طوف

Root entry · 17 derived lemmas

The root طوف (ṭūf) primarily relates to circling, going around, and encompassing. It extends to concepts of visiting, approaching, and surrounding, often with a sense of stealth or night-time activity. It also encompasses broader meanings like widespread inundation, large numbers, and even abstract concepts like madness or divine punishment.

Derived headwords

طَافَverb

1.
to circle aroundboth
To move in a circular path around something, to circumambulate.
2.
to visitboth
To come by or visit, often implying a brief or unexpected appearance.
3.
to wanderboth
To travel or roam through lands or places.
4.
to encompassclassical
To surround or cover a place or people.

طاف بالبيت وأطاف عليه — He circled around the Kaaba.

طاف في البلاد طوفا وتطوافا وطوف — He traveled through the lands.

طَوَّفَverb

1.
to cause to circleclassical
To make something or someone circle or go around.
2.
to make frequent visitsclassical
To cause someone to make frequent rounds or visits.

طوف الناس والجراد إذا ملؤوا الأرض كالطوفان — People and locusts swarm and fill the earth like a flood.

تَطَوَّفَverb

1.
to circle repeatedlyboth
To circle around something many times, to perform extensive circumambulation.
2.
to wander extensivelyboth
To travel widely and frequently through different places.

تطوف الرجل أي طاف — The man circled around, meaning he circled.

وطاف حول الشيء يطوف طوفا وطوفانا وتطوف واستطاف كله بمعنى — And he circled around the thing, circling, circling, and circling, all with the same meaning.

اسْتَطَافَverb

1.
to circle aroundclassical
To circle around something, similar to طاف.

واستطافه: طاف به — And he circled around it: he circled around it.

أَطَافَverb

1.
to surroundboth
To encompass or surround something, to be on its outskirts.
2.
to approach stealthilyboth
To approach or visit someone, especially at night.
3.
to defecateclassical
To excrete waste, to have a bowel movement.

وأطاف فلان بالأمر إذا أحاط به — And so-and-so surrounded the matter if he encompassed it.

وأطاف به وعليه: طرقه ليلا — And he approached him and upon him: he came to him by night.

واطاف اطيافا: تغوط وذهب إلى البراز — And he defecated: he defecated and went to relieve himself.

طَوْفnoun

1.
circlingboth
The act of circling or circumambulating.
2.
inundationclassical
A flood or overwhelming water that covers everything.
3.
excrementclassical
Waste matter expelled from the body.
4.
raftclassical
A floating structure made of reeds or wood used for crossing water.

طاف به الخيال طوفا — The imagination afflicted him in sleep.

والطوف: النجو — And the طوف: excrement.

والطوف: قرب ينفخ فيها ويشد بعضها ببعض فتجعل كهيئة سطح فوق الماء يحمل عليها الميرة والناس — And the طوف: is a skin that is inflated and tied together, making it like a surface on water, carrying provisions and people.

طَوَفَانnoun

1.
floodboth
A great flood of water that inundates the land, or a widespread deluge.
2.
plagueclassical
A widespread pestilence or a great mortality.
3.
darknessclassical
The intense darkness of the night.

والطوفان: الماء الذي يغشى كل مكان — And the طوفان: is water that covers every place.

ويقال لشدة سواد الليل: طوفان — And the intensity of the blackness of the night is called طوفان.

مَطَافnoun

1.
place of circlingclassical
The area around the Kaaba where circumambulation is performed.

والمطاف: موضع المطاف حول الكعبة — And the مطاف: is the place of circling around the Kaaba.

طَائِفnoun

1.
visitorboth
One who comes by or visits, often at night.
2.
encompassing thingboth
Something that surrounds or encircles.
3.
madnessclassical
A touch of madness or delusion, often attributed to demonic influence.
4.
angerclassical
A fit of anger or rage.
5.
night watchmanclassical
One who patrols or keeps watch at night.

وأطاف به وعليه: طرقه ليلا — And he approached him and upon him: he came to him by night.

إذا مسهم طائف من الشيطان — When a طائف from Satan touches them.

وروي عن مجاهد في قوله تعالى إذا مسهم طائف قال: الغضب — And it was narrated from Mujahid regarding the verse 'When a طائف from Satan touches them,' he said: Anger.

