سعي

Root entry · 18 derived lemmas

The root سعي (s-ʿ-y) primarily denotes movement, effort, and striving. It encompasses concepts like walking, running, seeking, working, and earning. It can also extend to metaphorical meanings such as acting as an agent, informing, or even illicit sexual pursuit.

Derived headwords

سَعَى، يَسْعَىverb

1.
to strive, to aimboth
To move with purpose towards a goal, to endeavor or aim for something.
2.
to walkboth
To move on foot, often implying a steady pace.
3.
to runboth
To move at a faster pace than walking, implying speed and exertion.
4.
to work, to earnboth
To engage in labor or activity to gain sustenance or achieve a result, whether good or bad.
5.
to inform, to slanderclassical
To carry news or information about someone, often with malicious intent, to an authority.
6.
to act illicitly (women)classical
To engage in illicit sexual activity, specifically referring to women in a classical context.

سَعْيnoun

1.
striving, effortboth
The act of striving, endeavoring, or moving with purpose.
2.
walkingboth
The act of walking, especially the specific ritual walking between Safa and Marwah.
3.
runningboth
The act of running or moving quickly.
4.
work, earningboth
The result of one's efforts, earnings, or the actions performed, whether good or evil.

فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله — So strive towards the remembrance of Allah

لتجزى كل نفس بما تسعى — That every soul may be recompensed for what it strives for

سِعَايَةnoun

1.
slander, informingclassical
The act of informing or slandering someone to an authority.
2.
collecting charityclassical
The work of administering and collecting charitable donations.
3.
payment for freedomclassical
The amount paid by a slave to earn their freedom, or the effort exerted to achieve it.

سعى المصدق سعاية — He worked collecting the charity

والسعاية، بالكسر: ما كلف من ذلك — And al-siʿāya (with kasra): what is tasked of that

سَاعٍnoun

1.
agent, officialboth
One who is in charge of a matter or people, often specifically referring to a charity collector or administrator.
2.
informer, slandererclassical
One who carries news or informs, often with negative connotations.
3.
leader (Jewish/Christian)classical
A leader or chief among Jews and Christians, whose opinion is followed.

فهو ساع، والجمع سعاة — So he is a collector, and the plural is collectors

وإن كان يهوديا أو نصرانيا ليردنه علي ساعيه — And if he were a Jew or a Christian, he would return it to me, his leader

سُعَاةnoun

1.
collectors (of charity)classical
Plural of 'sāʿi', referring to those who collect charity or administer affairs.
2.
effort, strivingclassical
The act of striving or making an effort in one's livelihood or affairs.
3.
mediatorsclassical
Those who work to reconcile disputes or maintain peace between people.

والسعاة، بالفتح: التصرف — And al-suʿāh (with fatha): the management

والسعاة: أصحاب الحمالات لحقن الدماء وإطفاء الثائرة — And al-suʿāh: those responsible for bearing burdens to shed blood and extinguish rebellion

سَاعَى، يُسَاعِيverb

1.
to pursue illicit relationsclassical
To seek illicit sexual relations, particularly with a slave woman.
2.
to compete withclassical
To strive against someone or compete with them.

وساعاها مساعاة: طلبها للبغاء — And to seek illicit relations with her (musāʿātan): to seek her for fornication

من ساعاها فاتته — Whoever competes with it (the world) will miss it

مُسَاعَاةnoun

1.
illicit pursuitclassical
The act of seeking illicit sexual relations, especially with a slave.
2.
competitionclassical
The act of competing or striving against another.

وساعاها مساعاة: طلبها للبغاء — And to seek illicit relations with her (musāʿātan): to seek her for fornication

لا مساعاة في الإسلام — There is no illicit pursuit in Islam

أَسْعَى، يُسْعِيverb

1.
to make someone striveboth
To cause someone to strive, work, or earn.
2.
to employ as collectorclassical
To employ someone to collect charity or administer affairs.

وأسعاه: جعله يسعى — And asʿāhu: to make him strive

أسعوا على صدقاتهم: استعمل عليهم ساعيا — And to employ them on their charities: to appoint a collector over them

مَسْعَاةnoun

1.
virtue, honorclassical
A noble deed, a praiseworthy act, or a means of achieving honor and distinction.

