ءل ف

Root entry · 32 derived lemmas

This root primarily deals with the concept of 'thousand' in numbers, but extends to notions of familiarity, companionship, and bringing things together. It encompasses terms for large quantities, the act of becoming familiar with something or someone, and the formation of bonds or alliances.

Derived headwords

أَلْفnoun

1.
thousandboth
The numerical unit representing one thousand. It is typically masculine in Arabic, though feminine usage is permissible when referring to countable items like dirhams.
2.
familiarclassical
An individual who is familiar or friendly. This sense is often used in contrast to being unfamiliar or distant.
3.
letter 'alif'both
The first letter of the Arabic alphabet.
4.
upper armclassical
A specific anatomical term referring to the part of the arm from the shoulder to the elbow, specifically the inner aspect.

آلافnoun

1.
thousandsboth
The plural form of 'alf', referring to multiple thousands.
2.
familiar companionsclassical
Plural of 'alif', referring to close friends or companions.

أَلُوفnoun

1.
many thousandsclassical
A collective noun referring to a large number of thousands, often used to denote a multitude.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to be familiar withboth
To become accustomed to, to grow fond of, or to feel at home with a person, place, or thing.
2.
to give a thousandclassical
To bestow or grant the amount of one thousand, typically of wealth or livestock.

أَلِفٌadjective

1.
familiarboth
Describes someone or something that is accustomed to or fond of another.
2.
tameboth
Describes an animal that is domesticated or accustomed to human presence.

أَلِفَةnoun

1.
familiarityboth
The state of being familiar, accustomed, or intimate with someone or something.
2.
affectionboth
A feeling of fondness or attachment.
3.
woman who is familiarclassical
A woman who is familiar with you, or with whom you are familiar.

أَلُوفadjective

1.
very familiarclassical
Intensely familiar or accustomed to something or someone.

أَلِفَnoun

1.
familiarityclassical
The state of being familiar or accustomed.

آلَفَverb

1.
to make familiarboth
To cause someone or something to become familiar with or accustomed to something.
2.
to complete to a thousandclassical
To bring a quantity up to one thousand.
3.
to bring togetherboth
To unite or reconcile people or things.

إِيلافnoun

1.
familiarityboth
The state of being familiar or accustomed.
2.
treatyclassical
A formal agreement or covenant, particularly one that ensures safe passage for trade.
3.
bringing togetherboth
The act of uniting or reconciling.

أَلَّفَverb

1.
to composeboth
To create or write a book, text, or other literary work.
2.
to bring togetherboth
To unite, reconcile, or bring into harmony.
3.
to appeaseclassical
To win over or pacify someone, especially by giving gifts, to gain their favor or prevent hostility.

تَأْلِيفnoun

1.
compositionboth
The act or process of writing or creating a literary work.
2.
unificationboth
The act of bringing together or reconciling.
3.
appeasementclassical
The act of pacifying or winning over, often through gifts.

مُؤَلَّفnoun

1.
compositionboth
A written work, such as a book or treatise.
2.
completedclassical
Describes something that has been brought to completion or perfection.

مُؤَلَّفَة قُلُوبُهُمnoun

1.
those whose hearts are appeasedclassical
A term for certain individuals, particularly prominent Arabs in early Islam, who were given alms to encourage their acceptance of Islam and prevent them from opposing the Muslims.

مَأْلَفnoun

1.
place of familiarityboth
A place where one feels familiar or accustomed.
2.
habitatboth
A natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

أَلُوفnoun

1.
woman who is familiarclassical
A woman with whom one is familiar.

أَلِيفnoun

1.
familiar companionclassical
A close friend or companion.

أَلِفٌadjective

1.
completeclassical
Perfect or entire, often used to describe a full thousand.

آلَفَverb

1.
to become a thousandclassical
To reach or become the number of one thousand.

أَوَالِفnoun

1.
familiar creaturesclassical
Refers to birds or other creatures that have become accustomed to a particular place, like the حرم (sanctuary).

مَأْلُوفadjective

1.
familiarboth
Well-known, common, or easily recognized.

مَأْلَفnoun

1.
place of familiarityclassical
A place where animals or people are accustomed to being.

أَلِفnoun

1.
man who is aloneclassical
An unmarried or solitary man.

آلَفَverb

1.
to make a covenantclassical
To establish a treaty or agreement, ensuring safety and passage.

آلَفَverb

1.
to make familiarclassical
To cause someone to become familiar with a place.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to become familiarclassical
To become accustomed to a place.

إِيلافnoun

1.
covenantclassical
A pledge or agreement, particularly the safe passage granted to Quraysh for their trade journeys.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to be familiarclassical
To be familiar with something.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to bring togetherclassical
To unite or bring into harmony.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to writeclassical
To inscribe or write something.

مُؤَلَّفَةadjective

1.
completedclassical
Describes something that has been brought to completion or perfection.

