Al-Afʿāl al-Dāllah ʿalā Maʿnā al-Rujūʿ fī al-Qurʾān al-Karīm

Abstract

Arabic is characterized by remarkable lexical richness, wherein multiple words may converge on a single meaning — a phenomenon known as synonymy. This is particularly significant in Quranic Arabic, where lexical  choices carry precise rhetorical and semantic weight that distinguishes each word from its near-equivalents. This study investigates verbs occurring in the Holy Quran that indicate, approximate, or partially carry the meaning of "return" (rujūʿ). It aims to analyze the semantic values these verbs convey, assess the degree to which each implies the meaning of return, and identify the fine-grained differences between each verb and the base verb rajaʿa. The study employs three integrated methods: an inductive method to collect all relevant verbs from the Quranic corpus; a descriptive method to present their meanings and Quranic occurrences; and an analytical method to examine their rhetorical and semantic dimensions and compare each verb to the base verb. Verbs are arranged alphabetically according to their trilateral roots, and the scope is confined to the Quranic text. Twenty-eight verbs were identified, including āba, tāba, ʿāda, wallā, inqalaba, radda, ṣāra, and others. These verbs exhibit significant semantic proximity to rajaʿa, yet each diverges in a specific dimension — whether by implying concealment (rāgha), moral return (tāba), defeat (wallā), or finality of destination (āba). The role of accompanying prepositions and the phonetic properties of root letters emerged as meaningful differentiators. The study demonstrates that Arabic near-synonyms are not interchangeable but rather represent a semantic spectrum of specialization. It opens new analytical horizons in lexical relations, including exactness, resemblance, inclusion, difference, and oppo sition and contributes to a deeper understanding of Quranic stylistic precision and Arabic semantic structure.