Core sense — one who bears witness; one personally presentgenerated
1
And شَهِيدٌ: one who tells of what he has witnessed, or seen with his eye; one who declares what he knows; one who knows, and declares what he knows; a witness, meaning one who gives testimony, or bears witness; [one who gives decisive information (see form 1, first sentence)].
The plural of the first is شَهْدٌ, or rather this is an ism jamʿ, as صَحْبٌ is of صَاحِبٌ and سَفْرٌ of سَافِرٌ, though some disallow this; شُهُودٌ — on which see the remarks below — and أَشْهَادٌ are also plurals of شَاهِدٌ or of شَهْدٌ; the plural of شَهِيدٌ is شُهَدَآءُ.
مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ, in the Kur 50:20: see art. سوق.
1.1the witness against those to whom he has been sent—الشَّاهِدُ
A name of the Prophet.
Lane cites “Jel in xxxiii. 44” — a commentary, not the verse; no modern number is given
1.2an angel—شَاهِدٌ
Mujáhid: a guardian angel. Plural أَشْهَادٌ; or this means the prophets.
1.3such a one has an elegant diction—لِفُلَانٍ شَاهِدٌ حَسَنٌ
such a one has neither goodliness of aspect nor tongue—مَا لِفُلَانٍ رُوَآءٌ وَلَا شَاهِدٌ
So says Aboo-Bekr.
on this sense And the tongue: from the following saying.
1.4this is an evidential example of such a thing—هٰذَا شَاهِدٌ لِكَذَا
As a conventional term used in lexicology and the like: an evidential example, generally poetical, of the form or meaning of a word or phrase; plural شَوَاهِدُ.
The sciences that require شَوَاهِد are those of اللُّغَة, الصَّرْف, النَّحْو, المَعَانِى, البَيَان, البَدِيع, العَرُوض, and القَوَافِى.
One says also عَلَى كَذَا.
With respect to the classical language absolutely, شواهد are taken, by universal consent, from the Kur-án, and from the language, both verse and prose, of those Arabs who lived before the corruption of the Arabic tongue [see مُوَلَّدٌ]; also, by the general decision of the learned, from the Traditions of Mohammad, [a source which some exclude, because traditions may be corrupted in language by their transmitters, and interpolated, and even forged;] and electively from the language of those Arabs who lived after the first corruption of the Arabic tongue, but before that corruption had become extensive. (Mz, 1st نوع, and MF.) [See again مُوَلَّدٌ.]
The classes of poets from whose poetry شواهد are taken are the Pagan Arabs, the Mukhadrams, the Islámees, and the Muwelleds [see جَاهِلِىٌّ, مُخَضْرَمٌ, إِسْلَامِىٌّ, and مُوَلَّدٌ]. For all the sciences mentioned above they are taken from the poetry of the first, second, and third classes — from that of the first and second by universal consent, and from that of the third electively; but from the poetry of the fourth class only for the sciences of المَعَانِى, البَيَان, and البَدِيع.
[The earliest existing classical poems, though some older fragments, couplets, and single verses have been preserved, date only about a century before the birth of Mohammad; the latest, about a century after his death.]
1.5
Knowing, and witnessing, or seeing with his eye; a witness, meaning an eyewitness; and so also شَهِيدٌ.
Plural of the first أَشْهَادٌ and شُهُودٌ — but see what is said of these plurals above; and of the second, شُهَدَآءُ. [See an example of شَهِيدٌ in this sense in a verse cited under رَبٌّ.]
1.6
[Hence, in the present day, applied to a notary, who hears and writes and attests cases to be submitted for judgment in the court of a kádee.]
1.7the present knows what the absent does not know—الشَّاهِدُ يَرَى مَا لَا يَرَى الغَائِبُ
Present; a witness, meaning one personally present; and so also شَهِيدٌ.
Plural of the first شُهَّدٌ, and أَشْهَادٌ as mentioned above, and شُهُودٌ; or this last is used as a plural but is originally a maṣdar.
people, or persons, present—قَوْمٌ شُهُودٌ
[I spoke to him before witnesses, or persons present]—كَلَّمْتُهُ عَلَى رُؤُوسِ الأَشْهَادِ
1.8the horse has a run which he reserves, and a run which he performs unsparingly—لِلْفَرَسِ غَائِبٌ وَشَاهِدٌ
[Hence, apparently, being opposed to غَائِبٌ:] a running in which a horse exerts his force unsparingly.
That is, he reserves the one for the time of need; like the saying لَهُ صَوْنٌ وَبَذْلٌ. See form 1 in art. بذل.
Or شَاهِدٌ means a running that testifies to the excellence of a horse, and to his quality of outstripping others.
1.9
Aboo-Eiyoob: a star [apparently when visible], as being present and apparent in the night.
