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نكح

Form 1 · Form 3 · Form 4 · Form 6 · Form 10  ·  13 entries  ·  Qur'ānic frequency 23

Form 1نَكَحَ5 senses · 1 main
muḍāriʿـِيَفْعِلُ·ـَيَفْعَلُmaṣdarنِكَاحٌ مُنَاكَحَةٌ

Core sense — he had relations with a woman; he married her, took her in marriagegenerated

1.1he married a woman, took her in marriage—استنكح

Muḍāriʿ نَكِحَ and نَكَحَ: the latter agrees with analogy, though some reject it, while the former is contrary to analogy but more common, and is the form used in the Qur'ān — the only muḍāriʿ of this form from a verb having ح as its last radical letter, except ينطح, يمنح, ينضح, ينبح, يرجح, يأنح, يأزح, يملح [and يضح]. Maṣdar نِكَاحٌ and نَكْحٌ.

Also ناكح; used only of a man, but Th uses it of flies.

J says that it is sometimes used in the sense of marrying; but according to the Msb it is more commonly used so, and it is used only in this sense in the Qur'ān.

IF and others say that it means sexual intercourse; intercourse without marriage; and marriage without intercourse.

In the Time of Ignorance, when a man asked for a woman in marriage he said اِنْكِحِينِى, and when he desired fornication he said سَافِحِينِى.

It is disputed whether it is proper or figurative in these two senses, or proper in one and figurative in the other. It is said to be from نَكَحَهُ الدَّوَى, or from تَنَاكَحَتِ الأَشْجَارُ, or from نَكَحَ المَطَرُ الأَرْضَ; and if so, it is figurative in both of the above senses. That view is confirmed by this: the sense of marriage is not understood except by a word or phrase joined to it, as in the phrase below, nor is the sense of intercourse understood except in the same way; and this is one of the signs of a figurative expression.

[he took a wife from among the sons of such a one]—نَكَحَ فِى بَنِى فُلَانٍ
[he had relations with his wife]—نَكَحَ زَوْجَتَهُ
1.1.1she married, she took a husband—نَكَحَتْ
1.1.2the rain became mixed with the soil—نَكَحَ المَطَرُ الأَرْضَ

Or it rested upon the ground so as to soak it; same as إِعْتَمَدَ عَلَيْهَا, and so also نَاكَهَا.

1.1.3the disease infected him and overcame him—نَكَحَهُ الدَّوَى

Infected: خَامَرهُ.

1.1.4figurative · مجازdrowsiness overcame his eye—نَكَحَ النُّعَاسُ عَيْنَهُ

Also نَاكَهَا.

sleep overcame his eye—استنكح النَّوْمُ عَيْنَهُ
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 1 5 shown of 11
2:230
فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدُ حَتَّىٰ تَنكِحَ زَوْجًا غَيْرَهُۥ ۗ فَإِن طَلَّقَهَا فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَآ أَن يَتَرَاجَعَآ إِن ظَنَّآ أَن يُقِيمَا حُدُودَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَتِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ يُبَيِّنُهَا لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

So if a husband divorces his wife (irrevocably), He cannot, after that, re-marry her until after she has married another husband and He has divorced her. In that case there is no blame on either of them if they re-unite, provided they feel that they can keep the limits ordained by Allah. Such are the limits ordained by Allah, which He makes plain to those who understand.

4:3
وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا۟ فِى ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ فَٱنكِحُوا۟ مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَـٰثَ وَرُبَـٰعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ فَوَٰحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا۟

If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice.

4:22
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ مَا نَكَحَ ءَابَآؤُكُم مِّنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ إِلَّا مَا قَدْ سَلَفَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فَـٰحِشَةً وَمَقْتًا وَسَآءَ سَبِيلًا

And marry not women whom your fathers married,- except what is past: It was shameful and odious,- an abominable custom indeed.

24:3
ٱلزَّانِى لَا يَنكِحُ إِلَّا زَانِيَةً أَوْ مُشْرِكَةً وَٱلزَّانِيَةُ لَا يَنكِحُهَآ إِلَّا زَانٍ أَوْ مُشْرِكٌ ۚ وَحُرِّمَ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry and but a woman similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever: nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman: to the Believers such a thing is forbidden.

33:49
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا نَكَحْتُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ طَلَّقْتُمُوهُنَّ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تَمَسُّوهُنَّ فَمَا لَكُمْ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ عِدَّةٍ تَعْتَدُّونَهَا ۖ فَمَتِّعُوهُنَّ وَسَرِّحُوهُنَّ سَرَاحًا جَمِيلًا

O ye who believe! When ye marry believing women, and then divorce them before ye have touched them, no period of 'Iddat have ye to count in respect of them: so give them a present. And set them free in a handsome manner.

