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كهن

Root entry · 12 derived lemmas

This root primarily concerns the concept of soothsaying, divination, and claiming knowledge of the unseen. It extends to acting as a diviner or priest, and metaphorically to someone who manages affairs or acts as a deputy.

Derived headwords

كَهَنَ، كُهُنَverb
  1. 1.
    to be a soothsayerclassical

    To practice the art of soothsaying or divination, claiming knowledge of future events.

  2. 2.
    to act as a priest/divinerclassical

    To serve as a priest or diviner, often associated with pagan Arab practices.

كَهَنَ لهverb
  1. 1.
    to decree for himclassical

    To decree or decide something for someone, often implying a predetermined fate or divine pronouncement.

تَكَهَّنَverb
  1. 1.
    to claim knowledge of the unseenclassical

    To claim knowledge of future events or hidden matters, a practice associated with soothsayers.

  2. 2.
    to divineclassical

    To practice divination or soothsaying, often by interpreting signs or omens.

تكهن الرجل — The man practiced soothsaying.
قلما يقال إلا تكهن الرجل — It is rarely said except that the man practiced soothsaying.
تَكَهُّنًاnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayingclassical

    The act or practice of soothsaying or divination.

تَكْهِينًاnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayingclassical

    The act or practice of soothsaying or divination (rare form).

كِهَانَةnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayingclassical

    The practice of claiming knowledge of the unseen or future events; divination.

  2. 2.
    priesthoodclassical

    The office or role of a soothsayer or pagan priest.

كهانة، بالفتح، وتكهن تكهنا وتكهينا — Soothsaying, with fathah, and he practiced soothsaying with a masdar of takahhun and takhin (rare).
الكهانة، بالفتح ويجوز الكسر: ادعاء علم الغيب — Soothsaying, with fathah, and kasrah is also permissible: claiming knowledge of the unseen.
وحرفته الكهانة، بالكسر، وهو على القياس — And his profession is soothsaying, with kasrah, and it is according to analogy.
كَاهِنnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayerclassical

    A person who claims to know future events or hidden matters; a diviner.

  2. 2.
    priestclassical

    A pagan priest or oracle.

  3. 3.
    stewardclassical

    One who manages a man's affairs, takes care of his needs, and handles his treasury.

  4. 4.
    deputyclassical

    One who succeeds another in his family and takes care of their affairs after him.

فهو كاهن ج كهنة، محركة — So he is a soothsayer, plural kahana, with harakah.
نهى عن حلوان الكاهن — He prohibited the fee of the soothsayer.
الكاهن الذي يتعاطى الخبر عن الكائنات في مستقبل الزمان، ويدعي معرفة الأسرار — The soothsayer is one who claims knowledge of future events and pretends to know secrets.
من أتى كاهنا أو عرافا فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد، صلى الله عليه وسلم — Whoever comes to a soothsayer or a diviner has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him.
إنما هذا من إخوان الكهان — This is from the brethren of the soothsayers.
هل في أهلك من كاهن — Is there a steward among your family?
وكاهن الرجل: من يخلفه في أهله يقوم بأمرهم بعده — And a man's steward is he who succeeds him in his family and manages their affairs after him.
كَهَنَةnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayersclassical

    Plural of 'kahin', referring to soothsayers or diviners.

كُهَّانnoun
  1. 1.
    soothsayersclassical

    Plural of 'kahin', referring to soothsayers or diviners.

المَكَاهِنَةnoun
  1. 1.
    favoritismclassical

    Showing favoritism or partiality.

الكاهنانname
  1. 1.
    The two tribes of Quraizah and Nadirclassical

    The names of two Jewish tribes in Medina, known for their scripture and knowledge.

والكاهنان: حيان من العرب. قال الأزهري: هما قريظة والنضير قبيلا اليهود بالمدينة — And Al-Kahinan: two tribes of Arabs. Al-Azharī said: They are Quraizah and Nadir, the two tribes of Jews in Medina.
الكُهَّانnoun
  1. 1.
    frequent soothsayersclassical

    Those who frequently engage in soothsaying or divination.

