مكن
Attested forms : مَكَّنَّا 3 · مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ 2 · نُمَكِّن 2 · مَكَّنَّٰكُمْ 1 · أَمْكَنَ 1 · مَكِينٌ 1 · مَكَّنِّى 1 · مَّكِينٍۢ 1
Core meaning
To establish: to give someone a firm place, with the means to act in it.
Uses
مَكَّنَّا, مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ, نُمَكِّن, مَكَّنِّى → "to establish" : giving a footing on the earth, to a man or to generations.
- «وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ» — "And thus We established Youssof on that land" (12:21)
- «مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ» — "whom We had established on the earth as We have not established you" (6:6)
- «ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ» — "those who, if We establish them in the land, maintain the Contact" (22:41)
وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ → "to establish firmly" : giving a Law its firm place.
- «وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ» — "that He will surely establish firmly for them their Law" (24:55)
فَأَمْكَنَ → "to give power over" : Form IV: giving a hold over someone.
- «فَأَمْكَنَ مِنْهُمْ» — "and He has given you power over them" (8:71)
مَكِين, مَّكِينٍۢ → "in a position of authority", "secure" : one who, or what, holds a firm place.
Evidence from the text
The formula "We established him on the earth" returns for Youssof (12:21, 12:56), for Dhul-Qarnayn (18:84) and for the annihilated generations (6:6, 46:26): each time, a firm place and the means to act. In 22:41, the text says what those whom God establishes do: they maintain the Contact and give pure liberality. In 18:95, Dhul-Qarnayn refuses the tribute: "That in which my Guardian has established me is better".
The adjective keeps the same firmness: Youssof is with the king "in a position of authority" (12:54), the messenger is "secure with the Holder of the Edifice" (81:20), the drop is placed "in a secure and stable place" (23:13).
Distinctions
- ثبت — to make firm what might waver; مكن gives the place itself
- جعل — to make, to institute, without the idea of footing