Core sense — poor, or needy; a hollow dug for a palm-shoot; a wellgenerated
1
A hollow that is dug around the shoot, or offset, of a palm-tree when it is planted; or a well, or the like, in which the shoot is planted, alluvial soil with camel dung or the like being then pressed down around it. Plural فُقُرٌ, with two ḍammas.
Or this — apparently the plural, though according to the TA the singular — means wells, three or more, together, or communicating with one another.
The singular also means a well; or an old well; or a well having little water. Plural as above.
1.1a dug well—رَكِيَّةٌ فَقِيرَةٌ
And a plain, or soft, place in which wells are dug forming a regular series.
A ʿObeyd explains فَقِيرُ بَنِى فُلَانٍ فِى الرَّكَايَا as meaning the share of the sons of so-and-so of the wells.
1.2
Also the mouth, or the place where the water comes out, of an underground channel or conduit. Plural as above.
1.3
It is said to mean a hollowed trunk of a palm-tree by which one climbs to an upper chamber; but the word commonly known in this sense is نَقِيرٌ, with ن.
2
As an adjective applied to a camel, it means having an incision, or two or three incisions, made in his nose or muzzle in the way explained in the first paragraph of this article; and so does مَفْقُورٌ.
3a man having a complaint of his vertebrae—فَقِرٌ
Applied to a man: having the vertebrae of the back broken; and so فَقِرٌ and مَفْقُورٌ. Or having a complaint of the vertebrae of his back, from fracture or from disease; or having his vertebrae pulled out of his back, so that his spine is broken off.
a man afflicted by a calamity—فقير
مَفْقُورٌ likewise; literally, having the vertebrae of his back broken.
4the one in need of God, that is, of God's help—الفَقِيرُ إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ
So called, as though having the vertebrae of his back broken (IDrst, in the article on جبر); but it is said to be formed irregularly from اِفْتَقَرَ, like مَا أَفْقَرَهُ.
Poor; or needy, the opposite of غَنِىٌّ; having only what suffices for his household, those who live with him and whose maintenance falls on him; or one who finds food enough to keep him alive; or one who possesses only what is enough for life; or one whose property is, or has become, little. Further explained in the article on سكن.
Aboo-ʿAmr Ibn-El-ʿAlā: one who has something to eat, differing from مِسْكِينٌ, which means one who possesses nothing, altogether destitute; or, also from him, both mean destitute, that is, possessing nothing.
Aboo-Ḥaneefeh holds the opinion of ISk, who cites this verse from a poem of Er-Rāʿee in praise of ʿAbd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwán:
shāhidأَمَّا الفَقِيرُ الَّذِى كَانَتْ حَلُوبَتُهُوَفْقَ العِيَالِ فَلَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَدُ
[As to the فقير whose milch camel was sufficient for his household, and nothing more was left to him:]
As says that the مسكين is better in condition than the فقير; and Yoo says that the فقير is better in condition than the مسكين, and adds: I asked an Arab of the desert, Are you فقير? and he answered, No, by God, but rather مسكين.
the one in need of the mercy of God—الفَقِيرُ إِلَى رَحْمَةِ ٱللّٰهِ
you are the ones who stand in need of God—أَنْتُمُ الفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ وَٱللّٰهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ
Ibn-ʿArafeh: the former means needy, needing, or wanting, a needer; and the latter, one abased by need or want, or otherwise. Ibn-ʿArafeh: if he is abased by need or want he may lawfully receive of the poor-rate; but if he is abased otherwise than by need or want he may not receive of it, for he may be rich.
These are epithets which a man often writes before his name.
It is said in the Kur 35:16. And God, He is the Self-sufficient, the Praised in every case.
Or فقير means one who is crippled, or deprived of the power of motion by disease, or who suffers from a long illness, being weak and having no trade; and one who has a mean trade that does not suffice for his need. Esh-Sháfiʿee: مسكين is a beggar who has a trade that stands him in some stead but does not keep him and his household free from want; so that, according to Esh-Sháfiʿee, the former is in a harder condition than the latter.
Khálid Ibn-Yezeed: it seems that he is called فقير because of the crippleness, or long illness, which keeps him from freely working for gain.
As also says that the latter is in a better condition than the former, and so says Ahmad Ibn-ʿObeyd.
As to the verse of Er-Rāʿee cited above, it is said to mean that the man mentioned there had a milch camel in former times but possessed it no longer, and that لَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَد means that nothing was left to him.
The plural of the latter adjective is also applied in the Kur 18:78 to men possessing a ship, or boat, worth a considerable sum; from which Aboo-Bekr holds the opinion of As to be correct. But it is answered that these men were hirers, not owners, of the vessel, as appears from one reading, apparently يُعَمَّلُونَ for يَعْمَلُونَ, with teshdeed.
