كفل

Core meaning

To have a person or a commitment under one's responsibility: to have custody of it, to stand guarantor for it.

Uses

1. كَفَّلَ, يَكْفُلُ → "custody" : to have a child in one's custody, by designation.

   • «وَكَفَّلَهَا زَكَرِيَّا» — "and entrusted custody of her to Zakariya" (3:37)
   • «أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ» — "which of them would have custody of Maryam" (3:44)
   • «يَكْفُلُونَهُۥ لَكُمْ» — "who will have custody of him for you" (28:12)

2. كَفِيلًا → "guarantor" : God taken as guarantor of an oath.

   • «وَقَدْ جَعَلْتُمُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ كَفِيلًا» — "having taken God as a guarantor over you" (16:91)

3. كِفْل, كِفْلَيْنِ → "share of responsibility", "double portion" : the share one answers for, or receives.

   • «يَكُن لَّهُۥ كِفْلٌۭ مِّنْهَا» — "will bear a share of responsibility for it" (4:85)
   • «يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ» — "He will give you a double portion of His benevolence" (57:28)

4. أَكْفِلْنِيهَا → "Entrust her to me" : to ask to take a possession into one's keeping.

   • «أَكْفِلْنِيهَا» — "Entrust her to me" (38:23)

5. ذَا ٱلْكِفْلِ → "Dhul-Kifl" : the proper name, kept as it is.

   • «وَذَا ٱلْكِفْلِ» — "and Dhul-Kifl" (21:85)

Evidence from the text

Custody is always assigned by designation. In 3:44, the cast reeds designate the one who will have custody of Maryam, and in 3:37 it is God who assigns it to Zakariya, through the doubled form كَفَّلَ; in 20:40 and 28:12, Moussa's sister points to a family who will have custody of the child, whom his mother then takes back for the care of early childhood (رضع).

The same responsibility is said of a commitment: one takes God as guarantor of one's oaths (16:91), one answers for one's share in an evil intercession (4:85), and the believer receives a double portion of divine benevolence (57:28). Dhul-Kifl, named in 21:85 and 38:48, bears the root in his name; the translation keeps it as it is.

Distinctions

• رضع — to take the child into care for early childhood, whereas كفل says custody

See also

زكريا (the one who receives custody of Maryam)