Parallel reading

كهن له، كمنع ونصر وكرم، كهانة، بالفتح، وتكهن تكهنا وتكهينا، الأخير نادر: (قضى له بالغيب.
He decreed for him, like (form I, II, IV of 'to prevent', 'to help', 'to be noble'), soothsaying, with fathah, and he practiced soothsaying with a masdar of takahhun and takhin, the latter is rare: (he decreed for him the unseen).
وقال الأزهري: قلما يقال إلا تكهن الرجل.
And Al-Azharī said: It is rarely said except that the man practiced soothsaying.
وقال غيره: كهن، كهانة، بالكسر؛ إذا تكهن، وكهن كهانة إذا صار كاهنا.
And others said: He was a soothsayer, with kasrah; if he practiced soothsaying, and he was a soothsayer if he became a soothsayer.
وفي التوشيح: الكهانة، بالفتح ويجوز الكسر: ادعاء علم الغيب؛
And in Al-Tawshih: Soothsaying, with fathah, and kasrah is also permissible: claiming knowledge of the unseen;
فهو كاهن ج كهنة، محركة، (وكهان، كرمان، (وحرفته الكهانة، بالكسر، وهو على القياس.
So he is a soothsayer, plural kahana, with harakah, (and kuhan, karaman), and his profession is soothsaying, with kasrah, and it is according to analogy.
وفي الحديث: (نهى عن حلوان الكاهن) ؛
And in the Hadith: (He prohibited the fee of the soothsayer);
قال ابن الأثير: الكاهن الذي يتعاطى الخبر عن الكائنات في مستقبل الزمان، ويدعي معرفة الأسرار، وقد كان في العرب كهنة كشق وسطيح وغيرهما،
Ibn Al-Athir said: The soothsayer is one who claims knowledge of future events and pretends to know secrets, and there were soothsayers among the Arabs like Shiq and Satih and others,
فمنهم من كان يزعم أن له تابعا من الجن ورئيا يلقي إليه الأخبار،
Some of them claimed to have a companion from the jinn and a vision that conveyed news to them,
ومنهم من كان يزعم أنه يعرف الأمور بمقدمات أسباب يستدل بها على مواقعها بكلام من يسأله أو فعله أو حاله،
And some of them claimed to know matters through preliminary causes, inferring their occurrences from the words of the questioner, his actions, or his state,
وهذا يخصونه باسم العراف كالذي يدعي معرفة الشيء المسروق ومكان الضالة ونحوها.
And this they specifically call 'arraf' (diviner), like one who claims to know about stolen items or the location of lost things and the like.
وفي الحديث: (من أتى كاهنا أو عرافا فقد كفر بما أنزل على محمد، صلى الله عليه وسلم، أي من صدقهم.
And in the Hadith: (Whoever comes to a soothsayer or a diviner has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him), meaning whoever believes them.
وفي حديث الجنين: (إنما هذا من إخوان الكهان).
And in the Hadith of the fetus: (This is from the brethren of the soothsayers).
والكاهن أيضا: (من يقوم بأمر الرجل ويسعى في حاجته والقيام بأسبابه وأمر خزانته.
And the 'kahin' also: (one who manages a man's affairs, strives for his needs, handles his matters and his treasury.
وفي الحديث: استأذنه رجل في الجهاد فقال له: هل في أهلك من كاهن؛
And in the Hadith: A man sought permission from him for jihad, so he said to him: Is there a steward among your family?;
هكذا قيده الوقشي بفتح الهاء. وقال ابن الأعرابي: إن لفظ الحديث من كاهن وغيره الراوي.
Al-Waqshi recorded it thus with fathah on the ha. Ibn Al-A'rabi said: The wording of the Hadith is 'from a steward and others', according to the narrator.
وكاهن الرجل: من يخلفه في أهله يقوم بأمرهم بعده؛
And a man's steward is he who succeeds him in his family and manages their affairs after him;
والمكاهنة: المحاباة.
And Al-Mukahanah: favoritism.
والكاهنان: حيان من العرب. قال الأزهري: هما قريظة والنضير قبيلا اليهود بالمدينة، وهم أهل كتاب وفهم وعلم؛
And Al-Kahinan: two tribes of Arabs. Al-Azharī said: They are Quraizah and Nadir, the two tribes of Jews in Medina, and they are people of scripture, understanding, and knowledge;
ومنه الحديث: (يخرج من الكاهنين رجل يقرأ القرآن لا يقرؤه أحد قراءته) ؛ قيل: إنه محمد بن كعب القرظي وكان من أولادهم.
And from it is the Hadith: (A man will emerge from Al-Kahinan who recites the Quran in a way no one else recites it); it was said that he was Muhammad ibn Ka'b Al-Qurazi, and he was from their descendants.
كهن لهم: إذا قال لهم قول الكهنة: وكذا كل من يتعاطى علما دقيقا.
He spoke like the soothsayers to them: if he said to them the words of the soothsayers: And so is everyone who pursues subtle knowledge.
والكهان: كثير الكهانة.
And Al-Kuhhan: those who are frequent in soothsaying.