كرم

Core meaning

Nobility shown through giving: to be noble, to be generous, to honor.

Uses

1. كَرِيم → "generous" : what is given beyond what is due: provision, reward.

   • «لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌۭ وَرِزْقٌۭ كَرِيمٌۭ» — "they have forgiveness and a generous provision" (24:26)
   • «وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًۭا كَرِيمًۭا» — "And He has prepared for them a generous reward" (33:44)
   • «لَّا بَارِدٍۢ وَلَا كَرِيمٍ» — "neither cool nor generous" (56:44)

2. كَرِيم → "noble" : the dignity of a person or of a word.

   • «وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًۭا كَرِيمًۭا» — "but speak to them a noble saying" (17:23)
   • «إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْكَرِيمُ» — "It is indeed you, the mighty, the noble" (44:49)
   • «رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْكَرِيمِ» — "the Guardian of the noble Edifice" (23:116)

3. كَرَّمْنَا · مُّكْرَمُونَ → "to honor", "honored" : to confer a rank of honor.

   • «وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ» — "We have indeed honored the sons of Adam" (17:70)
   • «بَلْ عِبَادٌۭ مُّكْرَمُونَ» — "They are rather honored obedient ones" (21:26)

4. أَكْرَمَكُمْ → "the most noble" : nobility measured with God; the comparative said of humans.

   • «إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ» — "The most noble of you, with God, is indeed the most guarded" (49:13)

5. كَرِيم, ٱلْأَكْرَم (said of God) → "Generous", "Most Generous" : God named by what He gives beyond what is due.

   • «وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْأَكْرَمُ» — "And your Guardian is the Most Generous" (96:3)
   • «مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ ٱلْكَرِيمِ» — "What has deluded you concerning your Guardian, the Generous" (82:6)

Evidence from the text

The word first qualifies what is given: a generous provision, a generous reward (24:26, 33:44, 36:11), beyond what is due; the shade of smoke, for its part, is "neither cool nor generous" (56:44): nothing is given there. Said of God, it names Him by this giving: "my Guardian is indeed Self-Sufficient, Generous" (27:40), "your Guardian, the Generous" (82:6), "the Most Generous, who taught by the pen" (96:3). It then qualifies dignity: a noble word addressed to parents (17:23), a noble messenger (69:40), a noble letter (27:29), a noble Recitation (56:77), the noble Edifice (23:116). The verb confers this dignity: God has honored the sons of Adam (17:70), and those ascribed to Him as children are honored obedient ones (21:26).

49:13 sets the measure: the most noble with God is the most guarded. In 44:49, the title is turned against the one who adorned himself with it: "It is indeed you, the mighty, the noble!".