نصارى

Core meaning

The name of a group, drawn from the root of helping: those who call themselves God's helpers.

Uses

1. وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ, ٱلنَّصَٰرَى, نَصَٰرَىٰ → "the Helpers" : the name the group gives itself; often beside the Reoriented.

   • «وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلنَّصَٰرَىٰ» — "the Reoriented, the Helpers" (2:62)
   • «وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَٰرَى» — "and the Helpers said" (9:30)

Evidence from the text

The text draws the name from the words of the disciples, who call themselves God's helpers (3:52, 61:14), from the root ن ص ر, to help. Those who bear this name give it to themselves: they say "We are indeed the Helpers" (5:82). The translation keeps this sense: "the Helpers".

The name most often goes with ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟, "the Reoriented" (2:62, 5:69, 22:17): two groups designated by what they say of themselves.

See also

نصر (to help, the root the name is drawn from)