Quranic root
قول
q · w · l
The root centers on قول, articulated speech or an utterance.
From the basic act of speaking, the lexicon develops meanings for a saying or statement, inwardly conceived speech, authoritative pronouncement, forms of eloquence, and several derived terms connected with speech and its content.
- Maqāyīs · row 3900
- Mufradāt · row 1220
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 8
- Quran senses
- 1,722
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
قَالَ
qāla
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 1,618 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 say, speak, utter, or express a word, proposition, or statement.
The object may be a word, a complete proposition, a command, or a sound signifying something. The form includes ordinary speech, reported speech, and assertions, without making grammatical voice or tense a separate lexical sense.
- Lane · entry 21179
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 10:15word 6
“said”
To entertain or formulate an unspoken thought or saying in the mind.
This use describes what is conceived inwardly before being expressed aloud; the Quranic context explicitly locates the saying in the speakers' selves.
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 58:8word 26
“and they say”
To communicate, command, or bring about something by a divine pronouncement, inspiration, or imposed response rather than ordinary audible address.
The Quran applies the verb to inspired direction and to created beings responding through divine subjection; the expression need not describe ordinary human speech heard by an addressee.
- Mufradāt · row 1220
Selected Quran examples
Quran 41:11word 14
“They both said”
تَقَوَّلَ
taqawwala
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form V
- Form
- V
- 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 fabricate or make up speech, especially to falsely attribute a statement to someone.
In the Quran this describes inventing a saying and falsely presenting it as authoritative or revealed speech.
- Lane · entry 21180
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 52:33word 3
“He has made it up”
Quran 69:44word 2
“he (had) fabricated”
قَوْل
qawl
- Part of speech
- Verbal noun
- Quran occurrences
- 93 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 utterance, saying, speech, statement, word, or expressed proposition.
In Quranic usage it may denote a single word or a complete statement, and may refer to the speech of a person, messenger, or its ultimate source. It can also name the claim or matter expressed by speech. The plural أَقَاوِيل in 69:44 denotes sayings or claims; the associated fabrication is expressed by تَقَوَّلَ.
- Lane · entry 21182
- Mufradāt · row 1220
Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:23word 24
“a word”
Quran 69:44word 5
“sayings”
A binding divine pronouncement or decree whose fulfillment has become certain.
In expressions such as حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ, قول denotes the divine determination or word established against a people, rather than merely an audible utterance.
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 36:7word 3
“the word”
قَائِل
qāʾil
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
One who says or speaks; a speaker.
This is the regular active-participle sense of the supplied form, including a person who voices or conveys a saying.
- Lane · entry 21179
Selected Quran examples
قِيل
qīl
- 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.
A saying, statement, or word.
قِيل is a nominal counterpart of قَوْل in the supplied lexical evidence and may denote a statement or saying in general.
- Lane · entry 21184
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Selected Quran examples
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
View all 1,722 occurrencesBroader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 21 Classical meanings
قَالَ
With different prepositions, to address someone; report or narrate from someone; speak or judge concerning someone or something; falsely attribute a statement to someone; or assert a doctrine or position.
These are conventional prepositional constructions, including قَالَ لَهُ, قَالَ عَنْهُ, قَالَ فِيهِ, قَالَ عَلَيْهِ, and قَالَ بِهِ.
- Lane · entry 21179
قَالَ فِيهِ
To speak against someone or vituperate him.
This is a specialized use of the phrase قَالَ فِيهِ and is distinct from merely saying something about someone.
- Lane · entry 21179
قَالَ شِعْرًا
To utter, recite, compose, or versify poetry.
The poetic form of the utterance is part of the meaning in this construction.
- Lane · entry 21179
قَالَ
To signal or communicate by a gesture, including with the eyes, head, or hand.
The gesture is understood as conveying a message without necessarily involving spoken words.
- Lane · entry 21179
قَالَ بِـ
In idiomatic body-part or object constructions, to take with the hand, walk or strike with the foot, raise a garment, pour water onto an arm or hand, or strike a hand against something.
These meanings belong to the cited idiomatic constructions with بِيَدِهِ, بِرِجْلِهِ, بِثَوْبِهِ, and بِالْمَاءِ, rather than to ordinary unmarked speech.
- Lane · entry 21179
اِقْتَالَ عَلَيْهِ
To exercise authority or jurisdiction over someone or something; to arbitrate or assume control.
The construction is اِقْتَالَ عَلَيْهِ or اِقْتَالَ عَلَيْهِمْ.
- Lane · entry 21181
- Mufradāt · row 1220
اِقْتَالَ قَوْلًا
To say something that brings or draws good or evil upon oneself.
This specialized use is reported with the expression اِقْتَالَ قَوْلًا.
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قَوْل
A doctrine, belief, or position that one professes.
This is the use of قول for an adopted view, as in saying or holding the doctrine of a particular authority.
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قَوْل
An indication or sign by which something is signified.
This is a figurative extension from speech to what conveys meaning or points to something else.
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قَالَ بِهِ
To show sincere concern for, stand by, or take genuine care of something.
This specialized use is expressed by قَالَ بِكَذَا in the cited lexical discussion and is distinct from merely asserting a belief.
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قَوْل
An extended verbal composition such as a poem, sermon, or similar speech.
The term can be applied to the composition as a whole because it is constituted by speech, without making the reciter its author.
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قَوْلُ الجَوْهَرِ
In logic, the definition or delimitation of a thing or category.
This is a technical usage, such as قول الجوهر and قول العرض, and is not ordinary speech.
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قَيْل
A king or ruling title among the kings of Himyar; one whose word is relied upon and followed.
The title is explained in relation to authority resting on the person's word and to succession from a father.
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تَقَيَّلَ
To follow or take after one's father.
This derived use is associated with the title قَيْل and its inherited authority.
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قَال
A saying or report that is spread or circulated.
This nominal use is distinct from the ordinary verb قَالَ and from the agent noun قَائِل.
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قَال
A speaker or utterer, used in place of قَائِل.
The noun may stand for the agent who says something, while قَوْل remains the saying itself.
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قَالَة
A saying or piece of speech that is circulated.
This is the feminine nominal form in the expression القَالُ والقَالَةُ لِمَا يُنْشَرُ مِنَ القَوْلِ.
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قَوَّال
Loquacious, copious in speech, perspicuous or eloquent in expression.
The related expression ابن أَقْوَال refers to a man who talks much.
- Lane · entry 21186
مَقُولُ القَوْلِ
The thing said; the content or object of an utterance.
This denotes what is expressed in constructions such as قَالَ كَذَا and يُقَالُ كَذَا.
- Lane · entry 21187
مِقْوَل
The tongue, as the instrument of speech.
This is an anatomical and lexical designation, not a verbal form meaning to speak.
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المَقُولَاتُ العَشْرُ
In logic, the ten categories or predicaments: substance, quantity, quality, relation, place, time, posture, possession, action, and passion.
This is a technical logical expression.
- Lane · entry 21189
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Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Form I QAC group combines many persons, aspects, voices, and imperative forms; the public headword is the normalized citation form قَالَ, and these grammatical variants are not separate senses.
أَقَاوِيل is merged under قَوْل as its plural, while قِيل and قَائِل remain separate public forms because they are distinct nominal formations.
The internal QAC form identity for قِيل is retained as a nominal form; no Lane historical citation has been converted into a modern verse location.