There are 29 instances of yathnu and its derived forms classified into 7 different forms based on 3 grammatical forms meaning “two” or “two like meaning” as shown in the table below. Thus, the critical reading of the verses having these instances may help us to interpret certain instances to reflect the appropriate message in certain verses, while we know that an Arabic word may have different meanings in the different contexts:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instance of yathnu
There is 1 instance of yathnu in the verb form I meaning “to fold” in the Quran found in the verse 5 in Surah Hud, which is detailed out below:
[11:5] No doubt; indeed, they fold their breasts (a’laa innahum yathnuuna suduurahum) that they may hide from Him. No doubt; when they cover with their clothes, He knows what they conceal and what they reveal. Indeed, He is Knower of what is in the breasts.
Details of instance of yastathnu
There is 1 instance of yastathnu in the verb form X meaning “to except” in the Quran found in the verse 18 in Surah al-Qalam, which is detailed out below:
[68:18] And they do not except (wa-laa-yastathnuuna).
Details of instances of ith’natayn
There are 7 instances of ith’natayn in the noun form meaning “two” in the Quran found in 5 verses across 4 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[2:60] And when Moses had asked water for his people, then we said, “You shall strike the rock with your staff.” So had gushed out twelve springs from it (fa-infajarat min’hu ith’nataa `ashrata `aynan). Certainly, every people knew their drinking place. You shall eat and drink from God’s provision, and do not corrupt in the earth being corruptors.
[4:11] God directs you about your children – for the male is like a share of the two-females. But if there has been only women of more than two (fa-in kunna nisaa-an fawqa ith’natayni), for them are two-thirds of what he has left. And if there has been only one, then for her is the one-half. And for his parents for each of them is the one-sixth of what he has left, if there has been a child for him. But if there would not be any child for him and has inherited him his parents, then for his mother is the one-third. But if there has been siblings for him, then for his mother is the one-sixth after any will he makes with it or any debt. Your parents and your children – you do not know which of them is nearer to you in benefit. That is an obligation from God; indeed, God has been Knower, Wise.
[4:176] They seek to you ruling; say, “God gives you a ruling about the single person. If a man has died, there has been no child for him, and he has a sister, then for her is a half of what he has left. And he inherits from her, if there is no children for her. But if there had been two sisters (fa-in kaanataa ith’natayni), then for them are two-thirds of what he has left. And if there have been siblings of men and women, then for the male is like a share of the two females.” God makes clear for you, lest you go astray. And God is Knower of everything.
[7:160] And we divided them into twelve tribal communities (wa-qatta`naahumu ith’natay `ashrata asbaatan umaman) and inspired Moses when his people had asked him for water that you shall strike the rock with your staff. Then had gushed forth twelve springs from it (fa-inbajasat min’hu ith’nataa `ashrata `aynan); certainly, had known each community their drinking place. And we shaded them with the clouds and sent down to them the manna and the quails: “You shall eat from the good things what we have provided for you.” And they had not wronged us, but they had done to wrong for their souls.
Note: The Arabic expression, ith’nataa `ashrata means 12 being ith’nataa is 2 + `ashrata is 10
[40:11] They said, “Our Lord, You have given us death twice (rabbanaa amattanaa ith’natayni) and You have given us life twice (wa-ahyaytanaa ith’natayni); now we have confessed of our sins, so is there any way to get out?”
Note: On a Day of the Judgment the disbelievers will know that God has given them life 2 times and death 2 times as they had associated partners with Him, while there is no death for the righteous except the first death and when they depart the world, they enter the Paradise.
Details of instances of ith’nayn
There are 13 instances of ith’nayn in the noun form meaning “two/twice” in the Quran found in 11 verses across 8 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[5:12] And certainly, God has taken a covenant of Children of Israel, and we have raised twelve patriarchs from them (wa-ba`athnaa min’humu inth’nay `ashara naqeeban). And God said, “Indeed, I am with you, surely if you have established the salat prayer, and have given the zakat, and have believed in My messengers and have honored them, and have loaned a good loan to God. Surely, I will remove your evil deeds from you, and surely, I will admit you into gardens flowing the rivers of their underneath. So whoever has disbelieved from you after that, then certainly, he has strayed from the right path.”
