2 sets of closely related Arabic words, batash meaning “strike” and naqamu meaning “to take revenge” in the Quran are reviewed here, while we know that an Arabic word may have different meanings in different contexts. There are 10 instances of batash and its derived forms while there and 17 instances of naqamu and its derived forms, which are detailed out below:
- There are 10 instances of batash and its derived forms in the Quran classified into 3 different groups as shown in the table below:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instances of batash
There are 5 instances of batash in the verb form I meaning “to strike” found in 4 verses across 4 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[7:195] Are there feet for them to walk with them or hands for them to hold with them (lahum ay’din yabtishuuna bihaa), or eyes for them to see with them, or ears for them to hear with them? Say, “Call on your partners, then scheme against me that do not give me respite.
[26:130] “And when you have struck, you have struck as tyrants (wa-idhaa batashtum batashtum jabbaareena).
[28:19] Then when that he had intended to strike to the one who was an enemy to both of them (araada an yabtisha bi-alladhee huwa `aduwwun la’humaa), he said, “O Moses, do you intend that you will kill me like that you have killed a person yesterday? You do not want except that you would be a tyrant in the earth, nor do you want that you would be one of the reformers.”
[44:16] A day we will strike (yawma nab’tishu) the greatest strike. Indeed, we are avengers.
Details of instances of batshat
There are 2 instances of batshat in the noun form meaning “strike” found in 2 verses across 2 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[44:16] A day we will strike the greatest strike (al-batshata al-kub’raa). Indeed, we are avengers.
[54:36] And certainly, he (Lot) had warned them of our strike (wa-laqad an’dharahum batshatanaa), while they disputed in the warnings.
Details of instances of batsh
There are 3 instances of batsh in the verbal noun meaning “having power” found in 3 verses across 3 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[43:8] Then we had destroyed stronger than them in power (fa-ah’lak’naa ashadda min’hum batshan), and has passed an example of a people of the previous generations.
[50:36] And how many a generation have we destroyed before them? They were stronger than them in power (hum ashaddu min’hum batshan) that they had dominated in the land. Was there any place of escape?
[85:12] Indeed, your Lord’s striking is surely strong (inna batsha rabbika la’shadeedun).
- There are 17 instances of naqamu and its derived forms in the Quran classified into 4 different groups as shown in the table below:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instances of naqamu
There are 4 instances of naqamu in the verb form I meaning “to take revenge” found in 4 verses across 4 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[5:59] Say, “O people of the scripture, do you resent from us only for that we have believed in God, and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed before (hal tanqimuuna minnaa illaa an aamannaa bil-lahi wa-maa unzila ilaynaa wa-unzila min qablu)? And that most of you are disobedient.”
[7:126] And you (Pharaoh) do not take revenge on us (magicians) only for that we have believed in signs of our Lord when has come to us (wa-maa tanqimu minnaa illaa an aamannaa bi-aayaati rabbinaa lammaa jaa-atnaa). Our Lord, shower upon us patience and cause us to die as submitters.”
[9:74] They swear by God that they have not said, while certainly, they have said a word of the disbelief, and they have disbelieved after their submission and have planned of what they could not attain. And they had not resented except that God would enrich them and His messenger from His bounty (wa-maa naqamuu illaa an agh’naahumu allahu wa-rasuulihi min fadlihi). So, if they repent, it would be better for them, and if they turn away, God will punish them a painful punishment in the world and in the Hereafter. And for them in the earth there is no protector nor a helper.
[85:8] They had not taken revenge of them except that they believed in God – the Almighty, the Praiseworthy (wa-maa naqamuu minhum illaa an yu’minuu bil-lahi al-`azeezi al-hameedi).
Details of instances of intaqam
There are 6 instances of intaqam in the verb form VIII meaning “to take retribution” found in 6 verses across 5 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[5:95] O you who have believed, you do not kill the game (animal) while you are in Ihram. And whoever has killed it with intention from you, then the penalty is like of what he has killed from the livestock judging with it by two just men from you – an offering is reaching the Ka`bah, or an expiation by feeding needy people, or an equivalent fasting that he can perceive a consequence of his deed. God has pardoned of what has past, while whoever has returned, then God will take retribution of him (wa-man `aada fa-yantaqimu allahu min’hu). And God is Almighty, Owner of retribution.