والمسعاة: المكرمة والمعلاة في أنواع المجد — And al-masʿāh: the honor and elevation in types of glory

اسْتَسْعَى، يَسْتَسْعِيverb

1.
to compel to earn freedomclassical
To compel a slave to work and earn money to pay for their freedom.
2.
to employ in collectingclassical
To employ someone to collect charity or administer.

واستسعى العبد: إذا كلفه من العمل ما يؤدي به عن نفسه إذا عتق بعضه ليعتق به ما بقي — And to seek freedom for the slave (istisʿā): if he tasked him with work to pay for himself when part of him was freed, to free the rest

إن وائلا يستسعى ويترفل على الأقيال — That Wail collects (charity) and is honored above kings

سَعْوَةnoun

1.
hour of the nightclassical
A portion or hour of the night.
2.
brazen womanclassical
A bold, immodest, or loose woman.

والسعوة، بالكسر: الساعة من الليل — And al-suʿwah (with kasra): the hour of the night

والسعوة، بالكسر: المرأة البذية الخالعة — And al-suʿwah (with kasra): the immodest, loose woman

سَعْوَاءnoun

1.
hour of the nightclassical
A portion or hour of the night, sometimes considered longer than a standard hour.

يقال: مضى من الليل سعو وسعداء — It is said: an hour of the night has passed

سَعْوnoun

1.
hour of the nightclassical
A portion or hour of the night.
2.
reputationclassical
Reputation or renown.

مضى سعو من الليل — An hour of the night passed

والسعة، بالفتح: السمعة — And al-suʿwah (with fatha): the reputation

سَعْوَةnoun

1.
reputationclassical
Reputation or renown.

والسعة، بالفتح: السمعة — And al-suʿwah (with fatha): the reputation

سَعْيَاname

1.
prophet's nameclassical
The name of a prophet from the Children of Israel who prophesied the coming of Jesus.

وسعيًا بن أمصيا: نبي — And Saʿyā ibn Amṣiyā: a prophet

سَعْيَةname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name mentioned in classical Arabic texts.
2.
personal nameclassical
A personal name, often of a woman or a place associated with a person.

وسعية: علم للعنز — And Saʿyah: a proper name for a goat

وأبو سليط سعية الشعباني — And Abū Sulayṭ Saʿyah al-Shaʿbānī

سُعَاوِيadjective

1.
patient in hardshipclassical
One who is patient and enduring during sleeplessness or travel.

والسعاوي، بالضم: الصبور على السهر والسفر — And al-suʿāwī (with damma): the patient one during sleeplessness and travel

سُعْوَىname

1.
place nameclassical
A place name mentioned in classical Arabic texts.

وسعدى: موضع — And Saʿwā: a place

Parallel reading

فاسعوا إلى ذكر الله

So strive towards the remembrance of Allah

أي فاقصدوا

Meaning, so intend

سعى لهم وعليهم: عمل لهم فكسب

He worked for them and against them: he acted for them and earned

إذا مشى، زاد الراغب بسرعة

When he walks, al-Raghib added 'quickly'

أخذ السعي بين الصفا والمروة

The ritual walking between Safa and Marwah is taken

إذا عدا، وهو دون الشد وفوق المشي

When he runs, which is less than galloping and more than walking

سعى به: إذا نم به ووشى إلى الوالي

He informed on him: if he slandered him and carried tales to the governor

لتجزى كل نفس بما تسعى

That every soul may be recompensed for what it strives for

المرء يسعى لغارية

A person strives for their belly

سعى المصدق سعاية

The charity collector worked collecting the charity

باشر عمل الصدقات ومشى لأخذها فقبضها من المصدق

He undertook the work of charities and walked to collect them, so he received them from the giver