1.10the prayer of sunset—صَلَاةُ الشَّاهِدِ
[Hence, according to some.] So called because it is the prayer performed when the star becomes visible; it is also called صَلَاةُ البَصَرِ, because the stars are seen at that time.
Or, according to some, the prayer of daybreak [and so, according to some, is صَلَاةُ البَصَرِ ], as also المَشْهُودُ; said to be so named because one who is travelling must perform it without abridging it, like one who is present at his home.
Aboo-Sa'eed Ed-Dareer says that the prayer of sunset is so called for this reason. AM asserts that the first reason given above is the right one, because the prayer of daybreak likewise may not be abridged and yet is not so called; but a poet does call it so.
1.11Friday—الشَّاهِدُ
Friday—المَشْهُودُ
Fr: or the day of resurrection; or the day of 'Arafeh. See عَرَفَةُ.
on this sense So called because of the presence and congregation of people on each of those days.
1.12matter resembling mucus that comes forth with the fœtus—شَاهِدٌ
Plural شُهُودٌ, which, according to ISd, means the أَغْرَاس [plural of غِرْسٌ, q. v.] upon the head of a young camel at the time of its birth.
the marks left by the blood, or the fœtal membrane, of a she-camel where she has brought forth—شُهُودٌ النَّاقَةِ
1.13
Also a quick, or an expeditious, thing or affair.
Qur’ānic occurrences شَاهِد 5 shown of 21
37:150
أَمْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةَ إِنَـٰثًا وَهُمْ شَـٰهِدُونَOr that We created the angels female, and they are witnesses (thereto)?
48:8
إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ شَـٰهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًاWe have truly sent thee as a witness, as a bringer of Glad Tidings, and as a Warner:
74:13
وَبَنِينَ شُهُودًاAnd sons to be by his side!-
85:3
وَشَاهِدٍ وَمَشْهُودٍBy one that witnesses, and the subject of the witness;-
85:7
وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌAnd they witnessed (all) that they were doing against the Believers.
Occurrences of this form in the Qur’ān, not Lane’s choice of verse. They show the word in use; they do not say which sense above applies. Where more occur than are shown, the shortest āyāt are chosen.
Show Lane's original text
(S, Mgh, L, K) and شَهِيدٌ (S, * Mgh, L) One who tells, or gives information of, what he has witnessed, or seen or beheld with his eye: (Mgh, L:) one who declares what he knows: (L:) one who knows, and declares what he knows: (ISd, TA:) a witness, as meaning one who gives testimony, or evidence; who bears witness: (S, * L, K: *) [one who gives decisive information: (see 1, first sentence:)] pl. of the former شَهْدٌ , (Akh, S, K,) or [rather] this is a quasi-pl. n., (Sb, TA,) like as صَحْبٌ is of صَاحِبٌ , and سَفْرٌ of سَافِرٌ , (S,) but some disallow this; (TA;) and شُهُودٌ [but see what is said of this in the latter half of the paragraph] and أَشْهَادٌ are also pls. of شَاهِدٌ , (Mgh, L,) or of شَهْدٌ : (S, K:) the pl. of شَهِيدٌ is شُهَدَآءُ . (S, Mgh.) [Hence,] مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَشَهِيدٌ , in the Kur 1. 20: see art. سوق . [Hence also] الشَّاهِدُ a name of the Prophet; (K;) meaning The witness against those to whom he has been sent. (Jel in xxxiii. 44.) And شَاهِدٌ An angel: (S, L, K:) or a guardian angel: (Mujáhid:) pl. أَشْهَادٌ : or this means the prophets. (TA.) And The tongue: (S, L, K:) from the saying, لِفُلَانٍ شَاهِدٌ حَسَنٌ Such a one has an elegant diction. (L.) One says also, مَا لِفُلَانٍ رُوَآءٌ وَلَا شَاهِدٌ Such a one has neither goodliness of aspect nor tongue. (Aboo-Bekr, L.) [As a conventional term used in lexicology &c.,] An evidential example, generally poetical, of the form or meaning of a word or phrase: pl. شَوَاهِدُ : the sciences that require شَوَاهِد being those of اللُّغَة and الصَّرْف and النَّحْو and المَعَانِى and البَيَان and البَدِيع and العَرُوض and القَوَافِى . (MF on the خُطْبَة of the K.) [One says, هٰذَا شَاهِدٌ لِكَذَا and عَلَى كَذَا This is an evidential example of such a thing.] With respect to the classical language, absolutely, شواهد are taken, by universal consent, from the Kur-án, and from the language [both verse and prose (Kull p. 348)] of those Arabs who lived before the period of the corruption [in any considerable degree] of the Arabic tongue: [see مُوَلَّدٌ :] also, accord. to the general decision of the learned, from the Traditions of Mohammad; [which