← Back to Al-Sihah

وسوس

Root entry · 5 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the concept of whispering, inner speech, or subtle, often insidious, suggestion. It extends to the sound of faint rustling or jingling, and is also used as a name for Satan.

Derived headwords

وَسْوَسَverb
  1. 1.
    to whisper (to oneself)both

    To engage in inner speech or self-talk, often implying doubt or temptation.

  2. 2.
    to whisper (to someone)both

    To speak softly or secretly to someone, often with the intent to suggest or tempt.

الْوِسْوَاسَةnoun
  1. 1.
    inner speechboth

    The act of talking to oneself, the internal monologue.

  2. 2.
    whisperingclassical

    The act of whispering, especially as a form of suggestion or temptation.

وِسْوَاسًاnoun
  1. 1.
    a whisper (masdar)both

    a whisper (masdar)

الْوِسْوَاسnoun
  1. 1.
    the noun, like 'earthquake' (زلزال and زلزال)both

    the noun, like 'earthquake' (زلزال and زلزال)

  2. 2.
    name of Satanboth

    name of Satan

الْوِسْوَاسname
  1. 1.
    the noun, like 'earthquake' (زلزال and زلزال)both

    the noun, like 'earthquake' (زلزال and زلزال)

  2. 2.
    name of Satanboth

    name of Satan

Parallel reading

الوسوسة: حديث النفس.
Al-wiswasa: is the speech of the self.
وسوست إليه نفسه وسوسة ووسواسا بكسر الواو.
His soul whispered to him, a whispering and a susurration (with kasra on the waw).
والوسواس بالفتح الاسم، مثل الزلزال والزلزال.
And al-wiswas (with fatha) is the noun, like az-zilzal and az-zilzal.
فوسوس لهما الشيطان يريد إليهما، ولكن العرب توصل بهذه الحروف كلها الفعل.
So Satan whispered to them, meaning towards them, but the Arabs connect the verb with all these letters.
ويقال لهمس الصائد والكلاب وأصوات الحلى: وسواس.
And the rustling of the hunter, the dogs, and the sounds of jewelry are called 'wiswas'.
فبات يشئزه ثأد ويسهره تذؤب الريح والوسواس والهضب
So he spent the night, troubled by the dust and kept awake by the howling wind, the rustling, and the uneven ground.
تسمع للحلي وسواسا إذا انصرفت كما استعان بريح عشرق زجل
You hear a jingling from the jewelry when it moves, as if it sought help from a gusty, noisy wind.
والوسواس: اسم الشيطان.
And al-wiswas: is the name of Satan.