q-s-m

Description

The Arabic root ق-س-م (q-s-m) carries the core meaning of dividing, separating, or apportioning something into parts, as well as swearing an oath (which conceptually involves setting something apart as sacred testimony). In the Quran, this root appears in contexts describing both the physical division or distribution of things like inheritance, spoils of war, and provisions, as well as divine oaths where Allah swears by His creation to emphasize truth. The dual semantic range reflects how both division and oath-taking involve the act of distinguishing and setting apart—whether parceling resources among people or invoking something sacred to affirm veracity.