s-n-w

Description

The Arabic root سنو (s-n-w) primarily conveys the concept of years, time periods, and temporal duration in the Quran. Its derivatives predominantly refer to extended periods of time (سنة/سنين meaning year/years), emphasizing the passage of time in narratives about prophets, nations, and divine tests, while also occasionally relating to sleep or drowsiness (سِنَة) as a momentary lapse in consciousness. This root is significant in Quranic discourse for highlighting Allah's patience with disbelievers over years, the duration of prophetic missions, and contrasting human temporal limitations with divine timelessness, as in the famous Ayat al-Kursi where Allah is described as free from sleep (سِنَة) or slumber.