Arabic root

د-ع-و

3 words from this root family

B2noun

دِعَايَة

diʿāya

propaganda / publicity

Example

اِستَخدَمَ الحِزبُ الدِّعايَةَ لِكَسبِ المُؤَيِّدين.

istakhdama l-ḥizbu d-diʿāyata li-kasbi l-muʾayyidīn.

The party used propaganda to gain supporters.

Root: د-ع-و Media Politics

A2verb

دَعَا

daʿā

he called / he prayed / he supplicated

Example

وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ

wa-idhā saʾalaka ʿibādī ʿannī fa-innī qarībun ujību daʿwata ad-dāʿi idhā daʿān

And when My servants ask you about Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me (2:186)

Root: د-ع-و Quranic

Grammar

Defective verb (nāqiṣ). Past: دَعَا, Present: يَدْعُو. Related: دُعَاءٌ (supplication), دَعْوَةٌ (call/invitation), دَاعٍ (caller). Also means 'to invite' (daʿwah).

Culture

This is one of the most intimate verses in the Quran - notably, God responds directly without the Prophet as intermediary, emphasizing the directness of the relationship between God and the worshipper.

A1noun

دُعَاءٌ

duʿāʾ

supplication / prayer / invocation

Example

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

wa-qāla rabbukumu udʿūnī astajib lakum

And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you (40:60)

Root: د-ع-و Quranic

Grammar

Masculine noun (maṣdar of دَعَا, q060). Distinguished from صَلَاة (ritual prayer) — duʿāʾ is personal supplication in any language, at any time.

Culture

Duʿāʾ is described as 'the essence of worship' in hadith. This verse is a divine guarantee that sincere supplication will be answered.