dh-b-h

Description

The Arabic root ذبح (dh-b-h) carries the core meaning of ritual slaughter or sacrifice, specifically referring to the act of cutting the throat of an animal in a prescribed manner. In the Quranic context, this root appears in significant narratives including Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, the command to the Israelites to slaughter a cow, and Pharaoh's slaughter of Israelite children, emphasizing themes of obedience to divine command, proper ritual sacrifice, and the distinction between legitimate religious slaughter and tyrannical bloodshed. The term establishes important religious and legal parameters for animal sacrifice in Islamic tradition while also serving as a powerful metaphor for submission to God's will.