Arabic root

ظ-ل-م

3 words from this root family

A1adjective

مُظلِم

muẓlim

dark

Example

الغُرفَةُ مُظلِمة

al-ghurfatu muẓlima

The room is dark

Root: ظ-ل-م Adjectives Basics

Grammar

Feminine form: muẓlima (مُظلِمة). Form IV active participle. Opposite of muḍīʾ (مُضيء).

A2verb

ظَلَمَ

ẓalama

he wronged / he oppressed

Example

وَمَا ظَلَمْنَاهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

wa-mā ẓalamnāhum wa-lākin kānū anfusahum yaẓlimūn

And We did not wrong them, but they were wronging themselves (16:118)

Root: ظ-ل-م Quranic

Grammar

Form I verb. Past: ظَلَمَ, Present: يَظْلِمُ. Related: ظُلْمٌ (injustice), ظَالِمٌ (wrongdoer), مَظْلُومٌ (oppressed). Active participle often used as noun.

Culture

Ẓulm (injustice) is one of the greatest sins in Islam. God declares in a hadith qudsi: 'I have forbidden ẓulm for Myself and made it forbidden among you.'

A2noun

ظُلْمٌ

ẓulm

injustice / wrongdoing / oppression

Example

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

inna ash-shirka laẓulmun ʿaẓīm

Indeed, association with Allah is a great injustice (31:13)

Root: ظ-ل-م Quranic

Grammar

Masculine verbal noun (maṣdar) of ظَلَمَ. Original meaning: 'to place something in the wrong place.' Three types in the Quran: against God, against others, against oneself.

Culture

This is the advice of Luqmān the Wise to his son. Associating partners with God (shirk) is called the greatest ẓulm because it misplaces worship.