The Connotations of the Word "Al-ba's" in the Holy Qur'an: A Topical Study

Abstract

There are certain terms in the Holy Qur’an which, when heard, reveal a wealth of meanings and connotations. One of these terms is the word al-ba’s. This study explores the term al-ba’s through examining its various meanings in the Qur’anic context, by analyzing the verses in which it appears and identifying its interpretations in classical exegesis. The research is divided into three sections, each addressing the verses that correspond to a particular meaning. Despite the multiple shades of meaning associated with the word al-ba’s, it appears in the Qur’an with three primary significations: war, punishment, and poverty.

After surveying the Qur’anic usages of al-ba’s, it becomes clear that its technical meaning does not deviate from its linguistic root, as it is frequently defined as “the intensity of battle.” Moreover, some scholars state that the original sense of punishment in early usage referred to beating، which was later extended to denote painful retribution. Likewise, the term al-ba’is in the sacred law refers to the distressed individual upon whom the signs of misery and poverty are evident. Qur’anic exegetes maintain that poverty is one of the defining traits of the ba’is, a person afflicted by destitution, though the word may also extend metaphorically to one struck by calamity or affliction، even if not impoverished. This research relied on exegetical works from both Sunni and Shi‘a traditions to establish the nuanced meanings of this term.