فهو ساع، والجمع سعاة

So he is a collector, and the plural is collectors

وكل من ولي شيئا على قوم فهو ساع عليهم

And whoever is appointed over a people is a governor over them

سعت الأمة تسعى سعيا: بغت

The slave woman acted illicitly, she acted illicitly: she fornicated

وساعاها مساعاة: طلبها للبغاء

And to seek illicit relations with her (musāʿātan): to seek her for fornication

إماء ساعين في الجاهلية

Slave women who engaged in illicit relations in the pre-Islamic era

لا مساعاة في الإسلام

There is no illicit pursuit in Islam

وأسعاه: جعله يسعى

And to make him strive (asʿāhu): to make him work

والمسعاة: المكرمة والمعلاة في أنواع المجد

And al-masʿāh: the honor and elevation in types of glory

واستسعى العبد: إذا كلفه من العمل ما يؤدي به عن نفسه إذا عتق بعضه ليعتق به ما بقي

And to seek freedom for the slave (istisʿā): if he tasked him with work to pay for himself when part of him was freed, to free the rest

والسعاية، بالكسر: ما كلف من ذلك

And al-siʿāya (with kasra): what is tasked of that

إذا عتق بعض العبد فإن لم يكن له مال استسعي غير مشقوق عليه

If part of a slave is freed and he has no money, he is compelled to work without being overburdened

وسعيًا بن أمصيا: نبي من أنبياء بني إسرائيل

And Saʿyā ibn Amṣiyā: a prophet from the Children of Israel

والشين لغة فيه كما سيأتي

And the letter 'shīn' is a variant pronunciation for it, as will be mentioned later

هو واد بتهامة قرب مكة أسفله لكنانة، وأعلاه لهذيل

It is a valley in Tihamah near Mecca, its lower part belonging to Kinanah, and its upper part to Hudhayl

السعة من الليل كما في المحكم إلا أنه ضبطه بالفتح

Al-suʿwah from the night as in al-Muḥkam, except that he vocalized it with fatha

السعو بغير هاء بالكسر

Al-saʿw without hāʾ, with kasra

يقال: مضى من الليل سعو وسعداء

It is said: an hour of the night has passed

وكنا عنده في سعواوات من الليل والنهار

And we were with him during hours of the night and day

والسعوة، بالكسر: المرأة البذية الخالعة

And al-suʿwah (with kasra): the immodest, loose woman

والسعة، بالفتح: السمعة

And al-suʿwah (with fatha): the reputation

والساعي: الوالي على أي أمر وقوم كان

And al-sāʿī: the governor over any matter or people

وإن كان يهوديا أو نصرانيا ليردنه علي ساعيه

And if he were a Jew or a Christian, he would return it to me, his leader

والسعاة، بالفتح: التصرف في المعاش والكسب

And al-suʿāh (with fatha): the management of livelihood and earning

شغلت سعاتي جدواي

My efforts have occupied me with my generosity

وسعية: علم للعنز

And Saʿyah: a proper name for a goat

والسعاوي، بالضم: الصبور على السهر والسفر

And al-suʿāwī (with damma): the patient one during sleeplessness and travel

أسعوا به: إذا أطلبوه، بقطع همزتهما

And to seek it with him (asʿū bihi): if they sought it from him, with the cutting of their hamzas

فلما بلغ معه السعي

And when he reached the age of striving with him

وساعاني فلان فسعيته أسعيه إذا غلبته

So-and-so competed with me, and I overcame him, if I defeated him

من ساعاها فاتته

Whoever competes with it (the world) will miss it

وسعى به إلى الوالي: وشى به

And he informed on him to the governor: he slandered him

الساعي لغير رشدة

The slanderer for an illegitimate cause

يهلك بسعايته: نفسه، والمسعي به، والسلطان

He perishes by his slander: himself, the one slandered, and the ruler

والسعاة: أصحاب الحمالات لحقن الدماء وإطفاء الثائرة

And al-suʿāh: those responsible for bearing burdens to shed blood and extinguish rebellion

سموا بذلك لسعيهم في إصلاح ذات البين

They were named thus for their striving in reconciling matters

والساعي: البريد

And al-sāʿī: the messenger

مضى سعو من الليل، بالفتح ويكسر

An hour of the night passed, with fatha and kasra

وسعوة، بالفتح: أي قطعة منه

And suʿwah, with fatha: meaning a piece of it

إن وائلا يستسعى ويترفل على الأقيال

That Wail collects (charity) and is honored above kings

أسعوا على صدقاتهم: استعمل عليهم ساعيا

To employ them on their charities: to appoint a collector over them