أَلِفَverb

1.
to appeaseclassical
To win over or gain the favor of someone, especially by giving gifts.

Parallel reading

الألف من العدد مذكر، يقال: هذا ألف

The 'alf' in number is masculine; it is said: this is a thousand.

ثلاثة آلاف

three thousand

ثلاث آلاف

three thousand

هذا ألف أقرع، اي: تام

This is a complete thousand, meaning: perfect.

وكلام العرب فيه التذكير

And the speech of the Arabs is masculine regarding it.

فإن يك حقي صادقا وهو صادقي ... نقد نحوكم ألفا من الخيل أقرعا

If my truth is truthful and he is my truth... you will pay us a thousand perfect horses.

بألف أؤديه إلى القوم أقرعا

with a thousand I will pay it to the people, complete.

ج: ألوف وآلاف

Plural: 'aluf' and 'alaf' (thousands).

وهم ألوف حذر الموت

And they are thousands, fearing death.

وألفه، يألفه من حد ضرب: أعطاه ألفا

And 'alafahu, ya'lafuhu' from the pattern of 'daraba': he gave him a thousand.

وكريمة من آل قيس ألفته ... حتى تبذخ فارتقى الأعلام

And a noblewoman from the house of Qays, I gave her a thousand... until she surpassed and reached the heights.

والإلف، بالكسر: الأليف

And 'al-ilf', with kasra: the familiar one.

حن فلان إلى فلان حنين! الإلف إلى الإلف

So-and-so yearned for so-and-so like the yearning of the familiar for the familiar.

فأصبح البكر فردا من ألافه ... يرتاد أحلية اعجازها شذب

And the young camel became alone from its companions... seeking the fertile parts of its hindquarters.

والألوف، كصبور: الكثير

And 'aluf', like 'sabur': the abundant.

ج: ألف

Plural: 'alf' (thousands).

وحوراء المدامع إلف صخر

And a doe-eyed woman, a familiar companion of Sakhr.

يروح فردا وتبقى إلفه طاويه

He goes out alone, and his familiar companion remains, starving.

وقد ألفه أي: الشيء كعلمه، إلفا، بالكسر والفتح كالعلم والسمع

And he became familiar with it, meaning: the thing, like 'alimahu, 'ilfan', with kasra and fatha, like 'ilm and sam'.

نزع البعير إلى ألافه

The camel longed for its companions.

أكن مثل ذي الألاف لزت كراعه ... إلى أختها الأخرى وولي صواحبه

I am like one with companions, its hoof clinging... to its other sister, and its companions have departed.

يخترم الإلف على الألاف

Time consumes the familiar among the companions.

ومن الإلف بالكسر قراءة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لإلف قريش إلفهم

And from 'al-ilf' with kasra is the recitation of the Prophet, peace be upon him: 'for the familiarity of Quraysh, their familiarity'.

المؤمن إلف مألوف

The believer is familiar and is familiar with others.

وهي آلفة، ج: آلفات، وأوالف

And she is 'alifah', plural: 'alifat', and 'awalif'.

أوالفا مكة من ورق الحمى

familiar ones of Mecca from the leaves of the sanctuary.

المألف كمقعد: موضعها أي: الأوالف من الإنسان أو الإبل

Al-ma'laf, like 'maq'ad': its place, meaning: the familiar ones of humans or camels.

المالف: الشجر المورق الذي يدنو إليه الصيد لإلفه إياه

Al-malif: the leafy trees to which game approaches due to its familiarity with them.

والألفة، بالضم: اسم من الائتلاف وهي الأنس

And 'al-ulfah', with damma: a noun from 'al-itti'laf', and it is intimacy.

والألف، ككتف: الرجل العزب فيما يقال

And 'al-alf', like 'katif': the unmarried man, as it is said.

الألف من حروف المعجم مؤنثة

The letter 'alif' from the letters of the alphabet is feminine.

حروف المعجم كلها تذكر وتؤنث

All the letters of the alphabet are masculine and feminine.

والألف أيضا الأليف، والجمع: آلاف ككتب وأكتاف

And 'al-alf' is also 'al-alif', and the plural is 'alaf' like 'kutub' and 'aktaf'.

وهما الألفان والألف الواحد من كل شيء على التشبيه بالألف، فإنه واحد في الأعداد

And they are the two 'alfan' (upper arms) and the single 'alf' of everything, by analogy with 'alif', as it is one in numbers.

وآلفهم إيلافا: كملهم ألفا

And 'aalafahum' 'ilafan': he completed them to a thousand.

يقال كان القوم تسعمائة وتسعة وتسعين فآلفتهم، ممدود، وآلفوا هم: إذا صاروا ألفا

It is said the people were nine hundred and ninety-nine, so I completed them to a thousand (extended), and they became a thousand: when they became a thousand.

