qasāmah procedure.
The partition axis develops into dividing, distributing, allotting, sharing, and being divided. A figurative branch describes a mind divided by worries, while the beauty branch treats the face as proportionately endowed with comeliness. The oath branch is lexically connected with qasāmah, the distribution of oaths among the relatives of a slain person.
- Maqāyīs · row 3777
- Mufradāt · row 1179
- 10
- Quran-attested forms
- 12
- Quran senses
- 33
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
قَسَمَ
qasama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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.
To divide, apportion, or distribute.
The Quranic occurrences concern distributing or assigning portions, including an apportionment made by God.
- Lane · entry 20958
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 43:32word 2
“distribute”
Quran 43:32word 6
“[We] distribute”
قَاسَمَ
qāsama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form III
- Form
- III
- 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 swear to another person, especially by invoking God or another solemn object of oath.
A directed oath construction with a person as the recipient; the Quranic occurrence describes an oath addressed to two persons.
- Lane · entry 20960
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 7:21word 1
“And he swore (to) both of them”
أَقْسَمَ
ʾaqsama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form IV
- Form
- IV
- Quran occurrences
- 20 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 swear, take an oath, or make a solemn asseveration.
Used in personal and collective oath formulas, including formulas with بِـ introducing what is sworn by and the Quranic لا أُقْسِمُ construction.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 56:75word 2
“I swear”
Quran 5:106word 32
“and let them both swear”
تَقَاسَمَ
taqāsama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form VI
- Form
- VI
- 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 swear to one another or mutually take an oath.
A reciprocal oath construction; the Quranic occurrence presents conspirators swearing together by God.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 27:49word 2
“Swear to each other”
اِسْتَقْسَمَ
āistaqsama
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form X
- Form
- X
- 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 seek one's allotted portion or a determination of what is allotted, especially by divining with arrows.
The Quranic construction refers specifically to seeking decisions or allotments through the pre-Islamic divining arrows known as الأَزْلام.
- Lane · entry 20964
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 5:3word 27
“you seek division”
مُقَسِّم
muqassim
- Part of speech
- Active 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.
One who apportions or distributes.
The Quranic form is feminine plural; the participle denotes agents or entities engaged in distributing or apportioning.
- Lane · entry 20958
- Lane · entry 20959
Selected Quran examples
Quran 51:4word 1
“And those distributing”
مُقْتَسِم
muqtasim
- Part of speech
- Active 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.
One who divides or partitions into sections.
In the Quranic passage, one interpretation identifies the group as those who divided the sections or approaches of Mecca to obstruct people from the Messenger.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 15:90word 4
“those who divided”
One who enters into a sworn pact with others for a common plot.
An alternative Quranic interpretation of 15:90 understands the group as those who made a pact against the Prophet.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 15:90word 4
“those who divided”
مَقْسُوم
maqsūm
- 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.
Divided off and assigned as a portion; allotted.
A passive participle describing something whose share or allocation has been fixed by apportionment.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
- Lane · entry 20967
Selected Quran examples
Quran 15:44word 8
“assigned”
قَسَم
qasam
- 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.
An oath or solemn asseveration.
The noun occurs in Quranic oath formulas and in expressions emphasizing the force or certainty of an oath.
- Lane · entry 20966
Selected Quran examples
Quran 56:76word 2
“(is) surely an oath”
Quran 89:5word 4
“(not) an oath”
قِسْمَة
qismah
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A division, apportionment, or distribution.
The Quranic noun can denote the act or arrangement of dividing something, including an apportionment among recipients.
- Lane · entry 20967
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 4:8word 3
“(at) the (time of) division”
Quran 53:22word 3
“(is) a division”
Quran 54:28word 4
“(is) to be shared”
A portion or share resulting from division.
The share is understood as an allotted part within a larger division; the Quranic water-sharing passage uses the noun in this allocation-related sense.
- Lane · entry 20967
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Selected Quran examples
Quran 54:28word 4
“(is) to be shared”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 4:8ٱلْقِسْمَةَ(at) the (time of) division
- 5:3تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟you seek division
- 5:53أَقْسَمُوا۟swore
- 5:106فَيُقْسِمَانِand let them both swear
- 5:107فَيُقْسِمَانِand let them both swear
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 9 Classical meanings
قَاسَمَ
To divide a thing with another, each taking an allotted portion.
A reciprocal sharing construction distinct from the oath construction also attested in the Quran.
- Lane · entry 20960
أَقْسَمَ عَلَيْهِ
To adjure or conjure someone by invoking a solemn authority or appeal.
A directed adjuration construction, illustrated by appealing to another's right; this is a Classical construction beyond the Quranic noun and oath uses listed above.
- Lane · entry 20961
تَقَسَّمَ
To become divided or distributed.
A resultative or intransitive construction describing a thing that comes to be divided or distributed.
- Lane · entry 20962
اِنْقَسَمَ
To be divided into many parts.
Used with the thing divided and, in the cited construction, with the resulting parts.
- Lane · entry 20963
قِسْم
A division, part, or portion; especially an allotted share.
It can denote membership or non-membership in a larger whole, as in saying that something is not among the parts of a specified thing.
- Lane · entry 20965
قَسَم
A conjuration or adjuration: a solemn appeal made by invoking another's right or authority.
This Classical specialized sense is distinct from the ordinary sense of an oath or asseveration.
- Lane · entry 20966
- Lane · entry 20961
قَسَّام
An official who divides inheritances.
A technical occupational designation for an officer serving the qadi.
- Lane · entry 20968
قَسَامَة
Beauty or comeliness, especially of the face.
Related Classical expressions describe a handsome or comely face as مُقَسَّمُ الوجه or قَسِيمُ الوجه.
- Maqāyīs · row 3777
- Mufradāt · row 1179
مُنْقَسِمُ القَلْب
Mentally divided or distracted by conflicting concerns.
A figurative expression for thoughts or attention dispersed by worries, not a literal division into physical portions.
- Mufradāt · row 1179
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The interpretation of مُقْتَسِمِين in 15:90 is reported in two ways: partitioning the sections or approaches of Mecca to obstruct people from the Messenger, or forming a sworn pact against him.