Ketab-E-Qayyem

Ketab-E-Qayyem

Descriptive Semantics of the Lexeme "Ghani" in the Holy Qur'an

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Vafa Mahfouzi Mousavi 1
Dr.Hasan Abdollahi 2
1 PhD student in Arabic language and literature, Dr. Ali Shariati Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. E-mail: vafa.mahfoozi@gmail.com
2 Associate professor, Department of Arabic, Dr. Ali Shariati Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran. E-mail: abd@um.ac.ir
10.30512/kq.2025.22446.3980
Abstract
The word "Ghani" is one of the high-frequency terms in the Holy Qur'an. The attribute "Ghani" (on the morphological pattern of Fa'eel, denoting the active participle) signifies self-sufficiency. The wealth/self-sufficiency of Allah Almighty refers to His absolute independence from all creation. The primary research question of this study is: in its revelatory usage, around which words does "Ghani" co-occur (collocation) or substitute (synonymy), and with which words does it stand in semantic opposition (antonymy)? The objective is to attain the inner meaning of the word "Ghani" and clarify its position in the Holy Qur'an by utilizing semantic relations (complementary, intensive, oppositional, and distributive). The research methodology is descriptive-analytical, employing a note-taking approach from library resources. First, the relevant verses were extracted; subsequently, the collocates, substitutes, and antonyms of the word "Ghani" were investigated. Their lexical and technical meanings were examined, followed by an analysis of the syntactic and structural relationships of these words. The findings indicate that in the Holy Qur'an, the word "Ghani" is predominantly used regarding Allah Almighty, although this word and its derivatives are used regarding humans in several instances. Based on Quranic verses, the core concept of "Ghani" can be aligned with its general and common lexical meaning, namely "self-sufficient." The word "Ghani" maintains collocation relationships with words such as "Halim" (Clement), "Hamid" (Praiseworthy), "Karim" (Generous), "Rahmah" (Mercy), and "Shukr" (Gratitude), with "Hamid" exhibiting a higher frequency than the other collocates. To identify substitute words, a context-based semantics and a structuralist approach in semantics were employed. The word "Ghani" maintains a substitution relationship with "Samad" and "Wasi'" and stands in semantic opposition to the words "Faqr" (Poverty), "Bukhl" (Miserliness), and "Kufr" (Disbelief). This research demonstrates that the collocates of "Ghani" reinforce the meaning of the verses through syntactic relations and intensive semantic meanings, while its substitution with "Wasi'" creates distinct nuances in certain contexts. Furthermore, in opposition to this word, miserliness leads to deprivation, poverty indicates the inherent need of creatures, and disbelief symbolizes ingratitude toward divine blessings.
Keywords
Holy Qur&‌rsquo
an, Ghani, Collocates, Synonyms, Oppositional semantic relationship
Subjects
The Holy Quran.
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  • Receive Date 28 November 2024
  • Revise Date 02 May 2025
  • Accept Date 22 May 2025