t-w-'

Description

The Arabic root ṭ-w-ʿ (طوع) carries the core meaning of voluntary compliance, willing submission, and the capacity to yield or conform. In the Quran, it encompasses a spectrum from free-willed obedience and voluntary devotion to God, to the natural submission of all creation to divine will, as well as human ability and capacity to perform acts. This root is theologically significant because it emphasizes the distinction between genuine, heartfelt compliance versus forced obedience, highlighting that true worship and righteous deeds derive their value from voluntary choice rather than compulsion.