صبع

Core meaning

The finger. Both uses show one gesture: putting one's fingers in one's ears so as not to hear.

Uses

1. أَصَٰبِع → "fingers" : fingers thrust into the ears, closing the passage of sound.

   • «يَجْعَلُونَ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِم» — "they put their fingers in their ears" (2:19)
   • «جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ» — "they put their fingers in their ears" (71:7)

Evidence from the text

The two sentences are almost identical, but the gesture changes its reason. In 2:19 it is fear: under a torrential rain laden with darkness, thunder and lightning, one stops one's ears "wary of death". In 71:7 it is refusal: each time Nuh calls his people, they stop their ears and "covered themselves with their clothes".

In both cases the finger closes the way of what comes: the crash that frightens, or the call one does not want to hear.

See also

اذن (the ear)