maṣdarكِفَايَةٌmuḍāriʿيَكْفِى
Core sense — it sufficed him, it contented himgenerated
1.1such a one sufficed me in respect of the affair—كَفَانِى فُلَانٌ الأَمْرَ
he sufficed me as a witness; he suffices me as such—كَفَانِى شَهِيدًا
He, or it, sufficed, or contented.
That is, by taking on himself to carry it out if it was good, or to prevent or avert it if it was evil.
Sometimes بِ is added redundantly before its agent, and sometimes before its object, as in the examples given under ب.
[It sufficed, or satisfied, or contented,] it stood in place of another thing—كَفَى
Also كَفَى عَنْ غَيْرِهِ.
1.1.1
كَفَى بِنَا is used for كَفَانَا, and the like.
1.1.2he repelled evil from him—كَفَاهُ الشَّرَّ
كَفَى, also means دَفَعَ and مَنَعَ, followed by مِنْ.
Hence: he defended him from it; and he freed him from it. Said of God, and of a man, and the like.
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 3 shown of 31
4:70
ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَضْلُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ عَلِيمًاSuch is the bounty from Allah: And sufficient is it that Allah knoweth all.
15:95
إِنَّا كَفَيْنَـٰكَ ٱلْمُسْتَهْزِءِينَFor sufficient are We unto thee against those who scoff,-
33:3
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًاAnd put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs.
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
He, or it, sufficed, or contented: hence كَفَانِى فُلَانٌ الأَمْرَ Such a one sufficed me, or contented me, in respect of the affair; i. e., by taking upon himself to perform it or accomplish it if good, or to prevent it or avert it if evil: and كَفَانِى شَهِيدًا He sufficed me as, or for, a witness; or he suffices me as, or for, such: and sometimes بِ is redundantly prefixed to its agent, and sometimes to its objective complement; as in exs. cited in art. ب . See Ham, p. 152. كَفَى [It sufficed, or satisfied, or contented,] it stood instead of another thing, or other things; (Msb;) [as also كَفَى عَنْ غَيْرِهِ .] كَفَى بِنَا for كَفَانَا &c. See W, pp. 5 and 6 كَفَى , aor. يَكْفِى , inf. n. كِفَايَةٌ , also signifies دَفَعَ and مَنَعَ followed by مِنْ . (Har, p. 43, q. v.) [You say, كَفَاهُ الشَّرَّ He repelled from him evil; and hence, he defended him therefrom; and he freed him therefrom: said of God, and of a man, &c.]