n-k-th

Description

The Arabic root نكث (n-k-th) carries the core semantic meaning of unraveling, undoing, or breaking something that was previously bound or woven together, with both literal and metaphorical applications. In the Quran, it appears literally once referring to yarn being untwisted into strands (16:92), while its other six occurrences relate metaphorically to the breaking of oaths, covenants, and pledged agreements. This root is significant in Quranic discourse as it emphasizes the gravity of violating binding commitments, portraying covenant-breaking as analogous to destructively unraveling something that was carefully constructed and meant to hold firm.