بلغ

Core meaning

To reach: to arrive at the end of a course, in space, in time or in speech. Transmission is speech that reaches those for whom it is meant.

Uses

1. بَلَغَ, يَبْلُغُ → "to reach" : to arrive at a place, a term, an age.

   • «وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥٓ ءَاتَيْنَٰهُ حُكْمًۭا وَعِلْمًۭا» — "And when he reached his full maturity, We gave him judgment and knowledge" (12:22)
   • «فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا» — "When they had reached the meeting-place of the two seas" (18:61)
   • «حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ ٱلشَّمْسِ» — "until, having reached the setting-place of the sun" (18:86)

2. بَلِّغْ, أَبْلَغَ, أُبَلِّغُ → "to convey" : to make a word reach those to whom it is sent.

   • «يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ» — "O messenger! Convey what has been sent down to you from your Guardian" (5:67)
   • «أُبَلِّغُكُمْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّى» — "I convey to you the messages of my Guardian" (7:62)

3. ٱلْبَلَٰغ → "the transmission" : speech carried to its addressee: all that is incumbent on the messenger.

   • «مَّا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَٰغُ» — "Only the transmission is incumbent upon the messenger" (5:99)
   • «هَٰذَا بَلَٰغٌۭ لِّلنَّاسِ» — "This is a transmission for mankind" (14:52)

4. بَٰلِغ, بَٰلِغَة, مَبْلَغ → "to bring to its term", "reaching", "the extent" : what goes all the way, or the point to which one goes; said of the offering on its way to the Ka'ba, the participle keeps "reach".

   • «إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ» — "God indeed brings His command to its term" (65:3)
   • «هَدْيًۢا بَٰلِغَ ٱلْكَعْبَةِ» — "as an offering reaching the Ka'ba" (5:95)
   • «ذَٰلِكَ مَبْلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ» — "That is the extent of their knowledge" (53:30)

5. أَبْلِغْهُ → "to convey" : to bring a person to a place, and no longer a word.

   • «ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ» — "then convey him to his place of safety" (9:6)

Evidence from the text

The verb always follows a course to its end: Moussa's journey to the meeting-place of the two seas (18:60-61), the one who follows a link to the setting of the sun, then to its rising, then between the two barriers, three times "until, having reached" (18:86, 18:90, 18:93), the offering to the Ka'ba (5:95) and to its place of delivery (2:196, 48:25), the waiting period of repudiated women to its term (2:231-234), the child to his full maturity (12:22, 28:14, 46:15). What is not reached is stated the same way: the water that stretched-out palms never bring to the mouth (13:14), the mountains the arrogant will not reach in height (17:37).

Transmission is this same gesture applied to speech: making the message reach those who must hear it. Hence the recurring formula: only the transmission is incumbent upon you (3:20, 13:40, 42:48). The messenger carries the word all the way; what people do with it is no longer his concern. The Recitation warns "whoever it reaches" (6:19).

Distinctions

• وصل — to join, to arrive at: the junction, whereas بلغ states the end reached of a course
• رسل — to send: the message is what is sent, the transmission is its arrival

See also

اجل (the term) · بين (clear)