Note: God has decreed certain requirements for the Children of Israel including believing in His messengers and honoring them as well as establishing the salat prayer and giving the zakat and giving a good loan to Him that He can stay with them.
[5:106] O you who have believed, a testimony between yourselves when the death has approached to one of you, at time of the will two just men from you (heena al-wasiyati ith’naani dhawaa `adlin min’hu) or two others from other than you, if you have traveled in the land, then a disaster of the death befalls you. You may detain both of them after the salat prayer, while both of them swear by God, if they have doubted, “We will not exchange with it a price even if he has been of a near relative, nor will we conceal God’s testimony. Indeed, we then surely would be with the sinners.”
[6:143] There are eight pairs – of the sheep two, and of the goats two (mina al-ddaani ith’nayni wa-mina al-ma`zi ith’nayni). Say, “Are the two males He has prohibited, or the two females, or what has carried the two females’ wombs? Inform me of knowledge, if you have been truthful.”
[6:144] And of the camels two, and of the cattle two (wa-mina al-ibili ith’nayni wa-mina al-baqari ith’nayni). Say, “Are the two males He has prohibited, or the two females, or what has carried the two females’ wombs? Or had you been witnesses when God had enjoined you of this? So who is more wicked than whoever has invented a lie about God to mislead the people without knowledge? Indeed, God does not guide the wicked people.”
[9:36] Indeed, a number of the months with God is twelve-month in God’s ordinance (inna `iddata al-shuhuuri `inda allahi ith’naa `ashara shahran in kitaabi), a day He has created the heavens and the earth. Among them four are sacred. That is the established religion; so you do not wrong yourselves in them. But you shall fight the idol worshipers all together as they fight you all together, and shall know that God is with the righteous.
[9:40] If you do not help him (Muhammad), certainly, God has helped him. When has driven him out those who had disbelieved, he was second of the two (thaaniya ith’nayni). When they both were in the cave, he says to his companion (Abu Bakr), “ Don’t not grieve, indeed, God is with us.” Then God sent down His tranquility upon him, and supported him with forces you do not see them, and made word of those who had disbelieved the lowest, while God’s word is the highest, and God is Almighty, Wise.
[11:40] Until when had come our command, and had overflowed the earth, we said, “You shall load in it a pair of two for each kind (ih’mil feehaa min kullin zawjayni ith’nayni), and your family except whoever has preceded the word against him, and whoever has believed.” and had not believed with him (Noah) except a few.
[13:3] And He is the One who has expanded the earth and has placed in it mountains and rivers. And from every kind of the fruits, He has made pairs of two in it (ja`ala feehaa zawjayni ith’nayni). He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that there are signs for a people who can reflect.
[16:51] God has declared: “Do not take two gods (laa-tattakhiduu ilaahayni ith’nayni); He is only One god. So, you shall fear Me alone.”
[23:27] Then we have inspired to him (Noah) that you shall build the Ark under our eyes and our inspiration, then when has come our command and has gushed forth the fountain, then you shall put in it a pair of two from every kind (fa-us’luk feehaa min kullin zawjayni ith’nayni), and your family, except whoever has preceded the punishment upon him from them, and you are not to address Me about those who have wronged; indeed, they will be the drowned.
[36:14] When we had sent to them two (idhaa arsalnaa ilayhumu ith’nayni), then they denied both of them. So we had supported them with a third one, then they said, “Indeed, to you we are sent ones.”
Details of instances of thaanee
There are 2 instances of thaanee in the noun form meaning “second/twisting” in the Quran found in 2 verses in 2 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[9:40] If you do not help him (Muhammad), certainly, God has helped him. When has driven him out those who had disbelieved, he was second of the two (thaaniya ith’nayni). When they both were in the cave, he says to his companion (Abu Bakr), “ Don’t not grieve, indeed, God is with us.” Then God sent down His tranquility upon him, and supported him with forces you do not see them, and made word of those who had disbelieved the lowest; while God’s word is the highest, and God is Almighty, Wise.