طَائِفَةnoun

1.
groupboth
A company or group of people, a sect, or a portion of something.
2.
partboth
A portion or piece of something.
3.
extremityclassical
An extremity or outer part of something, like limbs.

وليشهد عذابهما طائفة من المؤمنين — And let a طائفة of the believers witness their punishment.

وفي حديث عمران بن حصين وغلامه الآبق: لأقطعن منه طائفا — And in the hadith of Imran ibn Husayn and his runaway slave: 'I will cut off a طائفة from him.'

طَائِفِيّadjective

1.
from Ta'ifboth
Relating to or originating from the city of Ta'if.
2.
clustered grapesclassical
Describing grapes whose berries are densely packed together.

والطائفي: زبيب عناقيده متراصفة الحب كأنه منسوب إلى الطائف — And the طائفي: is raisins from bunches whose berries are closely packed, as if it is attributed to Ta'if.

طَيِّفnoun

1.
phantomclassical
A phantom, apparition, or illusion, often a fleeting image.
2.
madnessclassical
Madness or insanity, a state of deranged mind.

وأصابه طوف من الشيطان وطائف وطيف وطيف، الأخيرة على التخفيف، أي مس — And a طوف, طائف, طيف, or طيف (the last one shortened) from Satan afflicted him, meaning a touch.

وأبيك، طيف جنون — And by your father, a طيف of madness.

طَوَّافnoun

1.
frequent visitorboth
One who travels around frequently or makes many visits.
2.
servantclassical
A servant or slave who attends to their master.
3.
patrollerclassical
One who patrols or makes rounds, especially at night.

ورجل طاف: كثير الطواف — And a man who is طاف: is one who circles a lot.

والطوافون: الخدم والمماليك — And the طوافون: are the servants and slaves.

والطائف: العاس بالليل — And the طائف: is the night patroller.

تَطْوَافnoun

1.
garment for circlingclassical
A garment worn by women during circumambulation, especially when naked.
2.
frequent circlingclassical
The act of circling or wandering extensively.

وكانت المرأة تطوف بالبيت وهي عريانة تقول: من يعيرني تطوافا؟ تجعله على فرجها — And the woman used to circle the Kaaba while naked, saying: 'Who will lend me a تطواف? To place it on her private parts.'

طَائِفُ القَوْسnoun

1.
part of a bowclassical
The part of a bow between the nock and the main curve.

وطائف القوس: ما بين السية والأبهر، وجمعه طوائف — And the طوائف of the bow: is what is between the nock and the sinew, and its plural is طوائف.

طَوِيفnoun

1.
part of a bowclassical
A part of a bow, specifically the part beyond the central stiffening.

والطوائف من القوس: ما دون السية، يعني بالسية ما اعوج من رأسها وفيها طائفان — And the طوائف of the bow: is what is below the nock, meaning by the nock what is bent from its tip, and it has two طوائف.

طَوَّافَةnoun

1.
female servantclassical
A female servant or slave who attends to their master.
2.
female patrollerclassical
A woman who patrols or makes rounds.

وفي حديث لقيط: ما يبسط أحدكم يده إلا وقع عليها قدح مطهرة من الطوف والأذى ؛ الطوف: الحدث من الطعام، المعنى من شرب تلك الشربة طهر من الحدث والأذى، وأنث القدح لأنه ذهب بها إلى الشربة — And in the hadith of Laqit: 'No one extends his hand except that a cup of purification from impurity and harm falls upon it'; the طوف: is the impurity from food, meaning from drinking that sip one is purified from impurity and harm, and the cup is feminized because it refers to the sip.

Parallel reading

طاف به الخيال طوفا: ألم به في النوم

The imagination afflicted him in sleep.

وطاف بالقوم وعليهم طوفا وطوفانا ومطافا وأطاف: استدار وجاء من نواحيه.

And he circled the people and upon them, circling and a circling and a place of circling, and he approached: he circled and came from its sides.

وأطاف فلان بالأمر إذا أحاط به

And so-and-so surrounded the matter if he encompassed it.

وفي التنزيل العزيز يطاف عليهم بآنية من فضة .

And they will be served around with vessels of silver.

وقيل: طاف به حام حوله.

And it was said: he circled around it, meaning he went around it.

وأطاف به وعليه: طرقه ليلا.

And he approached him and upon him: he came to him by night.

وفي التنزيل العزيز: فطاف عليها طائف من ربك وهم نائمون .

