Quranic root
سبح
s · b · ḥ
The root has two closely related semantic orientations: worshipful purification and swift movement or striving.
The movement branch denotes swimming, gliding, rapid travel, and active occupation; the worship branch develops into declaring God free from every imperfection, glorifying Him, and associated acts of prayer and devotion.
- Maqāyīs · row 2343
- Mufradāt · row 652
- 7
- Quran-attested forms
- 12
- Quran senses
- 92
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
سَبَحَ
sabaḥa
- 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 swim, float, or glide swiftly along a course.
In the Quran, the subject is celestial bodies moving through their orbits; the image is based on swimming or gliding through water or air.
- Lane · entry 39974
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:33word 11
“floating”
Quran 36:40word 15
“they are floating”
سَبَّحَ
sabbaḥa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form II
- Form
- II
- Quran occurrences
- 42 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 declare God free from every imperfection and to glorify, magnify, praise, or celebrate Him.
The Quranic construction may occur with or without a preposition and may include praise of God as an accompanying expression; it includes the glorification of God by human beings and by created things.
- Lane · entry 39975
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 2:30word 19
“[we] glorify (You)”
To pray or perform worship.
This is an explicitly attested Quranic interpretation of the verb, including prayer that may be obligatory or supererogatory; the broader devotional sense may include acts beyond formal prayer.
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To make an exception by saying “if God wills.”
This conventional construction is explicitly applied to the Quranic passage concerning the owners of the garden who failed to qualify their oath.
- Lane · entry 39975
Selected Quran examples
Quran 68:28word 7
“you glorify (Allah)?'”
مُسَبِّحٌ
musabbiḥun
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- 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.
One who glorifies or praises God; one engaged in tasbih.
The participle can describe worship expressed in word, deed, or intention, and applies in the Quran to those characterized by glorification.
- Lane · entry 39990
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:143word 5
“those who glorify”
Quran 37:166word 3
“glorify (Allah)”
One devoted to worship, including prayer.
In the account of Jonah, the expression is also interpreted as referring to those who pray; this is a reported interpretation within the broader devotional sense.
- Lane · entry 39990
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:143word 5
“those who glorify”
سَبْحٌ
sabḥun
- Part of speech
- Verbal 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.
Swift swimming, gliding, or passage along a course.
The Quranic image includes movement through water, air, or the firmament and can be extended to the rapid, extended-foreleg running of a horse.
- Lane · entry 39974
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 79:3word 2
“swimming”
Active movement or occupation in going about one's affairs.
In the Quranic daytime expression, the word is explained variously as freedom or scope for activity, coming and going, attending to one's affairs, or prolonged occupation in them.
- Lane · entry 39974
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 73:7word 5
“(is) occupation”
سُبْحَانٌ
subḥānun
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 41 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 declaring God far removed from every imperfection, impurity, false attribution, or evil; glory be to God.
Used in Quranic formulas of transcendence and repudiation, including responses to claims that God has a partner, child, equal, or other unsuitable attribute.
- Lane · entry 39980
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 21:87word 19
“Glory be to You”
Quran 30:17word 1
“So glory be to”
A glorification formula functioning as an exhortation to worship or pray.
In the Quranic formula associated with entering evening and morning, the expression is interpreted either as declaring God's transcendence or as an injunction to perform prayer.
- Lane · entry 39980
Selected Quran examples
Quran 30:17word 1
“So glory be to”
سَابِحٌ
sābiḥun
- 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 that glides, swims, or speeds smoothly along.
In the Quranic plural expression, the referents have been interpreted as ships, the souls of believers, angels, stars, or other beings that glide swiftly; the lexical sense is the common image of smooth rapid passage.
- Lane · entry 39986
- Mufradāt · row 652
Selected Quran examples
Quran 79:3word 1
“And those who glide”
تَسْبِيحٌ
tasbīḥun
- Part of speech
- Verbal 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.
Glorifying God by declaring Him free from imperfection and praising Him.
The Quranic noun denotes the glorification of God, including the tasbih attributed to all created things even when its manner is not understood by human beings.
- Lane · entry 39975
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Selected Quran examples
Quran 17:44word 17
“their glorification”
Quran 24:41word 17
“and its glorification”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 2:30نُسَبِّحُ[we] glorify (You)
- 2:32سُبْحَـٰنَكَGlory be to You
- 2:116سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖGlory be to Him
- 3:41وَسَبِّحْand glorify (Him)
- 3:191سُبْحَـٰنَكَGlory be to You
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 25 Classical meanings
سَبَحَ
To move swiftly, become distant, travel far, or spread over a distance; figuratively, of fame, to travel or become widespread.