[22:9] Turning his neck (thaaniya it’fihi) that he misleads from God’s path, for him is disgrace in the world, while we will make him taste a punishment of the Burning fire on a Day of the Resurrection.
Note: From people whoever misleads him from the right path, i.e., turning his neck from guidance and enlightening scripture to the wrong path, for him there is disgrace in the world, while he will taste a punishment of the Burning fire on a Day of the Judgment.
Details of instances of mathaanee
There are 2 instances of mathaanee in the noun form meaning “pair/match” in the Quran found in 2 verses across 2 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[15:87] And certainly, we have given you the seven pairs (sab’`an mina al-mathaanee), and the great Quran.
Note: The interpretation of this verse by most translators does not reflect the message in the verse as they fail to understand that the Arabic expression, sab’`an mina al-mathaanee refers to the 14 sets of Quranic initials prefixed to 29 surahs of the Quran, while God has given these initials to calculate the time when the world will end in addition to the proofs that Quran is from God as well as God uses them to make statement(s) of His oath being at the beginning of the 29 surahs.
[39:23] God has revealed a scripture of the best statement being consistent to each other (mutashaabihan mathaaniya). The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (Quran), then their skins and their hearts soften up to God’s message. That is God’s guidance; He guides with it (Quran) whomever He wills, and whomever God lets go astray, then there is no guide for him.
Note: This is one of the most misinterpreted verses of the Quran, which makes explicit that there is no contraction between any of 6234 verses in the Quran, while God has revealed the Quran consisting of 6234 numbered verses and 112 unnumered verses being the total is 6246. It is also noteworthy that the interpretation of two paths: guidance and misguidance or the straight path and the crooked path or Heaven and Hell is a misinterpretation as the Arabic expression, mutashaabihan mathaaniya in the verse refers to a relationship between every verse (statement) in the Quran meaning “two”, not the whole Quran.
Details of instances of mathnaa
There are 3 instances of mathnaa in the noun form meaning “two/pair” in the Quran found in 3 verses across 3 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[4:3] And if you have feared that you cannot be just with the orphans, then you shall marry what has deemed fit for you from the women – two, and three, and four (mina al-nisaa-i mathnaa wa-thulaatha wa-rubaa`a); while if you have feared that you cannot do just, then one, or what has possessed your right hands. That is best that you do not do injustice.
[34:46] Say, “I only advise you for one thing that you would stand for God, in pairs and as individuals (taquumuu lillahi mathnaa wa-furaadaa), then you would reflect. There is no madness in your friend, nor is he except a warner for you before a severe punishment.”
Note: It is one of the duties of the God’s messengers to inform people to establish prayer for God being devoted to Him.
[35:1] All praise to God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and Maker of the angels as messengers having wings of two, and three, and four (ulee ajnihatin mathnaa wa-thulaatha wa-rubaa`a). He increases in the creation whatever He wills. Indeed, God has power over everything.
Note: God has created infinite number of angels with different characteristics to carry His order.
These 29 instances are found in 23 verses across 18 surahs in the Quran and their review indicates that the interpretation of certain instances are very straightforward to mean two, while a few of them imply two in certain manner to understand the content in meaningful way in certain verses. But the important messages that we can reflect from the review are: writing of will before death, worshiping of only One god and worshiping God being devoted to Him, God permits polygamy but only to take care of the orphans, four months are sacred out of twelve months, God guides the believers but there is no guide for the disbelievers, God has given seven pairs of Quranic initials and has made the Quran great, and He has given a scripture of the best statement being consistent to each other.
This review may shed light on understanding the messages of the verses, 15:87 and 39:23 avoiding misinterpretation. The verse, 15:87 gives us a way to know the time when the world will end, while the verse, 39:23 makes it explicit that God has revealed a book of the best statement consisting of 6,234 verses (statements) and there is no inconsistency or contradiction between any of its verses, and He guides with it whomever He wills, while there is no guide for him whomever He lets go astray.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (11/25/2022).