Quranic root
وقف
w · q · f
The root centers on remaining or lingering at a point, with related extensions involving standing, stopping, or fixed placement.
From physical standing or staying, the lexicon develops uses for pausing, attending, being brought before something, informing, mutual standing, and things fixed or dedicated in place.
- Maqāyīs · row 5188
- Mufradāt · row 1605
- 2
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 4
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
وَقَفَ
waqafa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- 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 stop, hold stationary, or stand still.
The active imperative is transitive in وَقِفُوهُمْ, “make them stop” or “hold them back”; passive forms express being made to stand. Voice and construction determine whether the subject stops or is caused to stop.
- Lane · entry 30626
- Mufradāt · row 1605
Selected Quran examples
Quran 37:24word 1
“And stop them”
To be brought before something and made to see or know what is in it; to be confronted with it.
Especially associated with the passive construction وَقِفَ عَلَيْهِ. In the Quran-attested usage, the expression can convey presentation or confrontation with something, not merely physical halting.
- Lane · entry 30626
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:27word 4
“they are made to stand”
Quran 6:30word 4
“they will be made to stand”
مَوْقُوفٌ
mawqūfun
- 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.
One who is made to stand or brought before something.
The Quranic occurrence is the masculine plural مَوْقُوفُونَ and describes people being made to stand or brought before an object of confrontation.
- Lane · entry 30626
Selected Quran examples
Quran 34:31word 16
“will be made to stand”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 6:27وُقِفُوا۟they are made to stand
- 6:30وُقِفُوا۟they will be made to stand
- 34:31مَوْقُوفُونَwill be made to stand
- 37:24وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖAnd stop them
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 26 Classical meanings
وَقَفَ
To pause at a thing and give it attention.
Used with عَلَى for pausing at and attending to something.
- Lane · entry 30626
وَقَفَ
To comprehend a meaning; to understand it.
A specialized use of وَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ with a meaning as its object.
- Lane · entry 30626
وَقَفَ
To come upon or meet a word or the like while reading.
Used of encountering a word or comparable expression during reading.
- Lane · entry 30626
وَقَفَ
To acquaint someone with a crime, fault, or similar matter.
The construction وَقَفْتُهُ عَلَى ذَنْبِهِ means that the person was informed of or made acquainted with the offense.
- Lane · entry 30626
وَقَفَ
To withstand or resist.
This use governs by عَنْ.
- Lane · entry 30626
وَقَفَ
To make property an inalienable endowment, or to give it as an unalienable legacy.
The transitive verbal use is also reported as rare or disapproved; the related noun وَقْفٌ denotes the endowment itself.
- Lane · entry 30626
- Mufradāt · row 1605
وَقَّفَ
To make someone pause or wait at a matter.
A causative Form II construction, commonly used with عَلَى for the matter at which someone is made to wait.
- Lane · entry 30627
وَقَّفَ
To teach the places at which one should pause in recitation.
Used of instructing someone in the stopping points of reading.
- Lane · entry 30627
وَقَّفَ
To acquaint, inform, or reveal a thing to someone.
The construction وَقَّفَهُ عَلَى الشَّيْءِ conveys making someone acquainted with or informed of the thing.
- Lane · entry 30627
وَقَّفَ
To explain or clarify a tradition.
Used with a tradition or report as the object of explanation.
- Lane · entry 30627
وَاقَفَ
To stand with another in competition or act as a partner in a match.
A reciprocal or competitive construction involving standing alongside another.
- Lane · entry 30628
أَوْقَفَ
To acquaint someone with a thing.
The construction أَوْقَفَهُ عَلَى conveys informing or making someone acquainted with the matter.
- Lane · entry 30629
تَوَقَّفَ
To pause or wait at a matter; by extension, to restrict oneself to what has been heard and not go beyond it.
The latter restriction is used of adhering to established transmitted usage, especially in linguistic matters.
- Lane · entry 30630
تَوَقَّفَ
To hesitate or deliberate about a matter.
Used with فِي for hesitation or deliberation concerning something.
- Lane · entry 30630
تَوَقَّفَ
To refrain or abstain from a matter.
Used with عَنْ for holding back from or abstaining from something.
- Lane · entry 30630
تَوَقَّفَ
To depend on, rest on, or be grounded in something.
Used with عَلَى of an opinion, judgment, proof, inquiry, or result whose validity or occurrence depends on something else.
- Lane · entry 30630
وَقْفٌ
An inalienable endowment, legacy, or gift; a mortmain.
A nominal legal and property use for something dedicated so that it is not alienated.
- Lane · entry 30631
- Mufradāt · row 1605
وَقْفٌ
The halting or stationing of pilgrims at ʿArafāt.
A conventional expression for the pilgrims’ ritual halt at the designated place.
- Lane · entry 30631
وَقْفٌ
An ivory bracelet.
A nominal object-name associated with something fixed around its place.
- Mufradāt · row 1605
مُوَقَّفٌ
Having white markings at the fetlocks, like an ivory bracelet.
Said specifically of a donkey whose fetlocks bear this pattern of white.
- Mufradāt · row 1605
مَوْقِفٌ
The place where a person or other thing stands.
A place-noun referring to the location of standing or stationing.
- Mufradāt · row 1605
مُوَاقَفَةٌ
Mutual standing with another in a competition or match.
A reciprocal relation in which each party takes a position in relation to the other.
- Lane · entry 30628
- Mufradāt · row 1605
وَقِيفَةٌ
A wild animal forced by a hunter to stand until it can be caught.
Used of game brought to a standstill or trapped in a position from which it cannot escape.
- Mufradāt · row 1605
مَوْقِفٌ
In the expression حَبِطَ مَوْقِفُ الفَرَسِ, the horse’s belly became inflated.
An anatomical or idiomatic equine use.
- Lane · entry 30632
مَوْقُوفٌ
Brought to the verge of infidelity.
Used in the expression مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى حَدِّ كُفْرٍ for being brought to the limit or brink of disbelief.
- Lane · entry 30633
مُتَوَقِّفٌ
Hesitant and withholding a decided opinion.
Describes someone who does not adopt or issue a firm judgment concerning the matter.
- Lane · entry 30634
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The normalized Form I headword covers both the active imperative in 37:24 and passive occurrences in 6:27 and 6:30; voice and construction account for their differing English realizations.
The Quranic passive participle is presented in singular citation form مَوْقُوفٌ although its supplied Quran occurrence is the plural مَوْقُوفُونَ.
The endowment meaning is distinct from physical standing and is reported both as an established noun and as a rare or disapproved transitive verbal usage.