[7:136] So, we took retribution of them (fa-intaqamnaa min’hum) as we had drowned them (Pharaoh and his people) in the sea because of that they had denied in our signs and had been heedless from them.
[15:79] So, we had taken retribution of them (fa-intaqamnaa min’hum), and indeed, they both (communities of Lot and Shuaib) were open on a highway.
[30:47] And certainly, we have sent messengers before yourself (Muhammad) to their people that they had come to them with the clear proofs; then we took retribution of those who had committed crimes (fa-intaqamnaa mina alladheena ajramuu), while it has been duty upon us to help the believers.
[43:25] So, we have taken retribution of them (fa-intaqamnaa min’hum). Then you shall see how has been an end of the deniers.
[43:55] So when they had angered us, we took retribution of them (intaqamnaa min’hum), then we drowned them all (Pharaoh and his people).
Details of instances of intiqam
There are 4 instances of intiqam in the verbal form VIII meaning “retribution” found in 4 verses across 4 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[3:4] From past there is guidance for the people, and He has revealed the statute book. Indeed, those who have disbelieved in God’s revelations, for them there is a severe punishment, and God is Almighty, Possessor of retribution (wal-lahu `azeezun dhuu intiqaamin).
[5:95] O you who have believed, you do not kill the game (animal) while you are in Ihram. And whoever has killed it with intention from you, then the penalty is like of what he has killed from the livestock judging with it by two just men from you – an offering is reaching the Ka`bah, or an expiation by feeding needy people, or an equivalent fasting that he can perceive a consequence of his deed. God has pardoned of what has past, while whoever has returned, then God will take retribution of him. And God is Almighty, Owner of retribution (wal-lahu `azeezun dhuu intiqaamin).
[14:47] So, you do not think that God is failing to keep His promise to His messengers. Indeed, God is Almighty, Possessor of retribution (inna allahu `azeezun dhuu intiqaamin).
[39:37] And whomever God guides, then there is no misleader for him. Is not God with Al-mighty, Possessor of retribution (a-laysa allahu bi-`azeezin dhee intiqaamin)?
Details of instances of muntaqimuun
There are 3 instances of muntaqimuun in the active participle form VIII meaning “avenger” found in 3 verses across 3 surahs in the Quran are detailed below:
[32:22] And who is more wicked than whoever has been reminded with his Lord’s revelations, then he has turned away from them? Indeed, we will be avengers of the criminals (innaa mina al-muj’rimeena muntaqimuuna).
[43:41] So, whether we take away of you (prophet), then indeed, we will be avengers of them (fa-innaa minhum muntaqimuuna).
[44:16] A day we will strike the greatest strike. Indeed, we are avengers (innaa muntaqimuuna).
Note: Here is a hint of the end of the world after watching a day that will bring the sky with a profound smoke enveloping the people is a punishment prophesied in the Quran, which is not literal but a metaphor of a disaster of the world-wide outbreak of COVID-19 we are witnessing since 2019 for denying a reminder delivered by God’s messenger of the covenant in 1974.
In brief, God being Avenger and Possessor of retribution takes revenge of those who have turned away from His revelations when they have been reminded them with them and the disbelievers who have taken revenge of those who had believed in God – the Almighty, the Wise in the life of the world, while He will take greater revenge in the Hereafter, but our focus on the event that may help us to find the right path to return to our Lord is the present generation has experienced a disaster from the world-wide outbreak of COVID-19 being a metaphor of the punishment as prophesied in the Quran from the smoke in the sky enveloping the people for denying the reminder conveyed by God’s messenger of the covenant (44:10-15), which is also a sign that the end of the world is near being a day of the greatest strike (44:16).
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (01/27/2023).