رهط

Core meaning

The small group one belongs to: the kindred that protects, or a handful of men one counts.

Uses

1. رَهْط → "kindred" : the narrow group of one's own, weighty through its protection.

   • «وَلَوْلَا رَهْطُكَ لَرَجَمْنَٰكَ» — "were it not for your kindred, we would have banished you" (11:91)
   • «أَرَهْطِىٓ أَعَزُّ عَلَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ» — "does my kindred then weigh more with you than God" (11:92)

2. تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍۢ → "nine individuals" : men counted one by one.

   • «وَكَانَ فِى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍۢ» — "And there were in the Capital nine individuals" (27:48)

Evidence from the text

Shu'ayb's kindred is a small group, yet weighty enough to protect him: his people do not banish him, because of it (11:91), and Shu'ayb turns the argument around: does his kindred weigh more than God (11:92)? In 27:48, the word counts persons: nine individuals in the Capital, who sow corruption.

Distinctions

• قوم — the whole people, whereas رهط is the small group of one's own
• اهل — the people of a house or a place