kh-m-r

Description

The Arabic root خمر (kh-m-r) fundamentally means "to cover" or "to conceal," which explains its application both to intoxicants (which cover or cloud the mind) and to head coverings (which physically conceal). In the Quranic context, this root appears most prominently in references to khamr (wine/intoxicants) that are prohibited because they veil human reason and judgment, as well as in the famous verse instructing believing women to draw their khumur (head covers) over their chests. The semantic connection between these seemingly different concepts lies in the core idea of veiling or concealment, whether of the intellect through intoxication or of the body through modest dress.