A broader Form I movement branch, including rapid travel through land and figurative extension from swimming.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَبَحَ
To go to and fro, become dispersed in the land, or busy oneself seeking a livelihood and managing affairs.
This is the Form I verbal use of active occupation and pursuit of affairs, distinct from the nominal Quranic expression سَبْحٌ in the daytime.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَبْحٌ
Sleep or a state of being still, quiet, or motionless.
Reported as an extended use of the Form I verbal noun.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَبَحَ
Of a mirage, to glisten or flash.
A figurative visual extension of movement or shimmering.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَبَحَ
To dig or burrow into the earth.
Applied especially to the jerboa.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَبَحَ
To be profuse in speech.
An idiomatic Form I use with speech as the domain of expansive movement.
- Lane · entry 39974
سَابَحَ
To swim with another person; to compete or vie in swimming.
Form III reciprocal or interactive use.
- Lane · entry 39976
أَسْبَحَ
To make someone swim, whether in or upon the water.
Form IV causative use.
- Lane · entry 39977
سَبْحَةٌ
A garment made of skins; in a reported variant, skin shirts for boys.
A nominal lexical item distinguished from سُبْحَةٌ with the vowel pattern of the devotional noun.
- Lane · entry 39978
سُبْحَةٌ
Beads strung on a thread for counting repeated praises of God.
The term also denotes the devotional act counted with such beads.
- Lane · entry 39979
سُبْحَةٌ
Invocation, supplication, prayer, or supererogatory praise and prayer.
The word may refer especially to supererogatory prayer, including the prayer of the forenoon.
- Lane · entry 39979
سُبْحَةٌ
The majesty, greatness, light, or splendour associated with God or His face.
In expressions concerning the divine face, it can denote evidences of majesty, splendour, or beauty, and by extension a declaration of transcendence.
- Lane · entry 39979
السُّبُحَاتُ
Places of prostration.
A reported use, possibly referring to prostrations in Quran recitation.
- Lane · entry 39979
سُبْحَةٌ
A piece of cotton.
A separate nominal use.
- Lane · entry 39979
تَسْبِيحٌ
Prayer, especially supererogatory prayer.
The use arises from the glorification performed in prayer and is distinct from the primary meaning of verbal glorification.
- Lane · entry 39975
سُبْحَانَ
An expression of wonder or astonishment at a thing or person: how extraordinary or strange!
A later generalized use of the transcendence formula beyond its reference to God.
- Lane · entry 39980
سُبْحَانٌ
The self or one's own mind.
Attested in the expression for what is within one's own mind.
- Lane · entry 39980
سِبَاحَةٌ
Swimming or the art of swimming; specifically, moving across the surface of water without immersion.
A Form I verbal noun or simple noun for the activity.
- Lane · entry 39982
سُبُّوحٌ
An epithet of God meaning all-perfect, all-pure, all-glorious, and free from every evil or imperfection.
Also pronounced سَبُّوحٌ; often paired with قُدُّوسٌ.
- Lane · entry 39984
سَابِحٌ
A swimmer; by intensive extension, a great or frequent swimmer.
Active participle and intensive participial uses of Form I.
- Lane · entry 39986
سَابِحٌ
A horse that stretches its forelegs well while running; by substantivization, a horse of that kind and a name given to certain horses or a camel.
A conventional equine epithet derived from the image of swimming.
- Lane · entry 39986
تَسْبِيحَةٌ
A single act or utterance of tasbih.
The plural forms refer to multiple acts of glorification.
- Lane · entry 39987
مَسْبَحٌ
A place for swimming.
Its plural is used for places of swimming.
- Lane · entry 39988
مُسَبَّحٌ
A strong garment of the type called كِسَاء; according to another explanation, a wide one.
A specialized passive-participial epithet applied to a garment.
- Lane · entry 39989
المُسَبِّحَةُ
The forefinger, or index finger.
So called because it is raised in the gesture associated with declaring divine unity.
- Lane · entry 39991
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The Quranic expression سَابِحَاتِ has several reported referents—ships, believing souls, angels, or stars—while retaining the common sense of swift gliding.
The Quranic سَبْحًا in 73:7 has several closely related interpretations, including daytime freedom, coming and going, and occupation in one's affairs.
Prayer and the making of an exception are specialized Quranic constructions of سَبَّحَ; they should not be reduced to the ordinary English gloss “glorify.”