Or the former means one who has neither property nor gain sufficient for his need, and the latter one who has property or gain not sufficient for him; or, as some say, the reverse is true; or both mean the same, one who possesses nothing. El-Bedr El-Karáfee: when they are used together they differ in meaning, and when used separately they both sometimes mean the same. See more in the article on مِسْكِينٌ.
Feminine with ة; masculine plural فُقَرَآءُ; feminine plural فَقَائِرُ and also فُقَرَآءُ, like the masculine — said to be the only instance of the kind except سُفَهَآءُ as plural of سَفِيهَةٌ, though فُقَهَآءُ and perhaps some other instances should be added; but ISd says, I do not know how this is.
Qur’ān 28:24 approximate — somewhere between 28:1 and 28:45 Lane cites “Kur xxviii. 24”
Qur’ān 18:80 fixed by the citations on either side of it Lane cites “Kur xviii. 78”
Lane cites “Bd in ix. 60” — a commentary, not the verse; no modern number is given
Qur’ān 28:24 the verse Lane’s citation points to, and it uses this root
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌSo he watered (their flocks) for them; then he turned back to the shade, and said:"O my Lord! truly am I in (desperate) need of any good that Thou dost send me!"Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur’ān (1934)
Qur’ānic occurrences فَقِير 5 shown of 12
2:271
إِن تُبْدُوا۟ ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِىَ ۖ وَإِن تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا ٱلْفُقَرَآءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۚ وَيُكَفِّرُ عَنكُم مِّن سَيِّـَٔاتِكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌIf ye disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if ye conceal them, and make them reach those (really) in need, that is best for you: It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.
22:28
لِّيَشْهَدُوا۟ مَنَـٰفِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ فِىٓ أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَـٰتٍ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّنۢ بَهِيمَةِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ ۖ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْبَآئِسَ ٱلْفَقِيرَ"That they may witness the benefits (provided) for them, and celebrate the name of Allah, through the Days appointed, over the cattle which He has provided for them (for sacrifice): then eat ye thereof and feed the distressed ones in want.
24:32
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَـٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌMarry those among you who are single, or the virtuous ones among yourselves, male or female: if they are in poverty, Allah will give them means out of His grace: for Allah encompasseth all, and he knoweth all things.
28:24
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰٓ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَىَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌSo he watered (their flocks) for them; then he turned back to the shade, and said:"O my Lord! truly am I in (desperate) need of any good that Thou dost send me!"
35:15
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ أَنتُمُ ٱلْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُO ye men! It is ye that have need of Allah: but Allah is the One Free of all wants, worthy of all praise.
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
A hollow that is dug around the shoot, or offset, of a palm-tree, when it is planted: (S, O:) or a well [or the like thereof] in which the shoot, or offset, of a palm-tree is planted, (K, TA,) then alluvial soil with dung of camels or the like is pressed down around it: (TA:) pl. فُقُرٌ , with two dammehs: (K, TA:) or this [app. the pl., but accord. to the TA the sing.,] signifies wells, (K, TA,) three, and more, together, (TA,) or communicating, one with another. (K, TA.) The sing. signifies also A well: (Mgh, O:) or an old well: (O:) or a well having little water: (TA:) pl. as above. (Mgh.) And A plain, or soft, place, in which wells are dug forming a regular series. (O, K,) And رَكِيَّةٌ فَقِيرَةٌ signifies A dug well. (TA.) And فَقِيرُ بَنِى فُلَانٍ فِى الرَّكَايَا is expl. by A 'Obeyd as meaning The share of the sons of such a one of the wells. (TA.) Also The mouth, (K, TA,) or the place whence the water issues, (S, O, TA,) of a subterranean channel, or conduit: (S, * O, * K, * TA:) pl. as above. (TA.) And it is said to signify A [hollowed] trunk of a palm-tree, by means of which one ascends to an upper chamber: but the word commonly known in this sense is نَقِيرٌ [q. v.], with ن . (IAth, TA.) As an epithet applied to a camel, it means Having an incision [or two incisions or three] made in his nose [or muzzle] in the manner explained in the first paragraph of this art.; and so مَفْقُورٌ . (K, TA.) Also, applied to a man, (TA,) Having the vertebræ of the back broken; (S, O, K, * TA;) and so فَقِرٌ and مَفْقُورٌ : (K:) or