زلف

Core meaning

To reduce a distance: to bring near, in space, in time or in rank.

Uses

1. أَزْلَفَ, أُزْلِفَتْ → "to bring near", "to bring close" : to bring near what was far: the Garden, or a company.

   • «وَأُزْلِفَتِ ٱلْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ» — "And the Garden will be brought near to those who guard themselves" (26:90)
   • «وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ ٱلْءَاخَرِينَ» — "And We brought the others close there" (26:64)

2. زُلْفَىٰ → "closeness", "as near as can be" : nearness itself, as a place beside God.

   • «وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلْفَىٰ وَحُسْنَ مَـَٔابٍۢ» — "And he surely has, with Us, closeness and a fine place of return" (38:40)
   • «لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ زُلْفَىٰٓ» — "so that they may bring us nearer to God, as near as can be" (39:3)

3. زُلْفَة → "near" : what one sees arriving close at hand.

   • «فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهُ زُلْفَةًۭ» — "Then, when they see it near" (67:27)

4. زُلَف (of the night) → "close moments" : the same drawing near, applied to time: moments of the night, beside the two ends of the day.

   • «وَزُلَفًۭا مِّنَ ٱلَّيْلِ» — "and at close moments of the night" (11:114)

Evidence from the text

The gesture is always that of a reduced distance, and the context gives its meaning. The Garden "will be brought near to those who guard themselves, not far off" (50:31; also 26:90, 81:13); conversely, those who disowned will see near what they called for, and vexation will be stamped upon their faces (67:27). In 26:64, God brings Fir'awn's people close to the place where the sea had opened: the drawing near leads them to their ruin.

زُلْفَىٰ is nearness as rank: Dawud and Sulayman have closeness with God (38:25, 38:40). Those who take allies say they obey them only "so that they may bring us nearer to God, as near as can be" (39:3); the text answers that neither goods nor children bring one near to Him, as near as can be, "except for one who believed and did sound deeds" (34:37). The same word applies to time: the Contact is maintained "at the two ends of the day, and at close moments of the night" (11:114).

Distinctions

• قرب — nearness, being near or approaching; زلف is the act of reducing the distance, or the rank that results from it. The translation gives both roots the same words, "to bring near" and "near": the construction tells them apart, and 39:3 joins them (لِيُقَرِّبُونَآ … زُلْفَىٰٓ, "bring us nearer … as near as can be")

See also

بعد (remoteness)