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, K, &c.,) aor. نَكِحَ , (Msb, K,) and نَكَحَ , (K,) the latter agreeable with analogy, but by some rejected, and the former contr. to analogy, but more common, and the form used in the Kur, (TA,) the only instance of an aor. of this form from a verb having ح for its last radical letter, except ينطح and يمنح and ينضح and ينبح and يرجح and يأنح and يأزح and يملح , (ISd,) [and يضح ] inf. n. نِكَاحٌ (S, K, &c.) and نَكْحٌ ; (ISd, K;) Inivit feminam: and (sometimes, S) he married, took in marriage, or contracted a marriage with, a woman: as also استنكح (S, K, &c.) [and ناكح , inf. n. مُنَاكَحَةٌ :] used only with reference to a man: (ISd:) but Th uses it with reference to flies: (TA:) J says, that it is sometimes used in the latter sense; but accord. to the Msb it is more commonly so used; (MF;) and it is used only in this sense in the Kur: (TA:) IF and others say, that it signifies coitus; and coitus without marriage; and marriage without coitus: (Msb:) [but] in the Time of Ignorance, when a man demanded a woman in marriage he said, اِنْكِحِينِى ; and when he desired fornication, he said, سَافِحِينِى . (TA, in art سفح .) It is disputed whether it be proper or tropical in these two senses; or proper in one, and tropical in one: (MF:) it is said to be from نَكَحَهُ الدَّوَى , or from تَنَاكَحَتِ الأَشْجَارُ , or from نَكَحَ المَطَرُ الأَرْضَ ; and if so, it is tropical in both the above senses; and the opinion that it is so is confirmed by this, that the signification of marriage is not understood unless by a word or phrase in connexion with it, as when you say نَكَحَ فِى بَنِى فُلَانٍ [he took a wife from among the sons of such a one]; nor is that of coitus unless by the same means, as when you say نَكَحَ زَوْجَتَهُ [inivit conjugem suam]; and this is one of the signs of a tropical expression. (Msb.) نَكَحَتْ She married, or took a husband. (S, K.) نَكَحَ المَطَرُ الأَرْضَ The rain became commingled with the soil: (Msb:) or, rested upon the ground so as to soak it; syn. إِعْتَمَدَ عَلَيْهَا : (K:) as also نَاكَهَا . (L.) نَكَحَهُ الدَّوَى The disease infected him ( خَامَرهُ ), and overcame him. (Msb.) نَكَحَ النُّعَاسُ عَيْنَهُ Drowsiness overcame his eye; (K;) as also نَاكَهَا : and in like manner استنكح النَّوْمُ عَيْنَهُ sleep overcame his eye. (TA.)
Form 3نَاْكَحَ1 sense

Core sense — he married a woman, took her in marriagegenerated

3.1

See 1.

Show Lane's original text
see 1.
Form 4انكحهُ المَرْأَةَ3 senses · 1 main

Core sense — he married the woman to him, gave her in marriagegenerated

4.1

He married the woman to him.

4.1.1he married the woman, that is, gave her in marriage—أَنْكَحَهَا
4.1.2figurative · مجاز[Accustom the feet of the camels to pebbles]—أَنْكِحُوا الحَصَى أَخْفَافَ الإِبِلِ
Qur’ānic occurrences Form 4
2:221
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكَـٰتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْجَنَّةِ وَٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۖ وَيُبَيِّنُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

Do not marry unbelieving women (idolaters), until they believe: A slave woman who believes is better than an unbelieving woman, even though she allures you. Nor marry (your girls) to unbelievers until they believe: A man slave who believes is better than an unbeliever, even though he allures you. Unbelievers do (but) beckon you to the Fire. But Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden (of bliss) and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind: That they may celebrate His praise.

24:32
وَأَنكِحُوا۟ ٱلْأَيَـٰمَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَآئِكُمْ ۚ إِن يَكُونُوا۟ فُقَرَآءَ يُغْنِهِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Marry 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.

28:27
قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُنكِحَكَ إِحْدَى ٱبْنَتَىَّ هَـٰتَيْنِ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تَأْجُرَنِى ثَمَـٰنِىَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِنْ أَتْمَمْتَ عَشْرًا فَمِنْ عِندِكَ ۖ وَمَآ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَيْكَ ۚ سَتَجِدُنِىٓ إِن شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ

He said: "I intend to wed one of these my daughters to thee, on condition that thou serve me for eight years; but if thou complete ten years, it will be (grace) from thee. But I intend not to place thee under a difficulty: thou wilt find me, indeed, if Allah wills, one of the righteous."