last source is excluded by some because traditions may be corrupted in language by their transmitters, and interpolated, and even forged;] and electively from the language of those Arabs who lived after the first corruption of the Arabic tongue, but before the corruption had become extensive. (Mz, 1st نوع ; and MF ubi suprà. [See, again, مُوَلَّدٌ .]) The classes of the poets from whose poetry شواهد are taken are the Pagan Arabs, the Mukhadrams, the Islámees, and the Muwelleds: [see جَاهِلِىٌّ and مُخَضْرَمٌ and إِسْلَامِىٌّ and مُوَلَّدٌ :] with respect to all the sciences above mentioned, they are taken from the poetry of the first, second, and third, classes; from that of the first and second by universal consent, and from that of the third electively: (MF ubi suprá:) but they are taken from the poetry of the fourth class with respect only to the sciences of المَعَانِى and البَيَان and البَدِيع . (Idem, and Kull p. 348.) [The age of the earliest existing classical poems (though some older fragments and couplets and single verses have been preserved) is only about a century before the birth of Mohammad: that of the latest, about a century after his death. (See the Preface to this work.)] Knowing, (Msb,) and witnessing, or seeing or beholding with his eye; a witness, as meaning an eyewitness; (L, Msb;) as also شَهِيدٌ : pl. of the former [or, as is said in the L in art. مجد , of the former or of the latter,] أَشْهَادٌ and شُهُودٌ ; [but see what is said of these pls. in the first sentence of this paragraph;] and of the latter شُهَدَآءُ . (Msb.) [See an ex. of شَهِيدٌ in this sense in a verse cited voce رَبٌّ .] [Hence, in the present day, applied to A notary, who hears and writes and attests cases to be submitted for judgment in the court of a kádee.] Present; a witness as meaning one personally present; (S, L, Msb, K;) as also شَهِيدٌ : (Msb:) pl. of the former شُهَّدٌ (S, L, K) [and أَشْهَادٌ , as above,] and شُهُودٌ , (K,) or this last is used as a pl. but is originally an inf. n. (S, L.) One says, الشَّاهِدُ يَرَى مَا لَا يَرَى الغَائِبُ , meaning The present knows what the absent knows not. (Msb.) And قَوْمٌ شُهُودٌ People, or persons, present. (S, A.) And كَلَّمْتُهُ عَلَى رُؤُوسِ الأَشْهَادِ [I spoke to him before witnesses, or persons present]. (A.) [Hence, app., being opposed to غَائِبٌ ,] A running in which a horse exerts his force unsparingly; (A, L;) as in the saying, لِلْفَرَسِ غَائِبٌ وَشَاهِدٌ The horse has a run which he reserves [for the time of need], and a run which he performs unsparingly; like the saying, لَهُ صَوْنٌ وَبَذْلٌ : (A: [see 1 in art. بذل :]) or شَاهِدٌ means a running that testifies the excellence of a horse, (IAar, K,) and his quality of outstripping others. (IAar, TA.) A star [app. when visible]; (Aboo-Eiyoob, K;) as being present and apparent in the night. (TA.) [Hence, accord. to some,] صَلَاةُ الشَّاهِدِ The prayer of sunset; (A, L, Msb, K;) because it is the prayer that is performed when the star becomes visible; (Sh, L;) also called صَلَاةُ البَصَرِ , because the stars are seen at the time thereof: or, accord. to some, the prayer of daybreak; (L;) [and so, accord. to some, صَلَاةُ البَصَرِ ; (see art. بصر ;)] as also المَشْهُودُ ; (TA;) and it is said to be so called because he who is travelling must perform it without abridging it, like him who is present at his home: Aboo-Sa'eed Ed-Dareer says that the former prayer is so called for this reason [as is also said in the A and Msb]: AM asserts that the first reason assigned above is the right one, because the prayer of daybreak, in like manner, may not be abridged, and is not thus called; but it is thus called by a poet. (L.) And الشَّاهِدُ is a name of Friday; (Fr, K;) as also المَشْهُودُ : or the latter is the day of resurrection: (K:) or the day of 'Arafeh: (Fr, K: [see عَرَفَةُ :]) because of the presence and congregation of people on each of those days. (TA.) شَاهِدٌ also signifies Matter resembling mucus, that comes forth with the fœtus: (S, K:) pl. شُهُودٌ : which latter, accord. to ISd, means the أَغْرَاس [pl. of غِرْسٌ , q. v.,] upon the head of a young camel at the time of its birth. (TA.) And شُهُودٌ النَّاقَةِ means The marks left by the blood, or by the membrane that enclosed the fœtus, of the she-camel, in the place where she has brought forth. (S, K.) Also A quick, or an expeditious, thing or affair. (K.)