Then there came to it a visitor from your Lord while they were asleep.

وقال الفراء في قوله فطاف عليها طائف قال: لا يكون الطائف إلا ليلا ولا يكون نهارا

And Al-Farra' said regarding his saying 'Then a visitor came to it,' he said: The visitor is only at night and not during the day.

وطاف حول الشيء يطوف طوفا وطوفانا وتطوف واستطاف كله بمعنى.

And he circled around the thing, circling, circling, and circling, all with the same meaning.

ورجل طاف: كثير الطواف.

And a man who is طاف: is one who circles a lot.

وطاف بالبيت وأطاف عليه: دار حوله؛

And he circled the Kaaba and approached it: he went around it;

وليطوفوا بالبيت العتيق، هو دليل على أن الطواف بالبيت يوم النحر فرض.

And let them circle the Ancient House, which is evidence that circumambulating the House on the day of sacrifice is obligatory.

والمطاف: موضع المطاف حول الكعبة.

And the مطاف: is the place of circling around the Kaaba.

وفي الحديث ذكر الطواف بالبيت، وهو الدوران حوله، تقول: طفت أطوف طوفا وطوافا، والجمع الأطواف.

And the hadith mentions circumambulating the House, which is circling around it. You say: I circled, I circle, a circling and a circling, and the plural is الأطواف.

وفي الحديث: كانت المرأة تطوف بالبيت وهي عريانة تقول: من يعيرني تطوافا؟ تجعله على فرجها.

And in the hadith: The woman used to circle the Kaaba while naked, saying: 'Who will lend me a تطواف? To place it on her private parts.'

والطائف: مدينة بالغور، يقال: إنما سميت طائفا للحائط الذي كانوا بنوا حولها في الجاهلية المحدق بها الذي حصنوها به.

And الطائف: is a city in the lowlands, it is said: it was named الطائف because of the wall they built around it in the pre-Islamic era, surrounding it and fortifying it.

وأصابه طوف من الشيطان وطائف وطيف وطيف، الأخيرة على التخفيف، أي مس.

And a طوف, طائف, طيف, or طيف (the last one shortened) from Satan afflicted him, meaning a touch.

إذا مسهم طائف من الشيطان ، وطيف؛

When a طائف from Satan touches them, and a طيف;

وتصبح عن غب السرى، وكأنما ... أطاف بها من طائف الجن أولق

And you wake up after the night journey, as if... a طائف of jinn has approached her.

قال أبو العيال الهذلي: ومنحتني جداء، حين منحتني، ... فإذا بها، وأبيك، طيف جنون

Abu Al-Ayyal Al-Hudhali said: And you granted me a gift, when you granted me, ... And behold, by your father, a طيف of madness.

وأطاف به أي ألم به وقاربه؛

And he approached him, meaning he afflicted him and drew near him;

وروي عن مجاهد في قوله تعالى إذا مسهم طائف قال: الغضب ، وروي ذلك أيضا عن ابن عباس.

And it was narrated from Mujahid regarding the verse 'When a طائف from Satan touches them,' he said: Anger, and this was also narrated from Ibn Abbas.

قال أبو منصور: الطيف في كلام العرب الجنون، رواه أبو عبيد عن الأحمر، قال: وقيل للغضب طيف لأن عقل من استفزه الغضب يعزب حتى يصير في صورة المجنون الذي زال عقله

Abu Mansur said: The طيف in the speech of the Arabs is madness, narrated by Abu Ubaid from Al-Ahmar, he said: And anger is also called طيف because the intellect of one overcome by anger departs until he becomes like a madman whose reason has left him.

وطاف في البلاد طوفا وتطوافا وطوف: سار فيها.

And he traveled through the lands, circling, and circling, and circling: he journeyed in them.

والطائف: العاس بالليل.

And the الطائف: is the night patroller.

والطوافون: الخدم والمماليك.

And the الطوافون: are the servants and slaves.

وقال الفراء في قوله عز وجل: طوافون عليكم بعضكم على بعض ، قال: هذا كقولك في الكلام إنما هم خدمكم وطوافون عليكم

And Al-Farra' said regarding the Almighty's saying: 'circling around you, some of you upon others,' he said: This is like your saying in speech, 'They are only your servants and those who circle around you.'

وقال أبو الهيثم: الطائف هو الخادم الذي يخدمك برفق وعناية، وجمعه الطوافون.

