s-f-'

Description

The Arabic root سفع (s-f-ʿ) carries the core meaning of seizing, dragging, or striking something forcefully, often by the forelock or front part. In its Quranic usage in Surah Al-Alaq (96:15-16), it describes Allah's threat to drag a lying, sinful person by the forelock, emphasizing both the humiliating nature of this seizure and the directness of divine punishment. This vivid imagery conveys absolute divine power over the disbeliever, suggesting a forceful, irresistible grasp that renders the person completely helpless before Allah's judgment.