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 married the woman to him. (TA.) أَنْكَحَهَا He married the woman; i. e. gave her in marriage. (S, K.) أَنْكِحُوا الحَصَى أَخْفَافَ الإِبِلِ [Accustom ye the feet of the camels to pebbles]. (A.)
Form 6تناكحوا2 senses · 1 main

Core sense — they intermarried, they contracted marriages togethergenerated

6.1they had relations with one another—تَنَاكَحَا

They intermarried, contracted marriages together. (This begins a tradition in the Jámi' es-Sagheer.)

See 6, in the article ردف.

6.1.1the trees became drawn, or connected, together—تَنَاكَحَتِ الأَشْجَارُ
Show Lane's original text
They intermarried; contracted marriages together. (Commencing a trad. in the Jámi' es-Sagheer.) [And تَنَاكَحَا Se invicem futuerunt: see 6, in art. ردف ] تَنَاكَحَتِ الأَشْجَارُ The trees became drawn, or connected, together. (Msb.)
Form 10إِسْتَنْكَحَ1 sense

Core sense — he married a woman, took her in marriagegenerated

10.1

See 1.

Qur’ānic occurrences Form 10
33:50
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِنَّآ أَحْلَلْنَا لَكَ أَزْوَٰجَكَ ٱلَّـٰتِىٓ ءَاتَيْتَ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ يَمِينُكَ مِمَّآ أَفَآءَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمِّكَ وَبَنَاتِ عَمَّـٰتِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَالِكَ وَبَنَاتِ خَـٰلَـٰتِكَ ٱلَّـٰتِى هَاجَرْنَ مَعَكَ وَٱمْرَأَةً مُّؤْمِنَةً إِن وَهَبَتْ نَفْسَهَا لِلنَّبِىِّ إِنْ أَرَادَ ٱلنَّبِىُّ أَن يَسْتَنكِحَهَا خَالِصَةً لَّكَ مِن دُونِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۗ قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا فَرَضْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِىٓ أَزْوَٰجِهِمْ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُهُمْ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ عَلَيْكَ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

O Prophet! We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war whom Allah has assigned to thee; and daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts, and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Makka) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her;- this only for thee, and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess;- in order that there should be no difficulty for thee. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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
see 1.

Derived nouns 8

Nounنِكْحٌ3 senses · 1 main

Core sense — the act of giving a woman in marriage; a giver of a woman in marriagegenerated

1

This word and نُكْحٌ are nouns from أَنْكَحَهَا, meaning the act of giving a woman in marriage.

1.1he is the person who gives her in marriage—هو نِكْحُهَا

[These two words are properly quasi-maṣdars of أَنْكَحَ, in the sense explained above; and, like maṣdars, they may be used as adjectives, meaning a giver of a woman in marriage, the counterpart of خُِطْبٌ.]

In the time of paganism a man would come to a tribe asking for a woman in marriage; he would stand up in their assembly and say خِطْبٌ, that is, I have come as an asker of a woman in marriage; and it would be said to him نِكْحٌ, meaning We marry her to you, or give her to you in marriage [or, more literally, we are givers of her in marriage: for a maṣdar or quasi-maṣdar used as an adjective is used without change as singular, dual and plural, and as masculine and feminine].

نُكْحٌ was also said; but نِكْحٌ is used here for the sake of resemblance to خِطْبٌ.

she is the person whom he gives in marriage—هِىَ نِكْحَتُهُ
1.2[Quicker than the marriage of Umm-Khárijeh]—أَسْرَعُ مِنْ نِكَاحِ أُمِّ خَارِجَةَ

نِكْحٌ and نُكْحٌ [and, according to Lth and ISh, نِكِحٌ: see إِبِدٌ] are also two words by which the pagan Arabs used to take women in marriage, meaning a giver of a woman in marriage.

A man used to say to Umm-Khárijeh, in asking her in marriage, خُِطْبٌ, and she used to reply نُكِْحٌ; hence the saying:

See خِطْبٌ.