And Abu Al-Haytham said: The الطائف is the servant who serves you gently and with care, and its plural is الطوافون.

وفي الحديث: إنما هي من الطوافات في البيت أي من خدم البيت، وفي طريق آخر: إنما هي من الطوافين عليكم والطوافات ، والطواف فعال، شبهها بالخادم الذي يطوف على مولاه ويدور حوله

And in the hadith: 'It is only from the الطوافات in the house,' meaning from the servants of the house, and in another narration: 'It is only from the الطوافون upon you and the الطوافات,' and الطواف is a pattern, comparing it to a servant who circles his master and goes around him.

والطائفة من الشيء: جزء منه.

And the طائفة of a thing: is a part of it.

وفي التنزيل العزيز: وليشهد عذابهما طائفة من المؤمنين ؛ قال مجاهد: الطائفة الرجل الواحد إلى الألف، وقيل: الرجل الواحد فما فوقه، وروي عنه أيضا أنه قال: أقله رجل ، وقال عطاء: أقله رجلان.

And in the Almighty's verse: 'And let a طائفة of the believers witness their punishment'; Mujahid said: The طائفة is one man up to a thousand, and it was said: one man and above. And it was narrated from him that he said: its minimum is one man, and Ata said: its minimum is two men.

وفي الحديث: لا تزال طائفة من أمتي على الحق ؛ الطائفة: الجماعة من الناس وتقع على الواحد كأنه أراد نفسا طائفة؛

And in the hadith: 'A طائفة of my Ummah will remain upon the truth'; the طائفة: is a group of people and can refer to one person as if he meant a single soul as a طائفة;

وفي حديث عمران بن حصين وغلامه الآبق: لأقطعن منه طائفا ؛ هكذا جاء في رواية، أي بعض أطرافه، ويروى بالباء والقاف.

And in the hadith of Imran ibn Husayn and his runaway slave: 'I will cut off a طائفة from him'; this is how it came in one narration, meaning some of his extremities, and it is narrated with 'ba' and 'qaf'.

وتقع السيوف على طوائف منهم، ... فيقام منهم ميل من لم يعدل

And swords fall upon their طوائف, ... so a mile of those who deviate is erected from them.

والطوائف من القوس: ما دون السية، يعني بالسية ما اعوج من رأسها وفيها طائفان

And the طوائف of the bow: is what is below the nock, meaning by the nock what is bent from its tip, and it has two طوائف.

وطائف القوس: ما بين السية والأبهر، وجمعه طوائف؛

And the طوائف of the bow: is what is between the nock and the sinew, and its plural is طوائف;

واطاف اطيافا: تغوط وذهب إلى البراز.

And he defecated: he defecated and went to relieve himself.

وفي الحديث: لا يتناجى اثنان على طوفهما.

And in the hadith: Let no two people whisper while they are at their طوفهما.

ومننه: نهي عن متحدثين على طوفهما أي عند الغائط.

And from it: It is forbidden to speak privately while at your طوفهما, meaning near the latrine.

وفي حديث ابن عباس، رضي الله عنهما: لا يصلين أحدكم وهو يدافع الطوف ما كان من ذلك بعد الرضاع

And in the hadith of Ibn Abbas, may God be pleased with them: Let none of you pray while he is holding back the طوف, whatever that may be after nursing.

يقال لأول ما يخرج من بطن الصبي: عقي فإذا رضع فما كان بعد ذلك قيل: طاف يطوف طوفا، وزاد ابن الأعرابي فقال: اطاف يطاف اطيافا إذا ألقى ما في جوفه؛

It is said for the first thing that comes out of a boy's belly: Aqiqah. If he nurses, then whatever comes after that is called: طاف يطوف طوفا, and Ibn Al-Arabi added, saying: اطاف يطاف اطيافا if he expels what is in his gut;

والطوف: الحدث من الطعام، المعنى من شرب تلك الشربة طهر من الحدث والأذى، وأنث القدح لأنه ذهب بها إلى الشربة.

And the طوف: is the impurity from food, meaning from drinking that sip one is purified from impurity and harm, and the cup is feminized because it refers to the sip.

والطوف: قرب ينفخ فيها ويشد بعضها ببعض فتجعل كهيئة سطح فوق الماء يحمل عليها الميرة والناس، ويعبر عليها ويركب عليها في الماء ويحمل عليها، وهو الرمث، قال: وربما كان من خشب.

