فهم

Core meaning

To understand: to grasp the right point of a matter; in form II, to give the understanding of it.

Uses

1. فَفَهَّمْنَٰهَا → "to grant the understanding" : form II: to make someone grasp the right point of a matter.

   • «فَفَهَّمْنَٰهَا سُلَيْمَٰنَ» — "We granted Sulayman the understanding of it" (21:79)

Evidence from the text

The root has a single use, and the pronoun refers to the matter of the previous verse: Dawud and Sulayman were judging concerning the tilth into which the people's sheep had trespassed by night (21:78). Understanding is given to one of the two, and the verse adds at once "and to each of them We gave judgment and knowledge" (21:79).

To understand is therefore not to have more knowledge: it is, in a given matter, to grasp its right point.

Distinctions

• علم — knowledge: what one knows, given to both (21:79), whereas فهم names the right grasp of a matter
• فقه — to gain deep understanding: understanding acquired, whereas here فهم is given

See also

حكم (judgment)