وآلفت الإبل الرمل: جمعت بين شجر وماء

And the camels 'aalafat' the sand: they gathered between trees and water.

من المؤلفات الرمل أدماء حرة ... شعاع الضحى في متنها يتوضح

From the composed ones of the sand, a red, free camel... the morning sun clarifies on its back.

آلف الدراهم إيلافا: جعلها ألفا أي: كملها ألفا

'Aalafa al-darahim' 'ilafan': he made them a thousand, meaning: he completed them to a thousand.

فآلفت هي: صارت ألفا

And they 'aalafat': they became a thousand.

وآلف فلانا مكان كذا: إذا جعله يألفه

And 'aalafa fulanan' a place of such-and-such: if he made him familiar with it.

ويقال أيضا: آلفت الموضع أولفه إيلافا، وكذلك آلفت الموضع أؤالفه مؤالفة وإلافا

And it is also said: 'aalafft al-mawdi'' 'u'lifuhu 'ilafan', and likewise 'aalafft al-mawdi'' 'ua'lifuhu 'mu'alafatan' and 'ilafan'.

والإيلاف في التنزيل العزيز: العهد والذمام وشبه الإجازة بالخفارة

And 'al-iylaf' in the Noble Qur'an: the covenant, the protection, and the resemblance of permission to escort.

فإذا عرض لهم عارض قالوا: نحن أهل حرم الله، فلا يتعرض لهم أحد

So if any obstacle befell them, they would say: 'We are the people of God's sanctuary,' and no one would approach them.

توصل بالركبان حينا ويؤلف ... الجوار ويغشيها الأمان ربابها

He connects with the riders for a time, and he brings together... the neighbors, and security covers them.

اعجبوا لإيلاف قريش

Marvel at the familiarity of Quraysh.

لإيلافهم رحلة الشتاء والصيف للامتيار

for their familiarity with the winter and summer journeys for trade.

أهلكت أصحاب الفيل! لأولف قريشا مكة، ولتؤلف قريش رحليتها

I destroyed the companions of the elephant! So that I may make Quraysh familiar with Mecca, and so that Quraysh may become familiar with their journeys.

الإيلاف إنما هو العهود التي كانوا يأخذونها إذا خرجوا في التجارات، فيأمنون بها

The 'iylaf' is precisely the covenants they used to take when they went out for trade, whereby they were made safe.

وكانوا يؤلفون الجوار يتبعون بعضه بعضا، يجيرون قريشا بميرهم

And they used to bring together the protection, following one another, granting protection to Quraysh with their provisions.

وكان هاشم يؤلف إلى الشأم، وعبد شمس يؤلف إلى الحبشة، والمطلب يؤلف إلى اليمن، ونوفل يؤلف إلى فارس

And Hashim used to bring together towards Syria, and Abd Shams towards Abyssinia, and Al-Muttalib towards Yemen, and Nawfal towards Persia.

لإيلاف قريش

for the familiarity of Quraysh.

لإيلافهم

for their familiarity.

إلفهم

their familiarity.

ومن قرأ لإيلافهم فهو من آلف يؤلف

And whoever reads 'li'ilafihim' it is from 'aalafa yu'lifu'.

قال: ومعنى يؤلفون، أي: يهيئون ويجهزون

He said: And the meaning of 'yu'allifun' is: they prepare and equip.

وعلى قول ابن الأعرابي بمعنى يجيرون

And according to Ibn Al-A'rabi, it means they grant protection.

من قرأ إلفهم فقد يون من يؤلفون

Whoever reads 'ilafahum' has taken it from 'yu'allifun'.

أن يجعل من يألفون رحلة الشتاء والصيف، والإيلاف من يؤلفون، أي: يهيئون ويجهزون

to make it from 'ya'lifun' (they are familiar with) the winter and summer journeys, and 'al-iylaf' from 'yu'allifun' (they prepare), meaning: they prepare and equip.

وألف بينهما تأليفا: أوقع الألفة، وجمع بينهما بعد تفرق، ووصلهما

And 'allafa' between them 'ta'lifan': he caused familiarity, and brought them together after separation, and joined them.

ولكن الله ألف بينهم

But Allah brought them together.

ألف ألفا: خطها، كما يقال: جيم جيما

'Allafa alf'an: he wrote it, as it is said: 'jimma jimman'.

ألف المؤلّفة، أي: مكملة

'Allafa al-mu'allafah', meaning: completed.

بتألفهم أي بمقاربتهم، وإعطائهم من الصدقات ليرغبوا من وراءهم في الإسلام

by 'ta'allufihim', meaning by drawing near to them and giving them from the alms so that those behind them would desire Islam.

تألفا لهم

as appeasement for them.

بالأوالف هنا أوالف الطير التي قد ألفت الحرم

By 'al-awalif' here, he means the familiar birds that have become accustomed to the sanctuary.