a-s-s

Description

The Arabic root أسس (a-s-s) carries the core meaning of establishing a foundation or laying the groundwork for something. In the Quran, it appears in contexts describing both the literal founding of buildings, such as Abraham and Ishmael raising the foundations of the Kaaba, and metaphorical foundations like establishing actions upon righteousness (taqwa) versus building upon a crumbling edge. This root emphasizes the critical importance of what something is built upon, suggesting that the strength and validity of any structure—whether physical, moral, or spiritual—depends entirely on the soundness of its foundation.