And the طوف: is a skin that is inflated and tied together, making it like a surface on water, carrying provisions and people, and it is crossed upon and ridden upon in the water and carried upon, and it is the raft, he said: and sometimes it is made of wood.

والطوف: خشب يشد ويركب عليه في البحر، والجمع أطواف، وصاحبه طواف.

And the طوف: is wood that is tied and ridden upon in the sea, and its plural is أطواف, and its owner is a طواف.

ويقال: أخذه بطوف رقبته وبطاف رقبته مثل صوف رقبته.

And it is said: He took him by the طوف of his neck and by the طاف of his neck, like the wool of his neck.

والطوف: القلد.

And the طوف: is the collar.

والطوف والطائف: الثور الذي يدور حوله البقر في الدياسة.

And the طوف and the طائف: are the bull around which the cows circle during threshing.

والطوفان: الماء الذي يغشى كل مكان، وقيل: المطر الغالب الذي يغرق من كثرته، وقيل: الطوفان الموت العظيم.

And the طوفان: is the water that covers every place, and it was said: the overwhelming rain that drowns from its abundance, and it was said: the طوفان is great death.

وفي الحديث عن عائشة، رضي الله عنها، قالت: قال رسول الله، صلى الله عليه وسلم: الطوفان الموت ، وقيل الطوفان من كل شيء ما كان كثيرا محيطا مطيفا بالجماعة كلها كالغرق الذي يشتمل على المدن الكثيرة.

And in the hadith from Aisha, may God be pleased with her, she said: The Messenger of God, peace be upon him, said: The طوفان is death, and it was said that the طوفان is from everything that is abundant, encompassing, and surrounding the entire community, like a flood that engulfs many cities.

والقتل الذريع والموت الجارف يقال له طوفان، وبذلك كله فسر قوله تعالى: فأخذهم الطوفان وهم ظالمون ؛

And widespread killing and sweeping death is called طوفان, and by all of this, the Almighty's saying is interpreted: 'So the طوفان seized them while they were wrongdoers';

غير الجدة من آياتها ... خرق الريح، وطوفان المطر

Other than its signs... the gust of wind, and the طوفان of rain.

وذكر الطاعون فقال لا أراه إلا رجزا أو طوفانا ؛ أراد بالطوفان البلاء، وقيل الموت.

And he mentioned the plague and said: I do not see it as anything but a punishment or a طوفان; by طوفان he meant affliction, and it was said: death.

وقال الأخفش الطوفان جمع طوفانة، والأخفش ثقة؛ قال: وإذا حكى الثقة شيئا لزم قبوله، قال أبو العباس: وهو من طاف يطوف، قال: والطوفان مصدر مثل الرجحان والنقصان ولا حاجة به إلى أن يطلب له واحدا.

And Al-Akhfash said: The طوفان is the plural of طوفانة, and Al-Akhfash is trustworthy; he said: And if a trustworthy person narrates something, it is necessary to accept it. Abu Al-Abbas said: And it is from طاف يطوف, he said: And the طوفان is a masdar like رجحان and نقصان, and there is no need to seek a singular for it.

ويقال لشدة سواد الليل: طوفان.

And the intensity of the blackness of the night is called طوفان.

حتى إذا ما يومها تصبصبا، ... وعم طوفان الظلام الأثأبا

Until when its day began to dawn, ... and the طوفان of darkness enveloped the Ath'ab tree.

وطوف الناس والجراد إذا ملؤوا الأرض كالطوفان؛

And people and locusts swarm if they fill the earth like a طوفان;

على من وراء الردم لو دك عنهم، ... لماجوا كما ماج الجراد وطوفوا

Upon those behind the rampart, if it were to crumble from them, ... they would surge like the locusts surged and swarmed.

فأرسلنا عليهم الطوفان والجراد ، قال الفراء: أرسل الله عليهم السماء سبتا فلم تقلع ليلا ولا نهارا فضاقت بهم الأرض فسألوا موسى أن يرفع عنهم فرفع فلم يتوبوا.

So We sent upon them the طوفان and the locusts. Al-Farra' said: God sent the sky upon them for seven days, and it did not cease day or night, so the land became constricted for them, and they asked Moses to lift it from them, so he lifted it, but they did not repent.