Quranic root
وزر
w · z · r
The root has two principal semantic orientations: refuge or stronghold, and weight or burden.
From weight and carried burden develop the Quranic meanings of moral guilt and liability, and the association of war equipment with burdens carried into battle. The minister is one who bears another's burden, while the refuge sense develops from the mountain or stronghold to which one flees for safety.
- Maqāyīs · row 5094
- Mufradāt · row 1570
- 5
- Quran-attested forms
- 8
- Quran senses
- 27
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
وَزَرَ
wazara
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 7 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 bear or carry a burden.
In the Quranic constructions, the burden is borne by a soul or community; the wording can be general, while the surrounding context often specifies a moral burden.
- Lane · entry 45218
- Mufradāt · row 1570
To bear the burden of sin.
Used in statements of moral responsibility, especially the principle that one soul does not bear another soul's burden in place of it.
- Lane · entry 45218
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
وَازِر
wāzir
- 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 that bears or carries a burden.
The supplied Quran tokens are the feminine form وَازِرَةٌ in the construction of a soul bearing its burden; in these passages the burden is understood morally, and no gender restriction is intrinsic to the lexical definition.
- Lane · entry 45218
- Lane · entry 45228
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 6:164word 18
“any bearer of burden”
Quran 35:18word 3
“bearer of burdens”
Quran 53:38word 3
“a bearer of burdens”
وَزَر
wazar
- Part of speech
- Noun
- 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.
A refuge or place of safety to which one flees.
In the Quranic occurrence, the word appears in a negated statement meaning that there is no refuge available from the final judgment.
- Lane · entry 45225
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 75:11word 3
“refuge”
وَزِير
wazīr
- Part of speech
- Noun · agent
- 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 assistant or minister who bears another's burden and supports him.
The Quranic use presents the wazir as a trusted supporter appointed to strengthen another in carrying out an important responsibility.
- Lane · entry 45226
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:29word 3
“a minister”
Quran 25:35word 9
“(as) an assistant”
وِزْر
wizr
- Part of speech
- Noun
- Quran occurrences
- 12 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 weight, load, or burden.
The Quran uses the singular and plural forms for burdens or loads, including burdens associated with worldly adornment and other carried matters.
- Lane · entry 45224
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 20:87word 8
“burdens”
A burden of sin or moral guilt.
Sin is conceived as a weight borne by the responsible person; the term also occurs in contexts concerning the consequences associated with those whom someone misleads.
- Lane · entry 45218
- Lane · entry 45224
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 16:25word 2
“their own burdens”
Quran 94:2word 3
“your burden”
Weapons or other equipment of war.
In the expression concerning war laying down its burdens, the word refers to arms and war equipment, whose being laid down marks the termination of fighting.
- Lane · entry 45224
- Mufradāt · row 1570
Selected Quran examples
Quran 47:4word 20
“its burdens”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 6:31أَوْزَارَهُمْtheir burdens
- 6:31يَزِرُونَthey bear
- 6:164تَزِرُbears
- 6:164وَازِرَةٌۭany bearer of burden
- 6:164وِزْرَburden
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
وَزَرَ
To sin; to bear a burden of sin.
A figurative verbal use distinct from the Quranic expression of bearing a burden as an object.
- Lane · entry 45218
وُزِرَ
To be charged with or accused of a sin.
Passive or related verbal usage.
- Lane · entry 45218
وَزَرَ لِلْأَمِيرِ
To become a vizier or deputy to a governor, sultan, or king.
Used with the governing authority as its complement.
- Lane · entry 45218
وَازَرَ
To bear a burden with another; to share another's burden, including the burden of office.
The construction may describe sharing the responsibilities of a ruler or another person.
- Lane · entry 45219
وَازَرَ
To aid, assist, help, or strengthen another in an undertaking.
A causative-supportive construction with another person as the one assisted.
- Lane · entry 45219
أَوْزَرَهُ
To appoint someone a refuge or provide him with a place of refuge.
The object is made a وَزَر, a place to which one may betake oneself for safety.
- Lane · entry 45220
تَوَزَّرَ
To become a vizier or minister.
A derived reflexive usage referring to entering the ministerial role.
- Lane · entry 45221
- Lane · entry 45218
اِتَّزَرَ
To commit a sin.
A derived verbal form with the sin meaning.
- Lane · entry 45222
اِسْتَوْزَرَهُ
To take or choose someone as a minister.
The person chosen is appointed to serve as a وَزِير.
- Lane · entry 45223
وَزَر
A mountain, especially one difficult or strong of access.
This is the concrete mountain sense underlying the related idea of a place of refuge; the Quranic noun entry is separately presented for the refuge use.
- Lane · entry 45225
وَزِير
A ruler's vicegerent or confidential minister of state.
The office is understood as bearing the ruler's administrative burden and supporting him by counsel.
- Lane · entry 45226
وِزَارَة
The condition or office of a minister.
An abstract noun for ministerial office or status.
- Lane · entry 45227
وَازِر
Sinning or bearing a burden of sin.
A figurative participial use reported alongside the basic sense of bearing a physical burden.
- Lane · entry 45228
أَوْزَرَ
To secure or preserve something.
A rare usage reported as a lexical account; its attestation is expressly presented as tentative.
- Maqāyīs · row 5094
أَوْزَرَ
To take away someone's property.
A rare reported usage whose correctness is explicitly left uncertain.
- Maqāyīs · row 5094
وَزَرَ
To overcome someone.
A rare reported usage whose correctness is explicitly left uncertain.
- Maqāyīs · row 5094
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
The verb is cited under the perfect form وَزَرَ; the supplied Quran occurrences are active imperfect forms يَزِرُ and تَزِرُ.
The active-participle entry is cited as وَازِر; all supplied Quran tokens are the feminine form وَازِرَةٌ in context.
The Quran-group assignment of أَوْزَار follows the supplied QAC identity under وِزْر. Classical evidence also records أَوْزَار as a plural associated with وَزِير, but that alternative is not used to reclassify these Quran occurrences.