Show Lane's original text
and نُكْحٌ substs. from أَنْكَحَهَا , [The act of giving a woman in marriage]. (K.) [These two words are properly quasi-inf. ns, of أَنْكَحَ , signifying as explained above; and, like inf. ns., may be used as epithets, meaning A giver of a woman in marriage, correlative to خُِطْبٌ .] It was a custom, in the time of paganism, for a man to come to a tribe asking for a woman in marriage; and he would stand up in their assembly, and say خِطْبٌ , i. e., I have come as an asker of a woman in marriage; whereupon it would be said to him نِكْحٌ , meaning We marry her to thee, or give her to thee in marriage, [or, more lit., we are givers of her in marriage: for an inf. n. or quasi-inf. n. used as an epithet is used without variation as sing., dual., and pl.; and masc. and fem.]. نُكْحٌ was also said: but نِكْحٌ is here said for the sake of resemblance to خِطْبٌ . (L.) You say هو نِكْحُهَا He is the person who gives her in marriage: and هِىَ نِكْحَتُهُ She is the person whom he gives in marriage. (Lh, L) نِكْحٌ and نُكْحٌ , [and, accord. to Lth and ISh, نِكِحٌ : see إِبِدٌ :] are also two words by which the [Pagan] Arabs used to take women in marriage: (S:) [meaning A giver of a woman in marriage]. (MF, in art. خطب .) A man used to say to Umm-Khárijeh, in asking her in marriage, خُِطْبٌ , and she used to reply نُكِْحٌ : hence the saying أَسْرَعُ مِنْ نِكَاحِ أُمِّ خَارِجَةَ [Quicker than the marriage of Umm-Khárijeh]. (S, K.) [See خِطْبٌ ].
Nounنُكْحٌ1 sense

Core sense — the act of giving a woman in marriagegenerated

1

See نِكْحٌ.

Show Lane's original text
: see نِكْحٌ .
Nounنُكَحٌ1 sense

Core sense — one who marries much, or oftengenerated

1

See نَكَحُةٌ.

Show Lane's original text
: see نَكَحُةٌ .
Nounرَجُلٌ نُكَحَةٌ1 sense

Core sense — a man who marries much, or oftengenerated

1a man who marries much, or often—نُكَحٌ

AZ explains the first of the two words by شَدِيدُ النِّكَاحِ [apparently meaning violent in sexual intercourse], and gives its plural as نُكَحَاتٌ.

And نَكَّاحٌ (in the article تيس and elsewhere) means the same.

Show Lane's original text
, (S, K,) and نُكَحٌ (K) A man who marries much, or often: (S, K, TA:) AZ explains the former by شَدِيدُ النِّكَاحِ , [app. meaning vehement in coitus,] and mentions as its pl. نُكَحَاتٌ : (TA:) [and نَكَّاحٌ (A, TA, art. تيس , &c.) signifies the same.]
Nounنَكَّاحٌ1 sense

Core sense — one who marries much, or oftengenerated

1

See نُكَحَةٌ.

Show Lane's original text
: see نُكَحَةٌ .
Nounنَاكِحٌ1 sense

Core sense — a woman married, having a husbandgenerated

1a woman married, having a husband—نَاكِحَةٌ

This second form occurs in poetry.

she has a husband among the sons of such a one—هِىَ نَاكِحٌ فِى بَنِى فُلاَنٍ
Show Lane's original text
(S, K) and نَاكِحَةٌ , (K,) the latter occurring in poetry, (TA,) A woman married; (TA;) having a husband. (S, K, TA.) Ex. هِىَ نَاكِحٌ فِى بَنِى فُلاَنٍ She has a husband among the sons of such a one. (S.)
Nounمَنْكَِحٌ1 sense

Core sense — a wife, a woman whom one marriesgenerated

1

This word and مَنْكُوحَةٌ: see مَنَاكِحُ.

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and مَنْكُوحَةٌ : see مَنَاكِحُ .
Nounمَنَاكِحُ2 senses · 1 main

Core sense — women, or wivesgenerated

1

Women, or wives; same as نِسَآءٌ. A plural having no singular; or its singular is مَنْكَحٌ [or مَنْكِحٌ, which occurs in the article علث, evidently meaning a wife, as though being a place of نِكَاح], or مَنْكُوحَةٌ.

1.1The best of women to take in marriage are virgins—إِنَّ المَنَاكِحَ خَيْرَهُا الأَبْكَارُ

A proverb.

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Women, or wives; syn. نِسَآءٌ : (K:) a pl. having no sing.; or its sing. is مَنْكَحٌ ; [or مَنْكِحٌ , which occurs in the S and K, art. علث , evidently as signifying a wife; as though being a place of نِكَاح ;] or مَنْكُوحَةٌ . (TA.) إِنَّ المَنَاكِحَ خَيْرَهُا الأَبْكَارُ [Verily the best of women to take in marriage are virgins]. A proverb. (TA.)