having a complaint of the vertebræ of his back, arising from fracture or from disease: (Msb:) or having his vertebræ pulled out from his back, so that his spine is interrupted: (T, L:) and فَقِرٌ , a man having a complaint of his vertebræ: (S, O, TA:) and فقير and مَفْقُورٌ , a man afflicted [lit. having the vertebræ of his back broken] by a calamity. (Msb.) Hence, as though having the vertebræ of his back broken, (IDrst, TA in art. جبر ,) [but said to be irregularly formed from اِفْتَقَرَ , like مَا أَفْقَرَهُ , q. v.,] Poor: or needy; contr. of غَنِىٌّ ; (as implied in the K;) having [only] what suffices for his household, or those who dwell with him and whose maintenance is incumbent an him: (ISd, K:) or one who finds food sufficient to sustain life: (K:) or one who possesses only what is sufficient for life: (ISk, S, K: *) or one whose property is, or has become, little: further expl. in art. سكن : (Msb:) or one who has what to eat; (Aboo-'Amr Ibn-El-'Alà;) differing from مِسْكِينٌ , which signifies one who possesses nothing; altogether destitute: (Aboo-'Amr Ibn-El-'Alà, ISk, S, O, K:) or both mean destitute, i. e. possessing nothing: (IAar, S, O:) Aboo-Haneefeh holds the opinion of ISk, (TA,) who cites the following verse from a poem of Er-Rá'ee in praise of 'Abd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwán; 1 [As to the فقير whose milch camel was sufficient for his household, and nothing (more) was left to him:] (S, O, TA:) As says that the مسكين is better in condition than the فقير : and Yoo says that the فقير is better in condition than the مسكين ; and adds, I asked an Arab of the desert, Art thou فقير ? and he answered, No, by God, but rather مسكين : (S, O, TA:) or the former signifies needy, needing, or wanting; a needer; and the latter, one abased by need or want, or otherwise; (Ibn-'Arafeh, O, K;) who, if abased by need or want, may lawfully receive of the poor-rate; but if abased otherwise than by need or want, he may not receive of the poorrate; for he may be rich: (Ibn-'Arafeh:) [ الفَقِيرُ إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ the needer of God, i. e., of God's help, &c., and الفَقِيرُ إِلَى رَحْمَةِ ٱللّٰهِ the needer of the mercy of God, are epithets which a man often writes before his name:] it is said in the Kur [xxxv. 16], أَنْتُمُ الفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى ٱللّٰهِ وَٱللّٰهُ هُوَ ٱلْغَنِىُّ ٱلْحَمِيدُ , which is explained as meaning Ye are the needers, or they who stand in need, of God: [and God, He is the Self-sufficient, the Praised in every case:] (O, * TA: [see also the Kur xxviii. 24:]) or فقير signifies one who is crippled, or deprived of the power of motion, by disease, or who suffers from a protracted disease, being weak, and who has no trade; and one who has a mean trade that does not suffice for his need; and مسكين , a beggar, who has a trade that stands in some stead, ( حِرْفَةٌ تَقَعُ مَوْقِعًا ,) but does not cause him and his household to be without want; (Esh-Sháfi'ee, T, O, K;) so that the former is in a harder condition than the latter accord. to Esh-Sháfi'ee; (T;) and it seems that he is called فقير because of crippleness, or protracted disease, which prevents his freely employing himself in making gain: (Khálid Ibn-Yezeed:) As also says that the latter is in a better condition than the former; (S, O, K;) and so says Ahmad Ibn-'Obeyd: (TA:) and as to the verse of Er-Rá'ee, cited above, it is said to mean that the person there mentioned had a milch camel in former times, but possessed it no longer, and that لَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَد means that nothing was left to him: (Mgh:) the pl. of the latter epithet is also applied in the Kur xviii. 78 to men possessing a ship, or boat, which is worth a considerable sum; (Mgh;) whence Aboo-Bekr holds the opinion of As to be correct: (TA:) but it is urged in reply, that these men were hirers, not owners, of the vessel, as appears from one reading, [app. يُعَمَّلُونَ for يَعْمَلُونَ ,] with teshdeed: (TA:) or the former signifies one who has neither property nor gain that suffices for his need; and the latter, one who has property or gain not sufficient for him: or, as some say, the converse is the truth: (Bd in ix. 60:) or both signify the same, (IAar, S, K,) one who possesses nothing: (IAar, S:) or when they are used together, they differ in signification; and when used separately, they both [sometimes] signify the same: (El-Bedr El-Karáfee:) [see more voce مِسْكِينٌ :] fem. with ة : (Msb, K:) pl. masc. فُقَرَآءُ ; (Msb, K;) pl. fem. فَقَائِرُ , (K,) and فُقَرَآءُ (Lh, Msb, TA) like the masc., [said to be] the only instance of the kind except سُفَهَآءُ as pl. of سَفِيهَةٌ ; (Msb;) [though فُقَهَآءُ , and perhaps some other instances, should be added;] but ISd says, I know not how this is. (TA.) أَمَّا الفَقِيرُ الَّذِى كَانَتْ حَلُوبَتُهُ | وَفْقَ العِيَالِ فَلَمْ يُتْرَكْ لَهُ سَبَدُ